Canadian businesses rely heavily on Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) files to process payroll, vendor payments, and large-scale disbursements securely. Two EFT formats are widely used across the country:
CPA-005 [1464-byte]
The standardized Canadian EFT format that is natively supported in Odoo, accepted by most major banks.
EFT 80-byte
A fixed-length, 80-character record format that remains in use by many banks and legacy systems for payroll and vendor payouts.
While Odoo already supports CPA-005 out of the box, it does not natively handle EFT 80-byte. To bridge this gap, OERP developed the EFT 80-byte Payments Module for Odoo, enabling users to automatically generate compliant EFT 80-bytefiles directly within Odoo with no manual formatting or third-party tools required.
This post explains the differences between CPA-005 and EFT 80-byte, and how our EFT 80-byte Odoo module streamlines compliance, reduces errors, and saves time for Canadian businesses.
EFT 80-byte vs. CPA-005 [1464-byte]: What’s the Difference?
Both EFT 80-byte and CPA-005 formats serve the same purpose: to enable secure, standardized electronic payments but they differ in structure and usage.
Feature | CPA-005 (Native in Odoo) | EFT 80-byte (Legacy Format) |
Structure | Variable-length fields (based on CPA guidelines) | Fixed-length, 80-character records |
Bank Support | Widely used by major Canadian banks | Still required by some regional or legacy systems |
Use Cases | Payroll, vendor payments, government remittances | Payroll, vendor disbursements, legacy banking systems |
Odoo Support | Supported natively | Requires custom integration |
Many organizations still use EFT 80-byte because their financial institutions rely on older file-handling systems or specific corporate banking protocols that mandate fixed-width record formats.
The Challenge in Odoo
Since Odoo does not natively support the EFT 80-byte format, this often forces businesses to manually create the files, an error-prone and time-consuming process.
Without automation, users face:
- Manual formatting errors leading to rejected files
- Time-consuming setup due to fixed-length rules
- Difficulty ensuring every field meets strict positional requirements
As a result, companies processing large batches of payments often struggle to maintain both efficiency and compliance.
Our Solution: EFT 80-byte Payments Module for Odoo
Key Features:
- New Payment Method: “EFT 80-byte Payments”
Install the module to enable “EFT 80-byte Payments” as a payment method in your bank journals. - Automated File Generation
Upon validating a batch payment using EFT 80-byte, Odoo auto-generates a compliant EFT 80-byte file with fixed-width records, no additional tools required. - In-depth Validation
The module enforces checks on banking details, payment amounts, and file structure before generating files. - Seamless Integration
Everything happens inside Odoo’s user interface, from batch setup to downloading the generated file.
Benefits at a glance
Time Savings
Generate files instantaneously during payment validation.
Error Reduction
Built-in validation reduces formatting mistakes and bank rejections.
Compliance
Safe and standardized format accepted by Canadian banking systems.
Accuracy & Control
Map your payment data fully within Odoo, no external tools or copy/paste.
How It Works in Odoo
- Install the Module: Add OERP's EFT 80-byte Payments module to your Odoo instance.
- Configure the Journal: Assign “EFT 80-byte” as a payment method under your accounting journal.
- Run a Batch Payment: Select vendor bills or invoices and validate the batch using the EFT 80-byte method.
- Generate & Download File: Odoo outputs a fully formatted .txt file ready for upload to your bank.
Conclusion
For Canadian organizations managing payroll or vendor disbursements, the EFT 80-byte Payments Module for Odoo offers a simple, reliable, and fully compliant way to automate batch payments.
The result is faster processing, fewer errors, and complete confidence that your payments meet Canadian banking requirements.
Want to simplify EFT payments in Odoo?
Contact the OERP team today to learn how we can help you implement the EFT 80-byte Payments Module and optimize your Odoo accounting workflow.
Streamlining Canadian EFT 80-byte Payments in Odoo