Movement of funds across electronic networks in the U.S., and sometimes abroad, is governed by NACHA, the non-profit organization dedicated to the system’s efficiency and security. Entities that initiate and receive payments over the ACH network must follow NACHA’s operating rules. In order to develop a “to do” list of ACH compliance, it is helpful to think of ACH payments across their entire life cycle. At each stage of this process, NACHA rules are at play. Best practices to comply with these rules ensure that customer data is secure, the details of the transaction are correct, the system is not vulnerable to attack and the risk of deliberate fraud is significantly reduced.