Overview

ACH debit approval rules allow you to control which companies can withdraw funds from your Slash account and under what conditions. An ACH debit (also called an ACH pull) is a transaction where an external party withdraws money directly from your account with your authorization. Common examples include subscription payments, utility bills, and vendor payments.

Slash's ACH authorization system allows you to define ACH debit approval policies based on the sender's identity and transaction amount to prevent unauthorized or unexpected withdrawals. The system operates on two levels:

Default approval rules: Apply to all non-authorized vendors attempting to pull funds from your account
Vendor-specific authorizations: Whitelist trusted vendors with defined transaction limits for automatic approval

When an ACH debit request arrives at your account, Slash checks whether the requesting company is on your authorized vendor list. If the vendor is authorized and the amount is within their limit, the transaction processes automatically. If the vendor is not authorized or the amount exceeds their limit, the request follows your manual review policy, requiring designated team members to approve or reject the transaction before funds are released.

By default, Slash accounts require one review from an Admin or Owner for non-authorized vendors, and will auto-approve the request if no action is taken before the manual review window expires. You can customize these settings to match your organization's risk tolerance and operational needs.

Adding Approval Rules for Non-Authorized Vendors

These are the baseline rules that apply to any company attempting to debit your account that you haven't specifically whitelisted.

Step 1: Navigate to the Payment Policies Page

From your homepage, navigate to Payments using the left-hand sidebar. Then, click Policies in the upper right-hand corner to access approval settings.

Step 2: Locate the ACH Authorization Settings

Locate the ACH Default Policy menu and click to open it. By default, this policy requires one review from either an Admin or Owner, and auto-approves the request if no action is taken before the manual review window expires.

Step 3: Edit the Default Approval Rule

You'll have the option to:

Set the minimum amount that triggers this approval rule
Auto-approve transactions or require approval
Set the number of approvals needed for a transaction
Choose reviewers (users listed in your Slash account)
Set the default action for a transaction if review window expires (approve or reject)

Step 4: Review and Save

At the bottom of the window, you'll see a rule preview. This explains how your ACH authorization rules are configured in plain English. Once you're satisfied, click Save Policy.

Adding Approval Rules for Authorized Vendors

If you frequently receive ACH debits from specific vendors, you can whitelist them with a transaction limit.

Step 1: Navigate to ACH Authorization Settings

From your homepage, navigate to Payments using the left-hand sidebar; then click Policies in the right hand corner. Once you're on the payment policies page, click ACH Authorization from the available options.

Step 3: Authorize a New Vendor

Under the ACH Default Policy menu, click + Authorize New Vendor.

Step 4: Enter Vendor Name

Enter the vendor's name. If you've previously worked with this contact before using your Slash account, the name should auto-fill for you.

Step 5: Add the Vendor's ACH ID

Add the vendor's ACH ID (if you're unsure how to find a vendor's ACH ID, refer to the next section).

Step 6: Set the Maximum Transaction Limit

Set the maximum transaction limit you want to authorize for this vendor. ACH debit pulls up to this amount will be auto-approved. Anything above the limit will follow your manual review policy.

How to Find an ACH ID

If you'd like to add commonly used vendors as authorized vendors, Slash makes it easy to locate their ACH ID if they've previously pulled funds from your account.

Step 1: Navigate to the Transactions Page

From your homepage, navigate to Transactions using the left-hand sidebar.

Step 2: Locate an Applicable Transaction

Locate the vendor under your recent Inbound ACH Debit transactions.

Step 3: Open Transaction Details

Click on the relevant transaction and expand the Advanced Transaction Details tab.

Step 4: Copy the Company ID

Under the expanded section, you'll see a field labeled Company ID; this is the vendor's ACH ID.

For Vendors Without Prior Transactions

If you are authorizing a vendor for the first time and haven't received an ACH debit from them yet, we recommend doing a quick search for "<Company Name> ACH Company ID" online or contacting the vendor directly to obtain their ACH ID.

For Slash, the company ACH ID is 1852827077 and it may show up as SLASH FINANCIAL PAYMENT, SLASH - SLASH FI, or Slash Financial.

Additional Information

Manual Review Windows

When an ACH debit requires manual approval, reviewers have a limited time window to take action before the default behavior (auto-approve or auto-reject) occurs. Ensure your team monitors pending approvals regularly to avoid unintended outcomes.

Modifying Existing Vendor Authorizations

You can edit or remove vendor authorizations at any time by navigating to Payment Policies > ACH Authorization Approval Rule and clicking on the vendor you wish to modify. You can:

Increase or decrease their transaction limit
Add additional ACH IDs if the vendor uses multiple
Delete the authorization entirely to revert them to the default approval policy

Role-Based vs User-Based Approvals

When configuring reviewers for manual approvals, consider whether role-based or user-based assignments work better for your organization:

Role-based approvals: Any user with the designated role (Owner, Admin) can approve. This provides operational flexibility when specific individuals are unavailable.
User-based approvals: Only designated individuals can approve. This provides tighter control but may create bottlenecks.

Troubleshooting and Support

Manual ACH Debit Pulls

Slash does not support manual ACH debit pulls from external bank accounts. While you can use auto transfer rules to debit your own connected bank account for top-ups, Slash does not support collecting payments from third-party bank accounts.

ACH Debit Was Unexpectedly Rejected

If a legitimate ACH debit was rejected when you expected it to auto-approve:

Verify the vendor is on your authorized vendor list
Check that the transaction amount was within their authorized limit
Confirm the ACH Company ID in the transaction matches the ID in your authorization
Identify the ACH return code presented after the debit failed; visit our ACH return code glossary to learn what the code means and how to resolve it

The Slash Global USD account does not support ACH debit pulls initiated by external accounts.

Approval Window Expired

If an ACH debit auto-approved or auto-rejected because the review window expired:

Check your notification settings to ensure reviewers receive timely alerts
Consider adjusting your default policy's timeout behavior
Designate additional reviewers to provide coverage during absences
Review the manual review window duration with Slash support

By defining clear ACH debit approval rules, you maintain control over incoming funds while reducing operational friction. Whether you want to prevent unauthorized debits or streamline pulls from trusted vendors, Slash gives you the flexibility to manage both with confidence.

Need More Help?

If you have questions about configuring ACH debit approval rules or need assistance with vendor authorizations:

Reach out to your account manager for guidance on approval workflows that fit your organization's needs
Contact Slash support by sending an email to support@slash.com, or use the in-app chat in your Slash dashboard.

Setting Up Approval Rules for ACH Debits