Bank of America secure file transfer, automated with PGP and SFTP
Set up automated, PGP encrypted SFTP transfers with Bank of America using Diplomat MFT. Follow the full nine step video walkthrough, from importing the bank's public key to scheduling production jobs.
PGP encryption and SFTP, the combination Bank of America supports most broadly
Bank of America often requires customers and partners to exchange files over the internet using software that meets industry standards for encryption and transmission. A common example is Bank of America's B2Bi SFTP system, used to exchange CashPro Connect payment files for ACH and wire transfers, retrieve the resulting status report XML files, and handle similar transactions.
Different departments support a range of technical options, but PGP for encryption paired with SFTP for transport is one of the most broadly supported combinations, and it is the combination shown in this walkthrough.
All Diplomat MFT products automate jobs that use OpenPGP for encryption and secure FTP for transfer. For financial transactions like these, Diplomat MFT Standard Edition is the minimum. For broader needs, more extensive integrations, database driven auditing, endpoint management, and multiple administrators, Diplomat MFT Enterprise Edition is a better fit. You can also compare editions on the Diplomat MFT pricing page.
What Bank of America sends you
Bank of America creates and sends the technical details you need to encrypt and transfer files. Have these to hand before you build the job.
Hostname / IP address
The location of the secure FTP server managed by Bank of America.
Port number
The port used to connect to the secure FTP server.
Username
The username of your secure FTP account, created by Bank of America.
Password
The password for your secure FTP account, created by Bank of America.
Directory
Where to read files from or write files to, for example send payment files to the incoming directory, or retrieve status reports from the outgoing directory. Watch your Bank of America email for the exact folder paths.
PGP public key
A text file with Bank of America's public PGP key. This is usually available through their online portal, and is often delivered as a zipped email attachment.
The nine step video walkthrough
Work through the setup in order. Select any step to load its video. Two clips each cover a pair of steps, so nine steps play across seven videos.
Install Diplomat MFT on a server inside your network, next to your file and application servers such as CashPro Connect. Assign a service account, a network identity, before the first start, with rights to read from source and write to destination locations. Confirm it against the Diplomat MFT 64 service in Administrative Tools.
Set up the Bank of America transfer, step by step
The complete written walkthrough. Every step has a short video in the player above. Select Watch this step to jump straight to it.
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Step 1. Install Diplomat MFT and assign a service account
Install Diplomat MFT on a server inside your network, next to your file and application servers such as CashPro Connect. Assign a service account, a network identity, before the first start, with rights to read from source and write to destination locations. Confirm it against the Diplomat MFT 64 service in Administrative Tools.
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Step 2. Import Bank of America's public PGP key
Save Bank of America's public key file in C:/ProgramData/Coviant Software/Diplomat-j/keys. In the Diplomat MFT client, select Keys, then OpenPGP Keys, then Import Public Keys, and browse to that file. You can rename the key by typing over the User ID in the Key Name field, then click OK. You can read more on how to use PGP keys.
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Step 3. Create an outbound transfer job
Select Transactions, then Create Outbound Transaction, and give the job a clear label. In the File Information panel, enter the file name to encrypt, such as *.xml, using wildcards to match more than one file. Select overwrite if the job should replace existing files on the bank's server.
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Step 4. Set source and destination partner profiles
Each transaction has a Source and a Destination Partner Profile. In the Source profile, select Local Network for Transport Type and point it at the pickup location, for example C:/BankOfAmerica. In the Destination profile, select SFTP for Transport Type, then enter the login details received from Bank of America. You can use either FTPS or SFTP.
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Step 5. Enter PGP encryption parameters
In the File Handling panel, check the PGP Encrypt box and use the drop down to select Bank of America's key from the list.
Same video as step 6 -
Step 6. Set the source file format
If you are encrypting a text file, select ASCII as the source file format. The destination file format is set to Binary automatically.
Same video as step 5
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Step 7. Run a test outbound job
Check that the encryption and transfer job is set up correctly by selecting Run Now in the Job Schedule panel. You can watch the job execute in a pop up window.
Same video as step 8 -
Step 8. Confirm the transfer and read the logs
After a scheduled run there is no pop up window. To confirm completion, go to File, then Logs, select the log file covering the run time, and filter it to the entries for your job.
Same video as step 7 -
Step 9. Schedule the job and set alerting
In the Job Schedule panel, choose when jobs run. Diplomat MFT Standard Edition can watch the source path as a hot folder instead of using a schedule, and can send email, Slack, or Microsoft Teams alerts when jobs run. Diplomat MFT Enterprise Edition adds a real time job monitor and much more.
Bank of America file transfer: which approach fits?
Manual uploads and custom scripts can move a file. Getting encryption, scheduling, auditing, and alerting on every transfer is where a managed file transfer engine earns its place.
| Requirement | Manual portal upload | Custom script | Diplomat MFT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automated, scheduled transfers | Manual only | DIY | Native |
| OpenPGP on every file | Manual | Fragile | Native |
| SFTP and FTPS transport | Portal only | DIY | Native |
| Full audit trail for compliance | No | DIY logs | Built in |
| Alerting on failure, email, Teams, Slack | No | DIY | Built in |
| Runs unattended in production | No | Risky | Designed for it |
One engine for every Bank of America transfer
OpenPGP on every file
Files are encrypted automatically as they are sent, if the feature is enabled, using Bank of America's public key.
One engine, every endpoint
SFTP, FTPS, local network, and cloud storage from a single job, so Bank of America transfers sit alongside the rest of your file movement.
Full audit trail
Every transfer is logged, so you can prove exactly what moved and when for compliance and reconciliation.
Scheduled or hot folder
Run transfers on a schedule, or watch a source folder and move files the moment they arrive. No manual step in production.
Bank of America secure file transfer, common questions
Yes. Different departments support a range of options, and PGP for encryption paired with SFTP for transport is one of the most broadly supported combinations, used for exchanging files such as CashPro Connect payment files for ACH and wire transfers.
Either. Bank of America supports both. Set the Transport Type in the Destination Partner Profile to match what the bank provisioned for your account.
Diplomat MFT Standard Edition is the minimum for financial transfers like these. Diplomat MFT Enterprise Edition adds database driven auditing, endpoint management, multiple administrators, a real time job monitor, and more. You can also compare editions on the Diplomat MFT pricing page.
Yes. Diplomat MFT Standard Edition can watch the source folder as a hot folder and move files as they arrive, rather than waiting for the next scheduled run.
Open File, then Logs, select the log covering the run time, and filter to your job's entries. Diplomat MFT Enterprise Edition also provides a real time job monitor.
Save it in C:/ProgramData/Coviant Software/Diplomat-j/keys, then import it through Keys, OpenPGP Keys, Import Public Keys in the Diplomat MFT client. You can read more on how to use PGP keys.
Automate your Bank of America transfers
Set up PGP encrypted SFTP transfers once, then let Diplomat MFT run them on a schedule or as a hot folder, with a full audit trail on every file.