eBanking & Billpay [CLICK here for Billpay Help]

Live eBanking Help
To reach the credit union's e-Services department via our live chat service during business hours, click the live help icon below.

eBanking Help

What is Internet/electronic Banking (eBanking)?
The eBanking system is similar to EDIE but instead of listening to your account information, you can see it on the screen. eBanking is a free service that lets you access your account information at any time from any computer connected to the Internet. To access your account on-line, select the Account Access feature at the top of each page. At the login screen enter your 5 or 6-digit account number and four digit EDIE PIN for the password. If you do not have an EDIE PIN or cannot remember it, call the credit union at your earliest convenience. 

Using the eBanking system
Once you are logged into the eBanking system, you can navigate your way around by using the drop down menu as shown below. We have provided a brief description of the features available under each drop down option.

First Time you log in or if your account was reset and are registering again:

Step 2.  Enter in your Account Number, PIN and the random Security Code in black in the box and submit. This will take you to the disclosure where you will set up your questions.

Subsequent Logins:

Step 1.       Enter Account Number and the random Security Code shown in the box.

Step 2.       If PC is registered, skip to Step 3.  Otherwise, answer your Challenge Question.

Step 3.       Verify Security Key Image and enter PIN.

Glossary of Terms

Random Security Code
To protect accounts against login attempts by unauthorized parties, you will be presented with a Random Code that you will need to enter on the same page with your member number. Since this code can’t be easily read by a computer as text, it thwarts automated attempts by unauthorized parties to access your account.

Authentication Questions and Answers
The first time you access the enhanced system, you will be asked to create three sets of questions and answers using information known only to you. You will be asked one of these questions at random on a subsequent sign in if you haven’t registered that computer during a previous session with Gulf Coast Educators FCU, or if you’ve deleted cookies from your browser.

Security Key
When you access the enhanced system for the first time, you’ll be prompted to create a Security Key consisting of a word and/or numbers. On each future sign in, you will need to verify that the Security Key you created is the one on display before you submit your PIN. This feature gives you verification that you are at our site and not at a copycat site. It also lets you know that you can safely enter your PIN. Your Security Key will also display on pages containing your account information.

Software Credential (registering your computer)
After your initial login, you will be asked if you would like to register your computer with Online Access. Once registered, a software credential is added to your system which identifies you on future logins, so you won’t be asked an authentication question. The software credential expires after 90 days. To renew the credential, answer the authentication at login and register you computer with Online Access.

You can de-register your computer at any time, or you can register multiple computers, such as home and work. If you delete cookies from your browser, you will also delete your software credential.

Tips to simplify your eBanking experience

Tip 1. Use your own questions and keep them as simple as possible. Some examples include:

How many children?
A child's middle name
In what city did I meet my spouse?

If using numbers in the answers, use the digit and don't spell it out. Try to keep your answers to one word without special punctuation.

Tip 2. You can change your questions and answers at any time by selecting Authentication Questions under Options on the drop down menu while logged in. You can also change your Security Key by selecting Member Info under Options.

Tip 3. For joint accounts, you need to set up the questions so that all parties who access the account will know the authentication questions.

Tip 4. Register your home computer so that it won't ask the security questions.

Tip 5. If you get locked out of your account and the standard questions keep repeating, call the credit union during business hours. After hours, you can send an e-mail with your account number and we'll reset it. We check e-mail after hours and on weekends and will try to restore your access when possible. If you simply cannot remember the answers to your questions, we can reset the account so that you have to completely register again with new questions.

FAQ’s

What if I forget my PIN or my Challenge Question answers and get locked out?
Feel free to call us at 281-487-9333 and we can reset your session.

Will I still have access to all the same accounts online?
Yes.  This process only affects how you login, not your Internet banking accounts.

What will happen to my billpay settings, account alerts, or any other saved settings within Internet Banking that I had set up before this change?
All pre-setup settings within your Internet Banking session will remain the same after this change.

Why all this attention to the login process?
While the chances of identity theft or monetary loss are slim, there do exist active malicious entities on the Internet that look to fraudulently gain from unsuspecting individuals.  One of the most popular methods of fraud is through impersonating individuals during the login process.  It is our intention to make this process as difficult as possible for these fraudsters while keeping your experience as hassle-free as possible.

Latest eBanking Features

• Software Token Authentication: Members must create a private question that only the member knows. This question will appear on subsequent login attempts as a security process that allows members to verify that the credit union Online Banking site is authentic before submitting log-in information.
• Random Security Code: Members will be required to enter a series of numbers and characters that are displayed on the log-in screen. This makes it difficult for outside automated programs to initiate "brute force" attacks on the Online Banking system. A "brute force" attack is when hackers use automation to attempt combinations of username and password in order to find a specific combination that gains access to a system.
• Internet Banking Statistics: Members can view 60 days of transactions they've completed within Internet Banking.
• User Color Settings: Members can change the background color and table colors for a customized look and feel. This feature can add to session security, since each account holder can customize their banking experience.
• Check Register: Members can interactively balance their check book through this online tool. By selecting specific checking account history and the ability to "check off" transactions, the user can reconcile what is online with other records they have.
• Schedule Transfer Enhancements: Members now have the option to set up transfers on an indefinite schedule.
• Bill Pay Enhancements: Bill Pay members will now receive email notifications on final bill payments scheduled and when there are non-sufficient funds to process a bill payment. The account holder will also receive a duplicate notification and refusal when trying to set up duplicate payments.
• Account Alerts Enhancements: For members with Account Alerts set up, additional alerts are now available such as loan payment reminders, checks cleared by range, and any time a password is changed.

Current Features

• Schedule Transfers: Now members can set up recurring transfers between accounts, or across member accounts, quickly and easily.
• Calendar: Provides an at-a-glance overview of member accounts in a month-by-month calendar format, including cleared checks, withdrawals, deposits, and transfers. Clicking the date will show details of the day's transactions.
• Account Transaction History: Sort and view transaction history by withdrawals or deposits. Successful scheduled transfers are also now listed in the account history display.
• Start Page Selection: Members can select the page they wish their Internet Banking session to open with.
• Check Stop Pay by Range: Allows members to place a check stop payment on a range of checks, rather than having to stop pay on each individual check one at a time.
• Member Nickname: Allows members to create an alternate name that can be used instead of their account number when they log in to Internet Banking. This feature is especially helpful for members who have trouble remembering their account number.
• Account Nicknames: Allows members to choose a nickname for their accounts.
• Update Verification: Members will now receive an "Are you sure?" prompt when changing session timeout length, email addresses, and PIN numbers.
• Secure Messaging Time Stamp: For Secure Messaging users, members will now see the time the message was sent.

Check Register

The Check Register allows you to balance/reconcile your check book on line. To use the Check Register, simply click on each Transaction line check box as you work through reconciling your account.

Date    Description   Withdrawals  Deposits  Balance   01/10/2006 Transfer to account 2 $ -12.00    $ 25,391.78

As you reconcile, the Check Register tracking totals will update.

These totals are defined below:
Checked Amt. – the total dollar amount of all checked transactions.
Unchecked Amt. - the total dollar amount of all unchecked transactions.
Total Amount - the total dollar amount of all transactions in the current history selection.
Starting Balance – the starting balance for the current history selection.
Ending Balance –the ending balance for the current history selection.
Difference – dollar amount that equals: Starting Balance – Ending Balance – Checked Amt.

Manual Entries:
You have the option to enter manual entries while reconciling. Manual entries are “placeholders” that can be used to balance your account. An example of manual entries would be a transaction that has been issued but not cleared and in order to balance out your check book to your online Check Register a placeholder is necessary.

To enter a Manual Entry, simply enter the date, description and amount and click on Add Item.

For additional help resources, click here.

eBanking Tips & Hints

• Do not enter any leading zeros in front of your account number. If you do, you will receive a general error message.
• Under Options, you can change your PIN. If you do so, your EDIE PIN will also change. The change for the eBanking system is immediate with the EDIE change occurring the next day.
• The Check Services option on the drop down menu contains only information about checks such as cleared checks and requesting a stop pay. If you wish to obtain history on your accounts, use the Account option and select History from the drop down menu.
• If you try to access your account with the wrong password five times, your account will be locked. Call the credit union at your earliest convenience to have it reset and to verify your EDIE PIN.

• You can sort by date, check number and amount when using the Check History feature. This is particularly useful when searching for specific check numbers or amounts. Simply click on the up and down arrows to sort that category in ascending or descending order.

• eBanking tends to work best with the latest version of Internet Explorer and Netscape, both of which are available for free. We cannot guarantee any other browsers, including AOL's browser are compatible.

• On the last day of each month, the transfer feature is unavailable while the MIS department runs the month end statements. It should become available again the following morning.

• The system only keeps four months of history to the day on accounts with a lot of activity such as the typical checking account. If you need data from further back than that, use the eStatement feature found under Accounts on the drop down menu for a year's worth of statements.

Bill Pay FAQs
Here you will find answers to some of the more commonly asked questions about the credit union's bill pay service. For further help or instructions, scroll down or use the links above.

How much is the Bill Pay service per month?

The bill pay service is FREE to any member with a checking account. To see how you sign up for this time saving service, click here.

Where's my Payment?

If one of your payees has not received a payment, you'll need to have the bill paying provider, Metavante, research the payment. To have an item researched call Metavante at 1-866-300-9558. If Metavante is at fault, they can take care of the fees for you and work with your payee to ensure that it doesn't happen again.

How does the bill pay process work?

In order to better utilize your bill paying account, we thought it would help to explain the payment process in greater detail. First, it is important to remember there are three parties involved: GCEFCU, Liberty/Cavion and Metavante. In the disclosures and the e-mail the credit union sends when you first sign up for bill paying, we inform you that you should enter your payments that are sent as checks 5 business days before the due date and 3 business days for electronic payments. You can check whether your payment is electronic or check by clicking on the payee list. On the date you enter for the payment, the funds are taken from your account and sent to Liberty/Cavion (the providers of iBanking and the interface). They then send a file to Metavante (the bill paying providers) who process the payments the next day and send them out. So the date you enter is not the day the payment is sent, it is sent the following business days. That is the reason the payment should be entered 5 business days before the due date.

What is the payment entry cut off?
You have the ability to set up a new payment before 6:00 pm central time and it will still go out that day.  Just a reminder, the bill is not paid at that time, rather the payment is sent to Metavante for processing.

What is the minimum payment amount?
The minimum payment amount is $1.00. Entering a value less than that will result in the payment not being scheduled.

What's the difference between payments designated electronic and check?

You'll notice that some of your payees are designated electronic while others are designated check. What does it mean? Some of your payees are able to accept Electronic Funds Transfers (EFT) transactions for payments. Those are designated as electronic payments and take up to three business days from the date entered for processing into the bill paying system to reach the payee. Others do not have the infrastructure to support such transactions and the bill paying system mails those payees a check. Those transactions take up to 7 business days from the date entered for processing into the bill paying system to reach the payee.

Why is a payee address changed in the system?

Don't panic if your payee addresses are changed in the bill pay system. More than likely it means that it has become an electronic payment instead of a check. In other cases, Metavante (The Bill Payment Provider) has been contacted by your payee with that update. You can check to see if your payee is electronic by selecting Payee Information from the drop down menu and then selecting the payee by clicking on the name and it will show that payee's details, including disbursement types of Electronic and Check.

What do I do if a payee mails my check back to me?

You can deposit that check into your account and resend the payment. This happens at times if the payment is not the right amount. Some merchants will only apply payments made for the exact amount of the bill.

What do I need to do to change my address in the bill pay system?

The credit union can't update your information in the bill pay system. You will need to log into your account and select Account Setup under Billpay on the drop down menu. Make the necessary changes and submit them. Metavante will update their records accordingly.

Signing up for Bill Payment service. To sign up for the Bill Payment service, you will need to log into your account using the latest version of Internet Banking. Select any of the options from the Billpay portion of the drop down menu and the following screen should appear:

Online bill payment offers savings, convenience and the freedom of never having to purchase another stamp or bill envelope again for paying your bills! Three Easy Steps to Using Online Bill Payment! Step #1 Read the online disclosure document. Step #2 Fill out the application found after accepting the disclosure. Step #3: Once online, set up merchants or payees online with their address and account information. and schedule payments by specifying the payee, amount and date of your payment Savings and Convenience Pay all your bills online all in one convenient location - your trusted financial institution. Pay-anyone: From your power company to your doctor to your neighborhood lawn service, you can pay everyone you pay now - anytime, anywhere - all with the click of a mouse. Schedule single or recurring payments up to a year in advance. Review pending payments and have access to your full payment history. Easy payment scheduling - select the payee, amount and payment date, then click to pay! Edit Payments anytime before the process date.

Click the online disclosure document link and it will take you the disclosure which you must accept to get to the sign up screen.

Payee List

Use this list of all payees to view all the payees you have set up. Use the arrows in the header bar to sort this list by payee name (alphabetical by first letter of payee name), Account number or payment type (check or electronic). Use the View Payees menu to:

• Add a new payee (use the “Add Payee” button at the bottom of your payees list).

• Select one or more current payees to pay by selecting the check box to the left of the payee details.

• Select any payees to be deleted from your active payees list.

To Add a new payee

Use the Add Payee button in the View Payees section to add a new bill payment recipient. When you click the Add Payee button, you are presented with two choices:

1. Add Payee Manually – Enter the payee information directly from your most recent bill or account statement. Click the “Add Payee Manually” button to choose this option.
   
   Use the form provided to enter the information for a new payee.
    

   • NAME – Type in the name of the payee as it should appear on the payment / payees address

   • Remittance Address – The address your bill should be sent to (may be different than the corporate address, check your most recent bill)

   • Phone number – It is optional to include a phone number for the payee, but this can be useful in case of billing questions.

   • The account number is optional for a personal payee (friend or neighborhood business. However, it is important to copy the account number exactly if you have one.
     
      

2. Search for Payee – You can use the list of payees provided by the bill payment settlement company, the advantages of searching this list to find your payee are:
    

   1. Already pre-set up with addresses and everything needed but your account number.

   2. Reduces errors from entering this information manually.

   3. Caution – large corporations may send bills from several different billing addresses – double check with a copy of your most recent statement to make sure the address matches before selecting an payee.

Select the payee by clicking the check box next to the payee and the “Select Payee” button at the bottom of the page.

This will bring you to a setup screen to enter your account number. For some electronic payees there may be an error checking feature for the account number you enter. An Account Format field will show the acceptable account number formats for this biller. If your account number does not fit the format given – either search for another location for this payee in the payee search, or add the payee manually. The following example gives three possible account number formats:

Clicking the payee name shows a pop-up window the details of the payee.

To edit or update this information, select the payee(s) using the check box on the payee list and click the “Edit Payees” to access the payee record and edit the payee(s).

Scheduled Payments

Use the Scheduled Payment menu option to reach a worksheet that shows all of your scheduled (pending) payments for the next month or to schedule payments for all payees, or use the “Schedule Payments” button at the bottom of either the “View Payments” or “Payees” screens to bring up the Schedule Payments worksheet for only selected payees. (Not selecting a payee option on either of those screens would bring up the worksheet for all payees as a default). Use the check box to the left of each payee you want to pay to select the payee for payment.

Scheduled (Pending) Payments

Scheduled Payments					08-27-2003 - 09-26-2003
	Process Date	Type	Payee	Account #	Confirm #	Status	Amount	Estimated Total¹
	09-01-2003	R	Gulf Coast Educators	Test Account	827461	pending	25.76	200.76
	08-27-2003	S	Gulf Coast Educators	Test Account	827451	pending	175.00	175.00

If you have pending or scheduled payments, they will be listed on this screen in chronological order. The system shows the total of payments pending in green on the far right hand side. Other features include:

• The process date is the date the payment will be taken from your account.
• The payment type is broken into two types. S stands for single, one time payment and R stands for recurring payments.
• The Schedule Payments button allows you to schedule more payments.
• To edit a payment, select the check box to the left and click the Edit Payments button.
  To delete a payment, select the check box to the left and click the Delete Payments button.

Scheduling New Payments

You can get to the schedule payments screen by clicking on the Schedule Payments button on both the Payee List and Scheduled Payments screens.

Schedule Payments / Pay Bills
	Payee	Account #	Payment Type	Amount	Specify Payment Process Date Allow three (3) banking business days for an electronic payee and five (5) banking business days if the payee is paid by check for payments.
	Gulf Coast Educators	Test Account	check
		Pay from:	Advantage Checking
		Memo line:

1. Select the Amount you would like to pay. This field requires both digits and a decimal point for accurate payments.
2. Specify the Payment Process Date. This is the day you would like the payment sent for processing and debited from your account. Please note the payment processor’s recommended lead times for making electronic or check payments.
3. If you would like to set up a recurring (weekly, monthly or twice-monthly) payment, click the Recurring Date button and use the Recurring Date window to set up your payments.
4. Add a personal memo (up to 40 characters ) which will appear on the memo line of a check payment, or on your own records (but not sent with the payment) on an electronic payment.
5. Select an email reminder option. You can set up an automatic email to yourself to remind you when any particular payment is being made. If you don’t set an email reminder, the default is not to send a reminder email.
6. Once you have finished entering your payment information hit the Confirm Payments button. Wait while the payments process and it will take you to the Scheduled Payments screen where you can see the confirmation numbers for your pending payments.

Billpay History

Use this screen to view previously made payments. You can filter searches by specific payees.

Account Setup

Use the Account Setup option on the menu to check, update or edit the information you provided when setting up the bill payment service.

NOTE: Social Security number is a required field for most bill payment providers.

An email address is necessary if you would like to setup automatic notifications for certain payments (see email reminder option in the Schedule Payments section.)

Bill Payment Account Registration