Bulk Payment File Format: Free Excel and CSV Template

Columns every bulk payment file needs

• Beneficiary name: as it appears on the bank account.
• Account number: digits only, no spaces or dashes.
• IFSC: the 11-character branch code (4 letters, a zero, then 6 letters or digits).
• Amount: a number with up to two decimals, with no commas or currency symbols.
• Payment mode: NEFT, IMPS or RTGS. RTGS is for amounts of ₹2 lakh and above.
• Remarks or narration: a short description such as "Salary October".
• Your reference ID: a unique ID per row so you can match each payment in the status report.
• Optional: beneficiary email and mobile for payment notifications.

Common bulk upload errors and how to avoid them

• Wrong or old IFSC codes: check them before uploading, especially after bank mergers.
• Account numbers stored as numbers in Excel lose leading zeros: format that column as text.
• Amounts with commas or ₹ symbols: keep the amount column numbers only.
• Duplicate rows: use a unique reference ID so duplicates are easy to spot.
• Remarks that are too long: many banks allow only about 30 characters.

Each bank has its own format

Banks accept bulk files in their own column order and file type, so the free template above uses the common fields that almost every bank asks for. Map these columns to your bank's format before uploading, or use a bulk payment platform that accepts one standard file and handles each bank's format for you.

After the upload: approvals and reconciliation

• Use maker-checker approval so one person prepares the file and another releases it.
• Download the status report and match it to your file using the reference ID.
• Retry failed payments only after checking the failure reason.

Frequently asked questions