Standard Entry Class (SEC) Codes

The Standard Entry Class (SEC) code is a three-letter code that identifies the type of ACH entry being made. It’s a required field used to classify transfers by their purpose or intended use. These codes are maintained by Nacha.

The most common selections are (PPD) Prearranged Payment and Deposit, (CCD) Corporate Credit or Debit Entry, and (WEB) Internet Initiated/Mobile Entry.

Monetary messages

Code	Description
ARC	Accounts Receivable Entry - This is for converting paper checks received in person, via mail, or at a dropbox location into electronic ACH debit transactions. The original check is used as source documentation for the ACH entry.
BOC	Back Office Conversion Entry - This is for converting paper checks received at retail or other point-of-sale locations into electronic ACH debit transactions. This process occurs in the back office of the merchant or retailer, rather than at the point of purchase. The conversion helps businesses more efficiently process paper checks.
CCD	Corporate Credit or Debit Entry - This is for corporate-to-corporate transactions, facilitating the transfer of funds (either concentration or disbursement) and is often used for payroll, tax, and vendor payments.
CIE	Customer Initiated Entry - This is for consumer initiated payments from the their account to a non-consumer account. This is typically used by a financial institution to allow a consumer to push payments to a merchant through an online banking service.
CTX	Corporate Trade Exchange - This allows businesses to include extensive remittance information with their corporate-to-corporate payments, supporting up to 9,999 addenda records within a single transaction. A common use is paying multiple invoices that are listed in the addenda records, although it may be used for a single invoice.
IAT	International ACH Transaction - This is for for ACH entries that involve a financial agency outside the U.S. It's designed to provide additional information required for international payments.
MTE	Machine Transfer Entry - This is used for transactions initiated by consumers when they use an ATM. This code facilitates the electronic transfer of funds from the consumer's account to the account of the entity operating the ATM.
POP	Point of Purchase Entry - This is for immediately converting paper checks received at retail or other point-of-sale locations into electronic ACH debit transactions. Unlike with a Back Office Conversion Entry (BOC), the checks are used solely as a source document and must be converted to an ACH entry on site.
POS	Point of Sale Entry - This is used for debit entries to a consumer account that are initiated at an “electronic terminal.” A common example is a consumer using a debit card at a retail point-of-sale terminal to complete a purchase or receive cash back.
PPD	Prearranged Payment and Deposit - This is used for credits or debits originated by an organization to a consumer. A few common examples are direct deposit of payroll, social security benefits, and recurring bill payments.
RCK	Re-presented Check Entry - This is used for the electronic re-presentation of a returned check due to insufficient funds. It allows businesses to attempt to collect on a bounced check electronically by initiating a debit.
SHR	Shared Network Transaction - This is for debit or credit transactions initiated through a shared electronic network. A common example is a consumer using their debit card at terminals or ATMs not directly operated by their own bank.
TEL	Telephone-Initiated Entry - For debits to consumer accounts where the authorization is obtained over the telephone. It's used by companies that receive payment instructions from consumers via phone.
TRC	Truncated Entry - This is used when converting paper checks into electronic transactions at the point of truncation, typically by the financial institution that first receives the check for deposit. Unlike the Back Office Conversion (BOC) and Point of Purchase (POP) entries that convert checks at the merchant's location, TRC transactions occur within the banking system. The original paper check is truncated, meaning it is removed from the physical processing flow after its electronic image is captured and processed as an ACH entry.
WEB	Internet Initiated/Mobile Entry - This is used for consumer payments initiated or authorized via the Internet. Debit WEB entries can only be initiated by non-consumers to debit a consumer’s account. Credit WEB entries can only be used for consumer to consumer (P2P) transactions. This code is commonly used for online bill payments and transactions initiated through a website or mobile app.
XCK	Destroyed Check Entry - This is used in situations where a physical check was destroyed or lost after a financial institution received it but before it could be processed. This allows the financial institution to process an ACH debit entry against the account on which the original check was drawn.

Non monetary messages

Non-monetary Standard Entry Class (SEC) codes are used primarily to transfer information between financial institutions or Federal Government agencies. They do not transfer any funds. The most common non-monetary SEC code you will likely encounter is a Notification of Change (COR).

Code	Description
ACK	ACH Payment Acknowledge - This is used by the Receiver to send an acknowledgement of receipt of a CCD request to the originator. This allows the Receiver to confirm that the payment instructions have been received and are being processed.
ADV	Automated Accounting Advice - This is used by the Receiver to send an acknowledgement of receipt of a CCD request to the originator. This allows the Receiver to confirm that the payment instructions have been received and are being processed.
ATX	Financial EDI Acknowledgment - This is used by the Receiver to send an acknowledgement of receipt of a CTX request to the originator. This allows the Receiver to confirm that the payment instructions have been received and are being processed.
COR	Notification of Change, or Refused Notification of Change - This is used by the Receiver to inform the Originator that an entry has been posted to a receiver's account, but some of the information (such as account number or routing number) is incorrect and needs to be changed for future transactions.
DNE	Death Notification Entry - This is used by the Federal Government agency to notify financial institutions that an account holder has passed away.
ENR	Automated Enrollment Entry - This is used by a financial institution to electronically enroll an individual for direct deposit or payment services which will be originated by Federal Government agencies. A common example is enrolling in Social Security.