ScotPayments

Features

Bacs payments 

Public sector finance staff can use ScotPayments for any outbound Bacs payment. The service follows the Scottish Public Finance Manual guidelines: 

• payments should use the most economical and secure method available 

• Bacs is the preferred payment method for most purposes 

• other methods like CHAPS and Faster Payments should only be used when time doesn't allow for Bacs 

ScotPayments can handle large value and volume Bacs payments, currently processing hundreds of thousands of payments in a single batch. 

Tailored roles and permissions 

Unlike other payment services, ScotPayments can add users with different access levels: 

• uploader 

• approver 

• enquiry only 

• Confirmation of Payee 

This means operational staff can see payment data without full financial access or ability to make or approve payments. This provides secure access while saving time and reducing duplication. 

Check live payment status 

You can check payment status in real time, seeing if payments have been: 

• approved 

• sent to the Bacs network 

• returned 

Access can be set based on user roles, and information is available immediately. 

Confirmation of Payee 

This feature verifies that you are sending payments to the right account holder. You can use it to: 

• check new recipient details 

• check updated recipient details 

• validate your current payment data 

The service is mainly used when setting up or changing a Bacs payment or sending Faster or CHAPS payments. 

Currently, checks are done through a user interface where staff enter: 

• type of account (personal or business) 

• name of the account holder 

• sort code 

• account number 

The system performs a real-time check with the recipient's bank to verify the details. This helps prevent payments to wrong accounts, reducing fraud and saving time. 

This feature works independently, so you can use it even if you don't make payments through ScotPayments. 

Automated reports 

If something goes wrong with a payment, the Bacs network creates a report that ScotPayments displays in real time. This means staff with appropriate access can quickly see what happened without using multiple systems or waiting for processed information. 

The reports show if payments were returned or redirected: 

• redirected payments: when someone's bank details have changed but they still received the payment (AWACS report shows correct details for future payments) 

• returned payments: when account details were incorrect or the account has been deleted (payment was not made) 

Staff users only see reports they have permission to access. 

Change payment date 

You can change a payment date after uploading a file but before approval. Once approved and sent to the Bacs network, you will need to contact your bank to stop the payment (called ‘recalling’ for individual payments or ‘extracting’ for batches). 

Accountancy and reconciliation 

While ScotPayments does not provide accounting functions, payment data can be easily transferred from ScotPayments to your accounting systems. The team can help you understand how to reconcile your payment data. 

Easily searchable payment records 

You can search for any payment made through ScotPayments for up to a year using: 

• name 

• payment reference number 

The search function works with partial information. For example, searching for "Sco" or "ott" would find payments to "Scott". 

The system also provides filter and sort options to help find payments. 

Robust archiving 

Payment records are kept for 7 years. After one year, they're moved to a secure anti-tamper system and aren't directly accessible through ScotPayments, but you can request them for audit purposes if required. 

The system uses "write once, read many" technology, meaning records can't be changed. Any changes create new records, providing legal proof of payment history. 

Certification and standards 

ScotPayments is built following these standards: 

• Open banking standards 

• ISO20022 

• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 

• Bacs best practice 

• The Scottish Government Design System 

• Scottish Public Finance Manual  

Open banking 

Open banking standards allow you to: 

• see all financial information in one place 

• get payments faster 

• make payments without repeatedly entering information 

ScotPayments uses APIs and common platforms to work well with other services. 

ISO20022 

This standard ensures consistent financial data, helping different organisations work together more effectively. 

Accessibility 

ScotPayments follows Web Content Accessibility Guidelines to make the service usable by as many people as possible. 

The team continually improves accessibility and follows the Scottish Government Design System for accessible and inclusive design. 

Roadmap 

The ScotPayments platform continues to evolve in line with a technology roadmap and will be responsive to any new requirements a public body may have. 

Technical 

There are several ways to send payment files to ScotPayments: 

Common Adapter 

The Common Adapter integrates ScotPayments with existing systems by processing files via Secure File Transfer Protocol (sFTP). It extracts payment information and sends it to the ScotPayments API, removing the need for manual processing to save time and reduce errors. 

File upload 

Staff can upload payment files directly through the ScotPayments interface. This works well for organisations making less frequent or lower volume payments. 

API 

ScotPayments uses APIs (application programme interfaces) to communicate with organisations' existing processes. This allows quick, secure payments without manual work. 

The API uses REST principles and open banking standards. 

Access to test environments 

ScotPayments offers: 

• integration testing to ensure payments work through the service 

• user acceptance testing with mock data to run through scenarios 

The team provides support throughout the testing process.