What is ACH Debit & ACH Credit?
ACH transfers are primarily one of two types, but there is a diverse array of subtypes to be aware of too. An ACH transfer can be one of two types:  ACH credit  ACH debit  They are distinguished by being push payments and pull payments, respectively. Lets take a look at what this means below. An ACH credit is a type of ACH transfer where funds are pushed into a bank account. That is, the payer (e.g. customer) triggers the funds to be sent to the payee (e.g. merchant). For example, when an individual sets up a payment through their bank or credit union to pay a bill, this would be processed as an ACH credit. An ACH debit is a type of ACH transfer where funds are pulled from a bank account. That is, the payer (e.g. customer) gives the payee (e.g. merchant) permission to take payment from their account whenever it becomes due. For example, when an individual sets up a recurring monthly payment for a mortgage or utility bill, an ACH debit would be used and their bank account would be debited automatically. Types of ACH debit  The ACH system supports several different types of debit (listed below). Each is identified by its own Standard Entry Class (SEC) code. An SEC code represents a specific ACH debit use case. Some allow recurring payments, while others only allow one-off payments. SEC code ACH debit name Description ARC Accounts Receivable Conversion An ACH debit used when payment is received for an account receivable in the form of a check. Allows a paper check to be converted into an electronic ACH payment. BOC Back Office Conversion An ACH debit used when the in-person purchase of goods or services is done via check, and which will be processed later in the back office. Allows a paper check to be converted into an electronic ACH payment. CCD Cash Concentration or Disbursement An ACH debit used when taking a payment from another business or within related entities - usually for the purposes of cash management. CTX Corporate Trade Exchange An ACH debit used when taking a payment from another business. Enables the merchant to add multiple addendums to the payment, so they can cover a number of invoices without losing information. IAT International ACH Transaction An ACH debit that applies to all collection methods where the end beneficiary of the debit is a non-US based business. MTE Machine Transfer Entry An ACH debit used when debit is initiated at an electronic terminal. POP Point of Purchase An ACH debit used when converting a check that has been given to the merchant at the point of purchase, or at a manned bill payment location, and will be processed immediately. POS Point of Sale An ACH debit used when the debit is initiated at an electronic terminal for a point-of-sale transaction. PPD Prearranged Payment and Deposits An ACH debit used when the debit is initiated via a paper-based customer authorisation. RCK Re-presented Check Entry An ACH debit used when collecting a debit from a check previously returned due to insufficient funds. SHR Shared Network Transaction An ACH debit used when the debit is initiated at an electronic terminal for a point-of-sale transaction. TEL Telephone Initiated Entry An ACH debit used when the debit is authorized by phone. TRC / TRX Check Truncation An ACH debit used when a debit is initiated under a Check Truncation Program. WEB Internet Initiated Entry An ACH debit used when the debit is authorized online. For recurring payments, the primary ACH debit types of interest are:  WEB (Internet Initiated Entry)  TEL (Telephone Initiated Entry)  PPD (Prearranged Payment and Deposits)  For the rest of this guide, well refer to these types of ACH debit only, unless stated otherwise. eCheck vs ACH debit  You may hear the term eCheck being used interchangeably with the term ACH debit. ACH debit is the overarching term used for all debit types in the ACH system. eChecks refer to just a subset of SEC codes - specifically, the types of ACH debit that enable merchants to convert paper checks into an electronic debit (i.e. ARC, BOC, and POP transactions). Direct Deposit vs ACH debit  A Direct Deposit is a type of payment made via the ACH network. Broadly speaking, all payments made via the ACH network are either Direct Deposits or Direct Payments - and ACH debits are a type of Direct Payment. The broad difference between Direct Deposits and ACH debits is that the former have funds being pushed into an account, while the latter have funds being pulled out of an account.