New To Vanco?

Are you sending your checking transactions to Vanco for the first time?  Switching from another service, such as Alliance?

Here are the questions from other TFW users who recently completed the move.

Q:

How do I get set up with Vanco?

A:


At the Vanco website they offer three ways to get started:

Click here to be contacted by a Vanco Services sales representative.
https://www.vancoservices.com/vancoservices_contactus.htm
 
You may also call 800-774-9355 and ask for a sales representative or send us an email at Sales@VancoServices.com

They give you a six-character customer ID that you enter into TFW.  Just one setting!

Your upload files will then go to your Data Directory in Vanco format with your Vanco ID included.   You didn't need that step with Alliance.  Look at your Data Directory setting (under Help) and create a new folder if you prefer. 

Q:

Someone at Vanco said I should type a list of all of my check drafts and send it to Vanco.

A:

Some services want all your draft data and schedules at the start.  Then you update their computer, not yours.  You can't be sure you'll get your data back if they go out of business or if you want to switch to another service. 

So keep your drafting data on your own computer (as you do now) and only send up the transactions that are due on any one draft day (as you do now).

Q:

I have set up a user account with Vanco and I have successfully logged on to their web site. How do I tell TFW to use Vanco now instead of Alliance?

A:

Under the Settings tab click the Direct Debit Settings button.  Select Vanco from the dropdown list (at the bottom) where you previously had selected AllianceInternet.

Click the More button.  Enter your ID from Vanco there, where it asks for UserID.  Your files for Vanco will be named with this ID, and this ID will be at the front of every line in the transaction file.  That's how Vanco knows who gets the proceeds.

Q: 

I have changed my Direct Debit Settings to "Vanco" and entered my Vanco user name in TFW DD.  Now, will TFW DD create a BATCH FILE for upload to Vanco's site, or will TFW DD send the individual drafts to Vanco one by one as I used to do with Alliance before I started creating batch files?

A:

Yes, TFW writes a batch file for upload to Vanco.  You didn't need this upload step with Alliance.

TFW writes this to your Data Directory.  You can set the Data Directory to a new folder with the Data Directory option under Help (or in TFW Payments, Set Data Folder under File menu).  

Q:

I don't have the Vanco option at the bottom of the dropdown list where we had AllianceInternet before. 

A:

Select About under the Help menu and see what version number you have. Current version of TFW DD is 85340.  We added the Vanco option  two years ago.

Download this update (compressed zip file) to a temporary location.   Extract the files and run the Update.exe file.   Make sure TFW is not open while you update.   Close TFW before you update.

Q:

I just updated my TFW and it won't open.  It says I need the right .NET framework.  What do I do?

A:

Download .NET 2 from Microsoft. 

Then get Microsoft updates at http://windowsupdate.Microsoft.com.

Also download


Extract all files from infra_Update.zip twice, once to each of the following folders:

c:\Program Files\Cerium\TFW Direct Debit
c:\Program Files\Cerium\TFW Credit Cards

Q:

Thanks for all the great info regarding the switch. I started running drafts last week and it was a painless switch!

I am getting ready to run CC drafts for the first time, however, since I don't have as many, and notice that I don't see the option for Vanco in my CC program. I have version 2.0.66243 and use Go Figure 2.08 on a computer with Vista. Do I need an update to the TFW program?

A:

Thank you taking a moment to say thank you.

No, no update needed.  You're done with the change-over!

You don't need any changes to your credit card processing.  Alliance did check drafting, not credit cards, and that's all we need at Vanco.

TFW worked with Vanco to build a check drafting process because of their good service and good rates, but we have not built a Vanco credit card process.  Last time I made the comparison, we already had a better credit card rate than Vanco could offer.

Q:

You said I should use NotePad if I edit the date in a Vanco file.  Where is my NotePad?

A:

NotePad is built into Windows.  Open it under Accessories.  Or, when you open a file for Vanco, right click on the file name, select "Open With...", and select NotePad.  NotePad is the plainest kind of editor, from years ago.  If you used Microsoft Word instead, Word would scramble the Vanco format with all kinds of word processing formats. 

Q:

Vanco tells me that, as a rule, I need to send the deposit transactions to them IN ADVANCE of the desired processing date, and they cannot process past due deposit transactions. I have not yet deposited the drafts due from Feb 1 to Feb 7 because Alliance was shut down. Vanco customer support says I need to get direction from Cerium on how to set up the batch file so that Vanco can process these transactions.

A: 

Right, it's a manual editing process, but not too hard.

To review and report transactions that you sent to Alliance:

Log onto your account at Alliance and use the Transaction Search option as shown in this example.  You may void any transactions that are still in pending status.

Export the Alliance transactions (or get a report).  See illustration.

Edit the list for Vanco.  One TFW user describes this in his own words.

Use Notepad, not Word, and don't drop any of the 17 tabs, including the one at the end of each line. 

Vanco format has 18 fields and 17 tabs:

ES1234 K92222042 Doe Jane 4 Main Road West Somewhere NY 02222 123456789 7654321 C 29.00 M 02/12/2009 02/12/2009       

These are (starred fields are optional and can be blank.):

Vanco ID,
member ID,
last name*,
first name*,
street*,
city*,
state*,
zip*,
routing number,
account number,
C for Checking,
amount,
M for monthly,
date twice,
and a final tab.

Member ID cannot be omitted and must be unique, but you can make it up.  Just number these 1, 2, 3...

Dates must be next day, or day after tomorrow if sent after 3:00 pm CST.

Q:

When I export my transactions from Alliance, it downloads as an Excel file instead of WordPad.

A:

The Excel file will work fine.  Just save it and open it with NotePad.  Notepad, not WordPad! 

If the file name ends "txt" or "csv" or anthing other than "xls", it's not a spreadsheet file, but Excel wants to import it into a spreadsheet.  Don't give it to Excel.  Or to WordPad.  Just NotePad.  We don't want any word processing formats or spreadsheet formats interfering with our Vanco formats.

Q:

I'm just not used to thinking "ahead" for the vanco drafts. Vanco rejected her record because of the date...

I really do have to adjust my thinking ALOT in order to deal with Vanco but it REALLY is nice to have one's money on the due date instead of a week later like Alliance did it.

A:

One of our users describes the changes to his drafting schedule.

Q:

How do I get money that Alliance has already taken from my members but has not paid me?

A:

See Alliance Balance Due.  This page requires you to register first.  Register here.

Q:

John, you're the best! Thanks for your prompt reply to my distress call (message).

Please advise if there are any other steps I need to take.

Thanks again for your fantastic customer service.

A:

You're welcome.  Thank you for taking time to say thank you.

Q:

John,

Just wanted to say thanks for all the help you have given me the last few days. I was able to send my first batch through today with Vanco because of you!

A:

You're welcome.  Thank you for taking a moment to say thank you.