Positive Pay — Truist Financial

Positive Pay from Truist Financial is a robust fraud prevention solution designed to help corporate and commercial clients protect their cash flow and accounts payable processes from check fraud and suspicious payment activity. Built to integrate with existing treasury and cash management workflows, Positive Pay combines automated file matching, exception handling, and customizable control rules to reduce risk, minimize losses, and increase operational efficiency.

Overview

Positive Pay provides a secure method of verifying checks presented for payment against a payor’s issued items. Clients submit a record of issued checks to Truist Financial, which then compares incoming cleared checks against that issued file. Items that match predefined criteria are paid automatically, while exceptions are flagged for review. This capability is essential for organizations that write a significant volume of checks, maintain high-value disbursements, or require tight internal controls over disbursement activity.

Key Features

• Automated Matching: Automated comparison of presentment items to an electronic issue file, matching by check number, dollar amount, and account information.
• Exception Processing: Comprehensive exception handling workflow allowing authorized users to review, pay, return, or adjust items that do not match the issued file.
• Customizable Rules: Tailorable tolerance levels and business rules for amounts, dates, and check formats to fit unique corporate policies and risk appetites.
• Check Image Review: High-quality check images for visual verification and audit trails to support exception resolution and dispute management.
• Multiple File Formats: Support for a variety of file formats and delivery methods to accommodate different accounting systems and ERP outputs.
• Role-Based Access: Secure role-based user permissions and multi-level approval workflows to enforce segregation of duties and strengthen internal controls.
• Reporting and Audit Trails: Detailed logs, exception reports, and historical data to satisfy audit requirements and provide transparency into payment activity.

Benefits

• Risk Reduction: Significant mitigation of check fraud exposure by intercepting unauthorized or altered checks before payment clears.
• Cost Savings: Decrease in financial losses due to fraudulent activity and a reduction in manual reconciliation time and dispute costs.
• Operational Efficiency: Streamlined exception handling and automated processes reduce the time treasury and accounting teams spend on routine verification tasks.
• Improved Controls: Enhanced internal controls and visibility into payments support compliance and governance standards across the organization.
• Scalability: Suitable for businesses of varying sizes—from regional companies to large multinational corporations—with flexible configuration options.

How It Works

1. Issuance File Upload: The client transmits an electronic file of issued checks to Truist Financial according to scheduled intervals (daily, same-day, or intraday), containing essential data such as check number, issue date, payee, and dollar amount.
2. Presentment Matching: As checks are presented to the bank for payment, the system automatically compares each item to the most recent issuance file.
3. Automated Decisions: Items that meet the matching criteria are paid without intervention. Items that do not match are flagged as exceptions.
4. Exception Review: Designated users receive exception notifications and can review check images, apply business rules, and choose to pay, return, or hold items for further investigation.
5. Reporting & Reconciliation: Detailed reports and reconciliation tools help clients reconcile daily activity, investigate variances, and maintain audit-ready documentation.

Integration and Compatibility

Positive Pay is designed to integrate with common accounting and enterprise resource planning systems. Truist Financial supports multiple file formats and secure transmission methods to simplify implementation. Flexible file mapping and validation services reduce setup time and enable smooth communication between client systems and the bank’s Positive Pay platform. The solution also supports centralized treasury operations, enabling multinational or multi-entity companies to enforce consistent payment controls across all accounts.

Security and Compliance

Security is a cornerstone of Positive Pay. The service leverages encryption, secure file transfer protocols, and strict authentication mechanisms to protect sensitive financial data. Role-based access controls and audit logging ensure that review and approval processes are transparent and traceable. By helping prevent unauthorized disbursements and providing documented exception workflows, Positive Pay supports compliance with internal policies, regulatory requirements, and industry best practices for fraud prevention and financial governance.

Implementation and Support

Truist Financial offers a structured onboarding process to help clients implement Positive Pay with minimal disruption. Implementation typically includes requirements assessment, file format configuration, test file validation, user training, and user access setup. Ongoing support options include access to a dedicated service team, technical support for file transmission issues, and advisory services to fine-tune rules and reporting as the client’s needs evolve.

Use Cases

• Companies with high check volume seeking to reduce fraud and manual reconciliation workload.
• Organizations with decentralized disbursement authority that require centralized oversight and control.
• Entities that need auditable workflows to comply with internal audit or regulatory requirements.
• Businesses that want to minimize the financial impact of altered, counterfeit, or duplicate checks.

Best Practices

• Maintain timely and accurate issuance files to improve automated matching rates.
• Define clear exception handling policies and assign accountability for review decisions.
• Regularly review and adjust tolerance thresholds and business rules to balance fraud prevention with payment efficiency.
• Leverage reporting and analytics to identify trends, unusual activity, and process improvements.
• Ensure segregation of duties and periodic user access reviews to maintain strong internal controls.

Summary

Positive Pay from Truist Financial is a comprehensive check fraud prevention solution that strengthens treasury controls, reduces exposure to unauthorized disbursements, and streamlines exception management. By automating critical verification processes and providing clear, auditable workflows, Positive Pay helps organizations protect assets, improve operational efficiency, and support compliance efforts. Whether used by mid-market companies or large enterprises, the service is configurable to meet diverse business needs and integrates with existing financial systems to deliver dependable protection for corporate payment activity.

Address Bank: Truist Center, Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.
Bank: Truist Financial
Headquarters: Charlotte
Products: Payments & Treasury
Type: Positive Pay