Generate CIBC payment files without an ERP
Bank-ready CIBC CPA005, 1464, and EFT 80-byte payment files from a CSV. Built for small businesses, bookkeepers, and finance teams running CIBC payment runs without treasury software.
If you’re sending vendor or payroll payments through CIBC and don’t have an ERP — or your ERP doesn’t speak EFT to CIBC — your options usually come down to three: re-enter each run in CIBC Cash Management Online or CIBC SmartBanking for Business, license desktop EFT software you’ll use once a week, or stitch together a payment file in a spreadsheet and hope CIBC accepts it.
PayFile Pro is the fourth option. Drop a CSV of payees in, get back a bank-ready CIBC payment file. No subscription, no payment data sent to our servers, credits that never expire.
Scope
PayFile Pro generates CIBC credit files (vendor and payroll disbursements). Debit files for pre-authorized debit (PAD) collections aren’t currently supported — email us if that’s something you need.
Three CIBC payment file formats. Which one do you need?
CIBC supports three batch payment file formats. PayFile Pro generates all three. Which one you submit depends on how your CIBC business banking profile is set up.
| CIBC CPA005 | CIBC 1464 | CIBC EFT 80-byte | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Format basis | CPA Standard 005 (industry standard) | CIBC-specific 1464-byte layout | CIBC-specific 80-byte layout |
| Currency | CAD or USD (one currency per file) | CAD or USD (one currency per file) | CAD or USD (one currency per file) |
| When to use | The default for most CIBC SMB users with a single settlement account | If your CIBC setup involves multiple settlement accounts or otherwise requires the 1464 layout | Use only if CIBC has confirmed your setup specifically requires the 80-byte format |
| Generator | Open CIBC CPA005 generator → | Open CIBC 1464 generator → | Open CIBC EFT 80-byte generator → |
If you’re not sure which one you need: ask the CIBC contact who set up your business banking profile. The format you submit must match the format your account is configured to accept. Sending the wrong format is one of the most common reasons CIBC rejects a file.
How it works
First time: a few minutes
- 1. Pick your CIBC format (CPA005, 1464, or EFT 80-byte) and download the Excel (.xlsx) template. The template has every column pre-formatted as text, so leading zeros in transit numbers and account numbers stay intact.
- 2. Fill in your originator details and your payee list. Originator details are what CIBC needs to identify you as the file submitter: your Originator Number for credits (a 10-digit code CIBC assigns to your business banking profile — see the Originator Number FAQ below if you have separate credit and debit values), your file creation number, and the transit and account number of the funding (settlement) account CIBC will debit. The payee list is everyone you might pay this month — full vendor list, not just this run.
- 3. Save the filled-out template as CSV, then upload to PayFile Pro. Open with Excel, edit, and use Save As → CSV (Comma delimited). PayFile Pro previews the file and validates it against CIBC’s format spec before generation. If anything’s off, you see it before the bank does. Hit generate, download your file, upload it through CIBC Cash Management Online or CIBC SmartBanking for Business.
Why XLSX as the working file, CSV for upload?
Excel will silently strip leading zeros from typed-in numeric fields, which breaks transit/account number formatting. The XLSX template is pre-formatted as text to prevent this. CSV is what PayFile Pro reads — saving from your XLSX preserves the formatting you already locked in.
Every run after: under a minute
Open last week’s XLSX (not the CSV — the XLSX preserves your text formatting). Update the date, file number, and amounts. Save as CSV. Upload, generate, done. Originator details and payee list stay put.
Skipping a vendor this run? Leave the amount blank — that row is automatically skipped and stays in your template for next week. Adding a new vendor? Add a row with their banking details once; they’re part of your reusable template from then on. The XLSX is your living payee list — you maintain it in one place and reuse it forever.
Files are generated entirely in your browser. Your account numbers, amounts, and payee list never touch our servers, our disk, or anything else.
When you’d reach for this instead of the alternatives
vs. CIBC Cash Management Online (CMO) and CIBC SmartBanking for Business. CIBC’s portals will let you save EFT templates — that’s not where the time savings live. The difference is what happens when a run varies from the template. In the portal, skipping a vendor means actively excluding them from this run; adding a new vendor means filling in their banking details through the portal UI. Both actions are stateful — undone or repeated for every run that varies. With PayFile Pro, your Excel sheet is the template: skip a vendor by leaving the amount blank, add one by adding a row. The spreadsheet is the state; each run is just what’s in the amount column. PayFile Pro doesn’t replace CMO or SmartBanking — it sits in front of them. You generate the file here, you submit it there.
vs. an ERP (NetSuite, SAP, Sage, QuickBooks Enterprise). If you already have an ERP doing AP, use it. If you don’t, an ERP is overkill to solve “send 30 EFT payments every two weeks.” PayFile Pro is for the gap between “the bank’s portal isn’t enough” and “we have an ERP.”
vs. desktop ACH/EFT software (Treasury Software’s ACH Universal, etc.). This is the closest competitor for a small business doing CIBC payment files without an ERP. ACH Universal handles US ACH/NACHA and Canadian EFT and integrates with QuickBooks. Where it differs from PayFile Pro: it’s installed Windows software (Mac users need an emulator like Parallels), licensing is annual subscription rather than prepaid credits, and the workflow is QuickBooks-tied rather than CSV-first. PayFile Pro generates CIBC’s bank-specific formats (CPA005, 1464, and EFT 80-byte) with native templates and bank-specific validation built directly against each format’s spec. If you do US ACH, want phone support, and are already deep in QuickBooks, ACH Universal is a serious option — it’s been around since 1999 and is a NACHA Preferred Partner. If you want a browser-based tool that works on any OS, no subscription, and native templates built directly against CIBC’s specific formats, PayFile Pro is the tighter fit.
vs. a hand-built spreadsheet that outputs CIBC CPA005 by hand. This works until it doesn’t. CIBC will reject files for a missing leading zero, a wrong record sequence, an Originator Number that doesn’t match the file’s currency, a date in the wrong format, or any of two dozen other things. PayFile Pro validates against the spec before generation, so you find out the file is malformed in your browser, not from a bank rejection email three days later.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between CIBC CPA005, CIBC 1464, and CIBC EFT 80-byte?
CIBC supports three batch payment file formats: CPA005 (aligned with the CPA Standard 005 industry format — the default for most CIBC SMB users with a single settlement account), 1464 (CIBC-specific 1464-byte layout, used when your setup involves multiple settlement accounts or otherwise requires the 1464 layout), and EFT 80-byte (CIBC-specific 80-byte layout, used only if CIBC has confirmed your setup specifically requires it). Which one you submit depends on how your CIBC business banking profile is set up. If you’re not sure, ask the CIBC contact who set up your account — using the wrong format for your profile is one of the most common reasons a file gets rejected. PayFile Pro generates all three.
Do I need to be a CIBC business banking customer to use PayFile Pro?
To submit a generated file, yes — your business needs to be set up with CIBC for batch payment origination. PayFile Pro generates the file; your CIBC business banking profile is what authorizes you to upload it. If you’re not sure whether your profile supports EFT origination, your CIBC business banking contact can confirm and provision it if needed.
What is an Originator Number, and how do I get one?
An Originator Number is a 10-digit unique identifier CIBC assigns to your business banking profile when your account is provisioned for EFT origination. It identifies you as the file submitter and goes in the header record of every payment file you generate. Two CIBC-specific things to know — both are common rejection causes if you get them wrong:
- CIBC issues two different Originator Numbers — one for credits and one for debits, and they are not the same value. PayFile Pro generates credit files, so the value you put in your template must be your credits Originator Number. If you put your debits Originator Number in a credit file, CIBC will reject it. If you don’t know which is which, ask your CIBC contact specifically for “the Originator Number for EFT credits.”
- If your business sends EFT in both CAD and USD, CIBC issues a separate Originator Number and settlement account per currency. They are not interchangeable. Your CAD file must use your CAD-profile Originator Number and CAD settlement account; your USD file must use your USD-profile Originator Number and USD settlement account. Mixing them is a rejection.
CIBC won’t post your Originator Number on a self-serve page — it’s specific to your business banking profile. Ask your CIBC business banking contact for it. (Different banks use different terms for the same kind of code — RBC calls theirs a “processing centre code,” BMO and TD call theirs an “Originator ID,” and CIBC’s term is “Originator Number.”)
Can I send USD payments through CIBC EFT?
Yes — CIBC supports EFT credits in both CAD and USD across all three formats (CPA005, 1464, and EFT 80-byte). PayFile Pro lets you choose the currency per file. One currency applies to the entire file — you can’t mix CAD and USD payments in the same generation. If you need both, generate two files.
Important: CIBC issues a separate Originator Number and settlement account per currency. They are not interchangeable. Your CAD file must use your CAD-profile Originator Number and CAD settlement account; your USD file must use your USD-profile Originator Number and USD settlement account. Putting CAD-profile values in a USD file (or vice versa) is one of the most common reasons CIBC rejects a file.
Will this work with CIBC Cash Management Online or CIBC SmartBanking for Business?
Yes. PayFile Pro generates the payment file; CIBC Cash Management Online (CMO) or CIBC SmartBanking for Business is what you use to submit it. They’re complementary tools. You upload the file PayFile Pro generates directly to CMO or SmartBanking’s payment file upload feature — no integration or API connection required. The same generated file works in either platform, depending on which one your business banking profile is set up with.
How is this different from saving a payment template in CIBC's portal?
CIBC Cash Management Online and CIBC SmartBanking both let you save EFT templates, which is genuinely useful — that’s not the differentiator. The difference is what happens when a run varies from the template. In the portal, skipping a vendor means actively excluding them from this run, and adding a new vendor means filling in their banking details through the portal UI. Both actions are stateful and have to be undone or repeated for the next run. With PayFile Pro, your Excel sheet is the template. Leave an amount blank to skip a vendor — their row stays in next week’s template. Add a row to add a vendor — they’re part of your reusable template from then on. The spreadsheet is the state; each run is just what’s in the amount column.
Can PayFile Pro generate CIBC debit files (PADs)?
Not currently. PayFile Pro generates CIBC credit files — vendor payments, payroll, supplier disbursements. Pre-authorized debit (PAD) collections aren’t supported. If debit file generation is something you need, email hello@payfilepro.com — it’s on the roadmap and customer demand is what moves it up.
Is my payment data secure?
Yes. PayFile Pro generates files entirely in your browser. Account numbers, amounts, and payee lists never leave your machine — no upload to our servers, no storage on our disk, no transmission anywhere. The only data we store is your account info: email, company name, primary bank, credit balance.
What if CIBC rejects the file I generate?
PayFile Pro validates files against the format spec before generation, which catches most common rejection causes (wrong field length, missing required fields, invalid characters, malformed dates). If CIBC still rejects a file after generation, the most likely causes are: the wrong format for your profile (CPA005 vs 1464 vs EFT 80-byte), an Originator Number that doesn’t match the file’s currency or transaction type (credits vs debits), an incorrect settlement account, or a rare edge case we haven’t seen yet. Email hello@payfilepro.com with the rejection message and we’ll help you debug.
How much does it cost to generate a CIBC payment file?
PayFile Pro uses prepaid credits. One credit per generated file. Credits never expire. Packs start at $10 USD for 5 credits ($2.00 per file) and scale to $1.50 per file at 50 credits. No subscription, no monthly minimum, no auto-renewal. Buy credits when you need them.
Ready to generate your first CIBC file?
Free preview before you buy — see the parsed file before you spend a credit.
Not sure which? See the format comparison above or email us.
Sending payments through other banks?
Canadian banks
- RBC payment file generator → CPA005 and Standard 152
- BMO payment file generator → 1464 and EFT 80-byte
- TD payment file generator → EFT 80-byte
- Scotiabank payment file generator → CPA005 and ScotiaConnect EFT Import
- ATB Financial payment file generator → EFT 1464 (CPA005)
- Credit Unions payment file generator → CPA005 1464 (PaymentStream AFT)
US banks
- US ACH (any bank) payment file generator → NACHA ACH (PPD + CCD)
- JPMorgan Chase payment file generator → NACHA ACH (PPD + CCD)
- Bank of America payment file generator → NACHA ACH (PPD + CCD)
- Wells Fargo payment file generator → NACHA ACH (PPD + CCD)
- U.S. Bank payment file generator → NACHA ACH (PPD + CCD)
PayFile Pro is an independent software product. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. CIBC, CIBC Cash Management Online, CIBC SmartBanking are trademarks of their respective owners.