---
title: What is a Payment Instruction File (PIF)?
description: A Payment Instruction File (PIF) is a document generated by your Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system that contains a batch of Automated Clearing House (ACH) payments to be processed. This file i
---

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# What is a Payment Instruction File (PIF)?

A **Payment Instruction File (PIF)** is a file submitted to PaymentWorks containing ACH payment instructions for payments your organization is ready to process.

Payment Instruction Files must be provided in one of the ACH file formats supported by PaymentWorks:

- Nacha
- ISO 20022

The PIF contains the information needed to process ACH payments, including payment amounts, payee payment details, and other information required by the applicable file format.

**Uploading a Payment Instruction File to PaymentWorks**

Payment Instruction Files can be submitted to PaymentWorks in two ways:

- **SFTP Upload:** Your organization can securely transmit the PIF to PaymentWorks through your configured SFTP connection. This method is commonly used for automated file transmission from your ERP or financial system.
- **Manual Upload in PaymentWorks:** Authorized users can manually upload a PIF through the PaymentWorks platform.

**Before Uploading Your File**  
Before submitting a Payment Instruction File, confirm that:

- The file is in the Nacha or ISO 20022 format configured for your organization.
- The file contains all required payment information.
- Payment amounts and payment details are accurate.
- The file follows the formatting requirements established during your PaymentWorks implementation.

Files containing formatting errors, missing required information, or other validation issues may need to be corrected before the affected payments can be processed.

**What Happens After the File Is Uploaded?**

Once PaymentWorks receives the PIF, the file is validated and processed according to your organization’s configured ACH payment workflow. Depending on your organization’s configuration, the file may also require review or approval within PaymentWorks before it is submitted to the bank for ACH processing.

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