Building Your CSV File for Multi-Check Uploads With PostGrid Check API

Businesses have to manage multiple stakeholders financially. You have to send salaries to the employees, remittances to clients, and make payments to service providers. You will waste time and money if you rely on manually writing and sending the checks. 

Depending on when you have to send the money, you may make multiple trips to the post office to deposit the check. Additionally, you must invest significantly if you are printing and mailing in-house. You must buy and maintain the inventory, such as ink, printers, stamps, postage, etc. 

A better alternative to this is PostGrid’s check API, which allows multiple contact uploads with CSV files so that you can send numerous pieces at once. In this blog, we will dive into CSV files, their benefits, and how you can create a CSV file for multiple check uploads with us. We will also learn how your business can benefit from using CSV files for several check issuances.

TL;DR

• Utilizing CSV files for multiple check uploads streamlines the payment process by allowing businesses to send numerous checks simultaneously.
• CSV files are highly compatible with various software, making data transfer and organization easier and more efficient.
• The structured nature of CSV files enables easy editing and scalability, accommodating both small and large volumes of check issuances without needing additional infrastructure.

Key Takeaways

• To send checks to many contacts, instead of manually writing them, you should extract the customer's details from your accounting software into a CSV file or create one and upload it to PostGrid's check printing and mailing platform.
• CSV files arrange the data in rows and columns, which can be easily edited. Additionally, they can store a large amount of information and are widely used by different software programs due to their high compatibility.
• You can upload the CSV file of multiple contacts to the PostGrid platform to print and mail hundreds or thousands of checks simultaneously.

It refers to the comma-separated value (CSV), a plain text file in which commas separate the input data. A spreadsheet application converts the data into cells in a table, making it easier to read and edit. One of the most common use cases of a CSV file is uploading a list of contacts, such as when you want to print multiple checks. PostGid allows you to simultaneously upload various contacts in the CSV format when making numerous payments. You can either download the contact details from the accounting software or build a new CSV file and upload it to our solution.

Broad Compatibility

It is widely used because of its simplicity. Almost all text editors can use it. Additionally, it is not designed for any specific device or operating system. You can use it on Microsoft, Google, Mac, or a PC. This ensures smooth data sharing and transfer. 

Easy to Organize and Edit

It is easy to edit and organize the different cells in a CSV file unless an authorized user locks in a cell from editing. Unlike the PDF downloads of spreadsheets, you can change the CSV files later. 

Structured Data

CSV files are designed to be easy for anyone to use. They have a standardized and intuitive structure, where the rows denote the data records and the columns signify their associated attributes. This doesn't require any complex software to open and edit. Additionally, since the CSV files use simple text, processing metadata or unnecessary elements is unnecessary. This makes them easy to parse, speeding up the data's writing. 

Used by Many Business Software Programs

Being highly compatible, numerous software programs use CSV files to import data during the customer onboarding process. Similarly, many software programs have CSV files as their output for reports. 

Stores Large Volumes of Data

CSV files are designed to handle large data sets. This makes them ideal for purposes where extensive customer data is required. For example, you have to send checks to multiple contacts. You can upload a CSV file containing the customer's information to PostGrid's check API platform. It will read and map the data in the corresponding fields and queue the check for automated printing and mailing. Moreover, CSV files are lightweight compared to Excel or other database files, making storing and transferring them easy.

 Also Read: Building Your CSV File for Multi-Check Uploads

Start by creating a sheet using the spreadsheet program that you usually use. To ensure accuracy, you can also download your accounting, financial, or payroll software data in CSV format. If you are creating a file from scratch, add the following headers with appropriate details under them.

• First Name and Last Name or Company Name
• Address 
• Address 2
• City
• State or Province
• Postal or ZIP Code
• Country Code

Convert the Spreadsheet into a CSV file

Now that you have added all the data required for the checks,, download the spreadsheet as a .csv file. If you use Google Sheets, click File, Download, and Comma Separated Values. If you use an Excel sheet, click File, Save As, Save As Type, and CSV.

Upload Your CSV File

• Once you are ready to issue checks, log in to our print and mail API, click Cheques under Order, and then select Create Cheque.
• In the second field, you will see Upload Recipients. Click on it and add your CSV file.

• After the contacts are uploaded, all the fields corresponding to the headers on the sheets will be disabled since the solution will automatically fill them in the check. Take, for instance, the CSV file, which has the amount, cheque number, memo, etc. These details will be automatically added to the check. However, you will have to fill in the bank account and the name and address of the person sending the check.
• If you mistakenly forgot to add details under the header of the CSV file, our solution will show an error like this.

• You can add a personal message with the check, which will be printed above it. 
• If you want to mail the check in the future, you can schedule them by adding the date.
• Select the mailing class. It can be First Class or Standard Class. If you want the check to be delivered the next day, you can select Express Delivery.
• You can also attach a PDF with the check. The PDF can contain invoices, contracts, receipts, details of the goods and services, etc. You can customize it using our built-in template editor or upload a copy. 
• You can opt for Certified, Registered, or Certified With Return Receipt if you want proof of delivery.
• Click on Create. You will get a downloadable report with the details of every check-order ID, recipient name, and status for each order. You can also go to the dashboard to learn the status of the checks in real-time.

 Also Read: Benefits of Using Checks for Payment

Saves Time

When you convert your accounting software data into a CSV file and download it, you do not need to enter each detail manually. Instead, you can upload the file to the check API. With a single file, we can create, print, and mail multiple checks simultaneously, thus saving time.

Minimized Error

Manual entry is prone to errors, such as you might have forgotten to add specific fields like amount or name. When you upload a CSV file with our solution, it checks whether or not you have entered all the necessary details that should be on the check. If there is a missing element, it will notify you. 

Smooth Data Transfer

Being compatible with almost all the software, CSV files make data transfer easy. Take, for instance, you use accounting software to store vendor details. When the time for the payment comes, you can easily export these details to a CSV file and upload them to our check API platform. We will transfer the details to the check and automate its printing and mailing process.

Scalable

Whether you want to send 10 checks or hundreds of thousands of them, adding numerous contact details on a CSV file and uploading them to our platform is easy. For instance, you were initially a small business with 100 vendors to send checks to. Over time, the list grew to 1000. With a CSV file and our solution, you don’t need to change the process or invest in additional infrastructure. All you need to do is add the details in the CSV file and upload it to our solution.

 Also Read: How to Use a Legal Memo Format in Legal Writing (Template)

If you want to draft checks for multiple contacts, using a CSV file is one of the easiest ways. Its highly compatible nature, straightforward structure, and ability to expand make it efficient to add check details. You can print and mail these pieces using PostGrid’s check API. If you want to see us in action, request a demo now.