Spoke · Pillar: Payroll Compliance

ABA payment file. XIntelliSync prepares. Your bank authorises.

No AI Business OS can initiate Australian outbound payroll payments directly. The platform prepares the ABA file (Cemtex format every major bank accepts). You upload via your bank portal. Your bank moves the money. Honest separation that respects AU banking infrastructure.

Why this lives on XIntelliSync, not on a fintech blog

Australia's banking system is read-only for SaaS. There is no AU-equivalent of the US Automated Clearing House network that lets a third-party platform initiate outbound payments on a customer's behalf. XIntelliSync is upfront about it: we generate the ABA file, you upload via your bank portal, your bank executes. No banking API on our side, no fake payment success, no surprise on payday. The article below is the ABA format, the upload workflow, and the audit trail you keep.

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Quick answer

An ABA file is the standard Australian batch-payment format every major bank accepts. XIntelliSync runs the pay run, generates the ABA file in the Cemtex format, and instructs you to upload it via your bank portal. You authorise the disbursement using your normal signatory process. Your bank moves the money. There is no banking API that lets a third-party platform bypass this — anyone claiming otherwise is misrepresenting AU banking infrastructure.

ABA file structure

Three record types. One file. Hundreds of payments.

The ABA (Cemtex) format is plain-text, fixed-width, with three record types. One file can carry one payment or one thousand — the structure is the same.

Type 0 — Descriptive (Header) record

Exactly 1 per file

Reel sequence number, BSB and account of the payer, sequence number of the lodgement, name of the user (employer), user ID number, description of the file (e.g., "PAYROLL"), date of processing.

Type 1 — Detail records

One per payee

Payee BSB and account number, name, transaction code, amount in cents, lodgement reference, remitter name, withholding tax (if applicable). One detail record per employee in the pay run.

Type 7 — File total record

Exactly 1 per file

BSB filler, total net amount, total credit amount, total debit amount, total record count. Used by the bank to verify the file balances before posting.

The four-step workflow

PREPARE → DOWNLOAD → INSTRUCT → CONFIRM.

XIntelliSync does not have a banking API and cannot initiate outbound payments. This is the honest workflow that respects AU banking infrastructure.

  1. PREPARE — XIntelliSync runs the pay run, applies the applicable Modern Award classification, calculates PAYG withholding, applies super at 12% on OTE, and generates the ABA file with the file header (Type 0), one detail record per employee (Type 1), and the file total (Type 7). Validation runs at this stage — BSB checksum, account format, total balance — to catch issues before the file leaves the platform.
  2. DOWNLOAD — You download the .aba file to your local machine. The file is plain-text, ~80 characters wide, one row per record. Total file size for a typical pay run: a few KB.
  3. INSTRUCT (UPLOAD AND AUTHORISE) — Log into your bank portal (CommBank NetBank, NAB Internet Banking, ANZ Internet Banking, Westpac Live, Macquarie Online, or your bank's equivalent). Navigate to direct-entry / bulk-payment / batch-payment upload. Attach the .aba file. Review the totals and per-employee summary. Authorise via your normal signatory process (single signatory or dual-signatory token-based approval depending on your bank arrangement).
  4. CONFIRM — The bank processes the payments (typically same-day if uploaded before cutoff, or next business day). Once paid, return to XIntelliSync and click "Mark as Paid". The audit log records the upload timestamp, the bank confirmation reference, and the paid amount. Seven-year retention per ATO record-keeping obligations.
XIntelliSync prepares. Your bank executes. Your audit log records both.

Bank-side upload paths

Where to upload your ABA file by bank.

Every major Australian bank accepts ABA files. The upload path within each bank's portal differs slightly. If your bank is not listed below, look for "direct entry", "bulk payment", "batch payment", or "payment file upload" under the payments section.

  • CommBank (Commonwealth Bank)

    NetBank → Transfers → Direct entry → Upload ABA file. Authorisation via authorised signatory token.

  • NAB (National Australia Bank)

    Internet Banking → Pay anyone → Bulk payments → Upload ABA file. Multi-signatory approval supported via NAB Connect.

  • ANZ

    ANZ Internet Banking → Transfer/BPay → Upload ABA file. Larger volumes via ANZ Transactive (Direct Debit / Direct Entry module).

  • Westpac

    Westpac Live → Payments → Upload payment file → Select ABA. QuickSuper integration available for super contributions.

  • Macquarie

    Macquarie Online Banking → Payments → Multi-payment file upload → ABA format selected.

  • Bendigo / Suncorp / smaller institutions

    Most accept ABA via online banking direct-entry section. Some require ABA Plus extension for larger volumes; check with your bank.

Where to authorise the payment

XIntelliSync prepares the ABA file. Your bank authorises the payment.

XIntelliSync has no banking API to initiate outbound Australian payments. There is no third-party platform-initiated payroll-payment API in Australia. Once XIntelliSync prepares the ABA (Cemtex) batch file, log into your bank's business portal and upload the file there:

CommBank — NetBank Direct Entry

CommBank NetBank → Transfers → Direct Entry → Upload ABA file. Authorisation via authorised signatory token. CommBiz available for higher-volume businesses with multi-signatory approval workflows.

NAB — Internet Banking + NAB Connect

NAB Internet Banking → Pay anyone → Bulk payments → Upload ABA file. NAB Connect (commercial banking platform) supports multi-signatory approval workflows for larger payroll batches.

ANZ — Internet Banking + ANZ Transactive

ANZ Internet Banking → Transfer/BPay → Upload ABA file. Larger volumes via ANZ Transactive Direct Entry / Direct Debit module — institutional-grade with role-based authorisation.

Westpac — Westpac Live + QuickSuper

Westpac Live → Payments → Upload payment file → Select ABA format. QuickSuper integration handles SuperStream-compliant super contributions through the same Westpac Live workflow.

Macquarie — Macquarie Online Banking

Macquarie Online Banking → Payments → Multi-payment file upload → ABA format selected. Common choice for legal trust accounts + professional services firms.

Bendigo / Suncorp / smaller institutions

Most regional + mutual banks accept ABA via the online banking direct-entry section. Larger volumes may require an ABA Plus extension or commercial banking add-on — confirm with your bank's business team before the first payroll cycle.

Australian Payments Network — auspaynet.com.au

AusPayNet sets the technical standards behind Direct Entry (DE / ABA / Cemtex) across Australian banks. Reference for the underlying file format specification and inter-bank settlement timing.

All 22+ industries served

ABA cycle nuances by industry.

Pay-cycle frequency and ABA-file complexity vary by industry — weekly for shift-based hospitality and construction, fortnightly for healthcare and childcare, monthly for salaried professional services. Below: the ABA-cycle feature most relevant to every industry XIntelliSync serves.

  • Construction

    MA000020

    Sub-contractor payment chains complicate ABA — separate file per ABN-paid sub vs PAYG employee. Retention amounts paid via separate ABA cycle.

  • Healthcare

    MA000027 · MA000031 · MA000034

    Multi-roster practices often run weekly + fortnightly cycles in parallel — separate ABA per pay cycle.

  • Hospitality

    MA000009 · MA000119

    High weekly + casual mix — typically weekly ABA cycle. Bonus payments require separate ABA entry.

  • Retail

    MA000004

    Weekly ABA cycle most common. Multi-store retail often consolidates under one ABA file with branch-level cost centres in the descriptor.

  • Consulting / Professional Services

    MA000065 · MA000089

    Monthly ABA cycle common for salaried consultants. Fortnightly more common for hourly admin staff.

  • Digital / Tech

    MA000065

    Monthly ABA cycle most common for salaried tech workers. Bonus payments via separate ABA.

  • Finance

    MA000019

    Monthly ABA cycle most common. Bonus payments via separate ABA per quarter or year-end.

  • Legal

    MA000116

    Monthly ABA cycle common for salaried lawyers. Trust account distributions handled separately from payroll ABA.

  • Childcare

    MA000120 · MA000077

    Fortnightly ABA cycle most common. Multi-centre operators consolidate under one ABA file with centre-level cost centres.

  • Education

    MA000076 · MA000077

    Fortnightly ABA cycle for most ongoing staff. Sessional payments often via separate ABA cycle.

  • Manufacturing

    MA000010

    Weekly ABA cycle most common for shift-based factories. Salary staff on monthly via separate ABA.

  • Transport

    MA000039 · MA000038

    Weekly ABA cycle most common. Per-kilometre adjustments processed within standard payroll ABA.

  • Mining

    MA000011

    Fortnightly or monthly ABA cycles common. Site rosters drive payment timing.

  • Agriculture

    MA000045 · MA000028

    Weekly ABA cycle most common during harvest seasons. Long-stay accommodation deductions reconciled per pay run.

  • Fitness

    MA000094

    Fortnightly ABA cycle most common. Casual instructor pay processed within standard ABA cycle.

  • Non-profit

    MA000100

    Fortnightly ABA cycle most common. Government-funded NDIS/aged-care providers may have specific reporting on payment timing.

  • Events

    MA000058 · MA000080

    Weekly ABA cycle for ongoing staff; per-event ABA for casual production crew on event-day basis.

  • Creative

    MA000080 · MA000087

    Per-engagement ABA for project-based creative work. Ongoing broadcasting staff on standard fortnightly cycle.

  • Marketing

    MA000089 · MA000065

    Monthly ABA cycle for salaried marketers. Project-based contractors often invoiced separately (not via payroll ABA).

  • Human Resources

    MA000089 · MA000065

    Monthly ABA cycle most common. HR-managed payroll often uses different ABA cycle from organisation-wide.

  • Insurance

    MA000019

    Monthly ABA cycle most common. Trail commission paid quarterly via separate ABA.

  • Real Estate

    MA000106

    Monthly ABA cycle most common. Commission settlements processed within standard payroll ABA.

ABA file format and bank-side upload procedures are standardised across Australian banking. Specific batch-cutoff times and authorisation requirements vary per bank — confirm with your bank's direct-entry documentation.

ABA payment files. Questions answered.

What is an ABA file?+
An ABA file is the standard Australian batch-payment format created by the Australian Bankers Association (also called the Cemtex format). Every major Australian bank — CommBank, NAB, ANZ, Westpac, Macquarie, Bendigo, Suncorp, and smaller institutions — accepts ABA files for processing batch payments. The format is plain-text, fixed-width, with three record types (Type 0 header, Type 1 detail per payee, Type 7 file total). One file can pay hundreds or thousands of employees in a single bank upload.
Why does XIntelliSync prepare ABA files instead of paying employees directly?+
There is no banking API in Australia that lets a third-party platform initiate outbound payroll payments to employee bank accounts on behalf of an employer. The Australian banking system requires the account holder (the business) to authorise outbound batch payments via the bank's own portal — not via a third-party API call. XIntelliSync therefore prepares the ABA file (the data the bank needs to process the payments) and instructs you to upload it via your bank portal where you authorise the disbursement. Any platform claiming to initiate outbound AU payroll payments directly is misrepresenting AU banking infrastructure.
What is the workflow from pay run to employees being paid?+
Four steps. (1) PREPARE — XIntelliSync runs the pay run, calculates net pay per employee, and generates the ABA file in the standard format. (2) DOWNLOAD — you download the .aba file to your local machine. (3) UPLOAD AND AUTHORISE — log into your bank portal, navigate to direct-entry or bulk-payment upload, attach the .aba file, review the totals, and authorise via your normal signatory process. (4) CONFIRM — the bank processes the payments (typically within 24 hours for standard batch; same-day for premium batch services). Once paid, mark the run as confirmed in XIntelliSync — the audit log records the upload timestamp and bank confirmation.
How long does ABA processing take?+
Most banks process standard ABA batch uploads same-day if uploaded before the cutoff (typically 4–6pm bank-time). Same-day processing is increasingly common for ABA uploads with valid BSB+account combinations. Some banks offer same-day ABA via premium services (e.g., Westpac's express payments, NAB Connect same-day batch). For super contributions specifically, SuperStream channels (clearing house) are separate from the payroll ABA and have their own timing — typically 3–5 business days for the contribution to reach the fund.
What happens if an ABA file fails at the bank?+
Common failure modes: invalid BSB+account combination (typo in the bank account during onboarding), insufficient funds in the source account, total record mismatch (corrupted file), or missing user ID for the bulk upload service. Most banks reject the entire file rather than processing partial records. XIntelliSync runs validation checks at the PREPARE stage — BSB checksum, account format, total balance — to catch failures before the file leaves the platform. If the bank rejects the file at upload, fix the issue in XIntelliSync and regenerate the ABA. Rejected files are not partial payments — nothing has moved.
Can XIntelliSync handle multiple bank accounts (paying from different accounts)?+
Yes. Each pay run can target a specific source account for the ABA file generation. Multi-entity businesses with separate bank accounts per ABN (e.g., trust + holding + operating company) generate one ABA file per source account and upload separately to the relevant bank portal. The audit log records which source account each pay run drew from. XIntelliSync also handles split-payment scenarios — an employee with two bank accounts in their profile gets two detail records in the ABA file with the split percentages applied.
What about trust accounts (legal industry)?+
Legal practices that hold trust accounts have a separate compliance regime under each state's Legal Profession Act / Legal Profession Uniform Law (NSW, Vic, WA, etc.). Trust account distributions are NOT processed through the standard payroll ABA — they are processed through trust-specific banking workflows that require trust trustee authorisation. XIntelliSync's payroll ABA is for staff payroll only. Trust account distributions are handled via the practice's trust banking portal directly, with reconciliation back to the trust ledger.

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Pay run prepared. ABA file ready. Your bank one upload away.

Included from Growth tier ($297/month AUD). ABA file generated for every pay run. BSB validation pre-upload. Multi-source-account support for multi-entity businesses. Audit log records every step. First month 50% off.

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