How does Accounts Payable know which bank account to use when printing checks?

If you do not select the bank account when printing checks, a hierarchy is used to assign the bank account to the invoice distribution when you enter the invoice. The bank account hierarchy is Job, GL Prefix, AP Settings.

To confirm if you are using the hierarchy, in Accounts Payable select File, Company Settings, AP Settings, Payment Settings (or Check Settings prior to version 9.8). When the Bank Account Use Method is set to System automatically assigns per distribution, you are using the hierarchy.

The bank account is assigned to the invoice distribution based on the following:

1. From the job in JC, Setup, Jobs, AP and GL tab, AP bank
2. From the GL prefix in GL, Setup, Prefix/Base, [fiscal level prefix], Fiscal Settings, AP bank). Refer to article 38744 DocLink: How do I change the bank account assigned to my General Ledger Prefix or Company?
   • Note: If your General Ledger fiscal entity level is set to Data Folder, you cannot specify an Accounts Payable bank account in General Ledger.
3. From the default in Accounts Payable (File, Company Settings, AP Settings, Payment Settings (or Check Settings prior to version 9.8), Default bank account).
   • Note: If the invoice is a deposit refund from Property Management, review the property settings in Property Management (Setup, Properties, General tab, Controls tab, Deposit Refund).

Note: If you need to use this hierarchy to change a Bank Account on the Job Cost level, General Ledger level, and/or the AP Payment Settings level, it will not take effect retroactively. If there are any invoices that have already been entered or generated, you will need to change the Bank Account through the Select Invoices to Pay window. Please refer to article 17159 DocLink: How do I change the assigned bank account on an Accounts Payable invoice distribution? for information on changing the bank account after an invoice is entered.