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      Resolving Duplicate Payment Instruction File (PIF) Submission Errors

      If a submitted Payment Instruction File (PIF) closely matches a previously submitted file, the PaymentWorks system may automatically reject it as a duplicate. This article explains what may cause a duplicate rejection alert in PaymentWorks and how to review and override duplicate file rejections.

      What Causes a File to be Flagged as a Duplicate?

      A Payment Instruction File (PIF) may be flagged as a duplicate if any of the following information is identical to a previous file:

      1. The same payment file (or a file with identical attributes) has been submitted more than once.
      2. Every individual payment detail, such as payee name, bank information, and amount, mirrors those in a previous file

      How Will I Be Alerted of a Duplicate File Rejection?

      In the case that a file has been flagged as a duplicate, payers will be alerted in three ways:

      1. An automated email alert will go out to users part of the “Payment Batch Ready for Payer Review” notification group. In order to be added to this alert, please open a support ticket.
      2. PaymentOps will reach out to the designated contacts on file for formatting issues and alert them of the duplicate file. We will also provide resolution instructions.
      3. Payments Approvers can view the duplicate status of the file by navigating to the Payment Instruction File Tracker, where the file in question will have a status of “Auto-Rejected: Duplicate File” along with a red exclamation mark.

      How to Resolve a Duplicate File Rejection

      1. Go to the Payment File Status Dashboard in the PaymentWorks UI.
      2. Locate the file marked as Auto-Rejected.
      3. Click the Auto-Rejected status to view details.
      4. If the file is valid and was not previously submitted in error, click Override Rejection to proceed with processing.

      ⚠️Important Notes

      • Use caution when overriding to avoid processing the same file twice.
      • Check your ERP or internal records to confirm whether the file was already submitted or paid.

      Training and Additional Resources

      For more information on Payment Instruction Files, check out these articles: 

      PaymentWorks is here to help. If you have questions or need assistance with your duplicate file errors, feel free to submit a support ticket—we’re happy to assist you.