BNZ direct feeds are available in Farm Focus. This is the first of the banks to be available through an API connection where both interfaces can talk to each other.
This means for you that the connection is instant, as is the disconnection, with your instructions from Farm Focus interacting directly with BNZ.
You may already have existing BNZ accounts for your business that are currently manually entered, or you may have new bank accounts that you want to connect.
See the instructions below for (1) Setting up your connection for an existing BNZ manual account and (2) Setting up your connection for a new BNZ account.
Before you start:
Make sure you have a valid BNZ bank account number. If you are switching from Cashmanager RURAL you might have an incorrect account number listed (ie 00-0000-0000000-00).
You will need to edit this in Settings > Bank Accounts. Ensure your bank is selected as BNZ from the dropdown menu, edit the bank account number.
You will see a warning message if the bank selected is BNZ but the account number does not start with the 02 prefix.
IMPORTANT: The security measures between Farm Focus and BNZ require regular logins. If it’s been more than 60 days since you last logged in, then you’ll be prompted to re-authenticate your BNZ bank feed connection.
Set up your connection for your existing Manual Accounts:
Go to Settings > Bank Accounts
If you have existing BNZ accounts listed, click into the one(s) you want to connect. These existing accounts will be flagged as Manual Account.
Scroll down, checking that all of your information is correct, then at the bottom click to Setup Bank feed.
You will be redirected to the BNZ internet banking login screen. Enter your credentials and click the Log in button.
You will be required to Confirm your connection and also Authorise Farm Focus to view the banking information listed below.
This will take you through to select which accounts you want to authorise a connection with. Select all relevant options and then click Connect. If you want to choose all of your accounts you can click the Select all option.
The connection will now be live and this will show in your Settings > Connectors with BNZ connection Active.
You will need to finish setting up the information for your accounts. Go to your Settings > Bank Accounts and you will see the accounts flagged in blue with Finish setting up your BNZ account.
Enter in the bank feed start date as the date you want to see your transactions. You can backdate this if needed. Click Save, and all of your transactions for that period will appear in your Needs Action screen.
Setup a connection with a New BNZ Account:
In Settings > Bank accounts you will see the option for Add bank account.
When you select BNZ from the bank drop down list you will be prompted through the steps above to set up and authorise the connection with BNZ.
After a successful connection, you will be redirected back to the New Bank Accounts page.
You can select the bank accounts you want to start a bank feed for, this can include other existing manual accounts. Click Connect.
Go to you Bank Accounts to finish setting up. This will include adding in the bank feed start date.
You will notice now that you cannot edit the Account name and Account number as they are fed from the bank.
Troubleshooting
Reconnecting with BNZ
If you have not logged into Farm Focus for 60 days, for security reasons, BNZ will cut your connection to Farm Focus. There are two notifications you may receive.
If you are not the subscription owner:
If you are the subscription owner:
The subscription owner must click into Reconnect now. The subscription owner will be asked to enter the detail they entered when they first set up their BNZ connection. This will reconnect the BNZ bank feed.
2. Disconnecting my BNZ accounts:
Click here to learn how to disconnect a single account, or the entire bank feed, if you no longer want active bank feeds.