ACH payments (Automated Clearing House transfers) can feel slow when approved invoices sit outside your usable balance. Until they settle, payroll and vendor decisions still depend on the cash already in the account.
Checks add mailing time, and card payments add percentage fees. To accept ACH payments, share your routing and account numbers for ACH credits. For ACH debits, use invoicing software or a processor after collecting written authorization, then time deposits around payroll and tax dates.
How ACH payments work on the receiving end
ACH payments reach your account one of two ways: the customer pushes an ACH credit to you, or you pull an ACH debit from their account with permission. The choice determines who controls timing.
ACH credits: The customer starts the payment from their own bank using your routing and account numbers. You don't need a processor beyond sharing those two numbers. Credits fit one-off business-to-business (B2B) invoices because your client's accounts payable team enters your details once, and payment arrives without a check being printed.
ACH debits: You start the pull from the customer's account, on a date you choose, after collecting their authorization. Debits fit retainers and recurring billing, because a monthly debit dated the 1st follows your schedule instead of the client's.
Either way, standard ACH generally takes a few business days, because the network processes payments in batches rather than one at a time. Your bank may offer same-day ACH for time-sensitive collections if you submit before its cutoff. Nacha network statistics show 1.4 billion same-day ACH payments in 2025, a 16.7% increase over 2024.
How to accept ACH payments in five steps
Set up ACH before the next invoice cycle by choosing how money will reach you. Collect authorization, test the first transfer, and make deposits easier to reconcile.
Start with ACH credits if you only need customers to send payment to your account. Add ACH debits when you want more control over recurring payment dates.
Step 1: Confirm your business bank account details
Locate the routing and account numbers for the business account where you want payments to land. That pair is all a customer needs to push an ACH credit to you.
Before you share the numbers, confirm the account uses your legal business name, accepts incoming ACH, and matches the account you plan to reconcile invoices against. Relay supports up to 20 checking accounts on Starter and Grow and up to 50 on Scale, so you can route ACH payments into the account you reconcile for that invoice type instead of sorting every deposit in one place.
Also confirm whether your bank supports ACH origination—the ability to pull debits from customer accounts. Origination usually requires a separate application. Your bank often turns on incoming ACH credits by default, while debit origination may require a short underwriting review.
Step 2: Choose a collection method
You'll usually choose one of three collection methods, depending on invoice volume, frequency, and timing control.
Sharing account details directly has no processor onboarding and no per-transaction fees on your side. The trade-off is that payment timing sits on the customer's initiative—the credit arrives when they choose to send it. Sharing account details works best for one-off B2B invoices with clients you already trust.
Invoicing software gives customers a "Pay by ACH" option inside the invoice. Tools like QuickBooks Online, FreshBooks, Wave, or Xero let the customer enter bank details once, capture authorization, and send reminders on your schedule. A dedicated payment processor, such as Stripe, GoCardless, Dwolla, or a merchant-services provider through your bank, makes sense once you need scheduled debit pulls at higher volume or recurring billing.
Pick the lightest option that covers your current invoice volume. You can move to a processor once recurring billing outgrows a manual workflow.
Step 3: Collect written authorization from each debit customer
Before you initiate any ACH debit, you'll need explicit written or electronic consent from the account holder. The authorization should spell out the amount or range, the timing or frequency, the bank account to debit, and how the customer can revoke consent. A signed PDF works, and so does a checkbox record inside invoicing software if it captures the IP address, timestamp, and exact terms.
For a one-off debit, the authorization can be a single line the customer signs on the invoice or accepts in a payment form. For recurring debits, include the debit date, the amount, and a plain-language cancellation clause. Store each authorization somewhere you can produce it quickly if a customer disputes a payment.
For debit controls on top of the authorization, have one person enter any change to a customer's bank details and another confirm it. Review return notifications weekly so unresolved returns don't accumulate. You don't need authorization for ACH credits, because the customer initiates those from their own bank.
Step 4: Run a small test transaction
Run a low-dollar test before the first real invoice depends on ACH. A $1 debit or $50 credit against a live invoice catches a transposed account number, wrong routing number, or permissions issue.
Watch whether the deposit lands in the expected account, the remittance information shows the invoice number or customer name, and your accounting software matches the deposit to the invoice. If you use Relay with QuickBooks Online or Xero, use the test deposit to confirm how the payment appears before ACH becomes your default. If you're originating a debit, confirm the cash settles in the expected number of business days.
If you're using a processor, test the return flow too so you know what happens when a real payment bounces.
Step 5: Update your invoice templates and payment instructions
Rewrite your standard invoice templates so ACH appears as the default payment method and a mailed check remains the fallback. On every invoice, include:
Routing number and account number, or a "Pay by ACH" link if using invoicing software
The account name exactly as it appears at your bank
A field for the invoice number the customer should reference on the payment
The payment due date
A short line stating your preferred method: "We accept ACH transfers, payment details below"
When every invoice presents the same instructions in the same place, customers stop emailing to ask where to send payment, and your accounts receivable inbox gets quieter.
After the setup: lock in the process
Once the test works and the template is live, tighten the operational side so ACH doesn't create new work. Match ACH deposits to invoices at least weekly. Relay's direct two-way sync with QuickBooks Online and Xero pushes each ACH deposit into your books tagged to the checking account it landed in, so weekly reconciliation is a review step rather than a data-entry step.
Send a short note to current clients saying ACH is now your preferred method, with the routing and account details attached. A small amount of setup prevents missing remittance notes and gives you a faster answer when a customer disputes a debit.
How to handle ACH returns
Keep ACH returns under control by verifying account details before the first debit, reminding customers before scheduled pulls, and fixing the cause before any retry. Scheduled debits usually return for account or authorization problems. Low balances are common; wrong account details and disputes need different follow-up. Some banks and processors charge fees for returns or reversals, and some charge more for same-day ACH.
The cash you planned around now arrives late or not at all, which can throw off your next payroll or rent payment. Processors and banking platforms track return rates, and frequent returns can put your ACH origination access at risk.
Keep a simple return log instead of relying on memory or scattered email threads. For each return, record the customer, invoice number, reason, notification date, follow-up owner, and retry decision. The log shows whether account-detail problems repeat or certain customers need earlier reminders. It also keeps disputed invoices out of automatic retry queues.
Verify account details when a customer first signs up, which the test transaction from your setup already covers. When a payment returns, contact the customer before re-initiating. Retry deliberately, once the underlying cause is fixed, rather than automatically on a timer.
How to time ACH collections around your own obligations
Schedule ACH collections around your outgoing dates so cash is in place before payroll and rent leave. Work backward from your largest fixed outflow. For a payroll run on the 15th, a standard ACH debit initiated on the 10th would generally clear in time.
Check your banking platform's daily ACH cutoff. If you submit after the cutoff, the payment usually starts processing the next business day. Use same-day ACH for time-sensitive collections submitted before your cutoff. Routine collections usually belong on standard ACH because same-day ACH may cost more.
Once deposits land predictably, allocate them on arrival so the operating balance doesn't absorb everything. Relay's automated transfer rules can move ACH deposits by percentage or fixed amount the moment they land, which keeps tax, payroll, profit, and operating allocations tied to the deposit itself instead of a calendar reminder.
Start collecting by ACH before the next invoice cycle
Before the next invoice cycle, treat ACH acceptance as a first-month rollout. Pick a small group of reliable customers, publish the new payment instructions, and set a dollar threshold for when a late or returned ACH needs owner review before any retry. At month-end, compare expected deposit dates with actual arrival dates and update debit dates, reminder timing, and invoice notes before expanding the process.
Once ACH deposits arrive on a predictable schedule, opening a Relay account connects collections to the cash decision that follows. Relay gives you up to 20 checking accounts on Starter and Grow plans (up to 50 on Scale), standard ACH (no per-transaction fee), and automated transfer rules, so deposits can split into payroll, tax, profit, and operating cash as soon as they arrive.
Frequently asked questions
How long does an ACH payment take to clear?
Standard ACH usually needs a few business days. Same-day ACH can move faster if you submit before your banking cutoff.
Do I need my customer's permission to pull an ACH payment?
Yes. Keep a written or electronic record showing the amount, timing, account, and consent. ACH credits are different because the customer starts the payment through their own bank.
How much does it cost to accept ACH payments?
Providers commonly charge a small flat fee or low percentage, which often beats card pricing on large invoices. Check return, reversal, and same-day pricing before making it the default.
What happens if an ACH payment is returned?
Fix the cause, usually low balance, wrong account details, or a dispute, before you retry. Too many returns can threaten your ability to originate debits.
Can I accept ACH payments without a payment processor?
Yes. For ACH credits, share your business account's routing and account numbers. Add a processor or invoicing tool when you want scheduled pulls, recurring billing, or higher volume.
