Setting up Akahu

Akahu is New Zealand's open finance platform. It connects your bank account to PaySauce so that when you close a pay, the funds move automatically. No paper forms, no direct debit authorities.

How Akahu connects to your bank

Akahu connects in one of two ways, depending on your bank.

For ASB, BNZ, Kiwibank and Westpac, Akahu uses New Zealand's new regulated open banking system. You authorise the connection directly with your bank, and Akahu or PaySauce never sees or stores your banking credentials.

For ANZ, The Co-operative Bank, Heartland, Rabobank and TSB, Akahu connects using the same secure interfaces your bank's mobile app uses. You log in once, Akahu creates a secure access token, and your credentials are not retained. The token can't be used to recreate your login details.

Either way, the connection is ongoing. You don't reconnect each time you run a pay, and you can manage or remove the connection at any time.

If you bank with ANZ, ASB, Westpac or BNZ we recommend you use the direct payment option covered here: Using direct payments. When you use a direct payment integration, there are no transaction limits and funds will be deducted on pay day.

Requirements to use Akahu

You need to bank with ANZ, ASB, Heartland, Kiwibank, Rabobank, TSB, The Co-operative Bank, or Westpac.
You must be able to access the account you want to connect through your bank's mobile app or online banking. For business accounts, this usually means the account needs to be visible when you log in with your personal credentials. See your bank's section below.
Your account must be single signatory. Accounts requiring approval from multiple people can't be used to make payments through Akahu.
Your account must have adequate transaction and daily limits for your payroll (Note: mobile transaction limits often differ from online banking limits). If you want to find out more about your transaction and daily limits, you’ll need to contact your bank or review the bank specific information below.

Bank specific information and requirements

ANZ

Access: to use Akahu, make sure you have access to the bank account via the ANZ goMoney mobile app
You will need: email address you have access to and the ANZ account credentials
When making payments via Akahu from your ANZ account, there is a single payment limit of $10,000.
If trying to process a payment via Akahu with an ANZ bank account with a value over $10,000 (which is the payment limit enforced by ANZ) then you may receive an error messaging saying "ANZ requires voice authentication for this payment, which is unsupported at this time". This error message is being caused by specific bank requirements and limits, and the core issue is that the payment is over the limit permitted by ANZ. This limit cannot be increased.

ASB

You'll authorise the connection directly with ASB, so you won't give Akahu your credentials. You must be able to see the account when you log in with your personal ASB login. ASB has separate personal and business apps; if your business account doesn't appear in your personal app, call ASB and ask for it to be linked.
Payment limit: maximum single payment of $10,000, plus any limit you agree when authorising the connection.

BNZ

You'll authorise the connection directly with BNZ, so you won't give Akahu your credentials. You must be able to see the account when you log in with your personal BNZ login. If your business account doesn't appear, call BNZ and ask for it to be linked.
Payment limit: BNZ applies a $50,000 daily limit shared across everything you do that day, including internet banking. If you've arranged a higher daily limit for a business account, that higher limit doesn't apply to payments made via your personal login.

Heartland Bank

To access Akahu, make sure you have access to the bank account via the Heartland Mobile app.
You will need: email address you have access to and your Heartland account user ID and password.
There is a daily payment limit of $5,000 on outbound payments from Heartland YouChoose accounts.

KiwiBank

You'll authorise the connection directly with Kiwibank, so you won't give Akahu your credentials. Kiwibank supports both personal and business accounts.

Rabobank

To access Akahu, make sure you have set up and access to the Rabobank Business Mobile Banking App (you can read more information from Rabobank here)
The pin you enter must be the 6 digit pin used to unlock the Rabobank mobile app
It can only be used with a Rabobank Agri Services account, not Online Savings account
Rabobank accounts have a daily payment limit of $25,000 enforced (you can request an increase via the secure messaging service in your Internet Banking)

The Co-operative Bank

To access Akahu, make sure you have access to the bank account via the Co-operative Bank mobile app.
You will need: email address you have access to and your Co-operative Bank account customer number and password.

TSB

To access Akahu make sure you have access to the bank account via the TSB bank mobile app
You will need: email address you have access to and your TSB account username and password

Westpac

You'll authorise the connection directly with Westpac, so you won't give Akahu your credentials. Multi signatory business accounts can't be used.
Payment limit: $30,000 per day across all open banking payments on your Westpac profile. If you use other open banking services, they share this limit.

Akahu payments are capped at $100,000 per payment. If your payroll exceeds your bank's limits or the limits agreed on your connection, contact our Support team to discuss other payment methods.

Connecting your bank account to Akahu

To connect your bank account to PaySauce using Akahu, follow these steps:

Log into your PaySauce account
Go to Settings > Integrations > Akahu
You will be redirected to Akahu, follow the guidance on screen
Once integrated, you will be redirected back to PaySauce
Go to Accounts > Bank, click the edit pencil on the account you’d like to use and set as default
Code and Reference details can also be added but are optional

Find troubleshooting help here.

Disconnecting your current Akahu connection

Log into your PaySauce account
Go to Settings > Integrations > Akahu
Click on the cross of the green connection box displaying your integration information to remove the current connection

Akahu processing times

Processing times through Akahu vary depending on your bank.

When we receive your payment, we'll release the funds according to your banking disbursements report within two hours during business hours (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, excluding public holidays).

⚠️ If we receive your payment outside business hours, we'll release it on the next business day.

After that, it may take a few additional hours for the funds to reach our PaySauce account.

Bank	Processing hours (weekdays)	Your bank's estimated processing time
ANZ	9am- 10pm	Up to 30 mins.
ASB	9.15am - 11.30pm	Up to 60mins. If processed out of hours, it will go through the next business day.
Heartland	Cut-off time is 7pm	All payments will be made at 7pm each business day. If made after 7pm, it will be processed the following business day at 7pm.
KiwiBank	9am - midnight	Up to 60 mins. If processed out of hours, it will go through the next business day.
Rabobank	Cut-off time is 8.45pm	Payments will be processed at regular time slots throughout each business day with the last being at 8.45pm. If made after 8.45pm, on weekends or public holiday, the payment will be processed the next business day.
SBS	9am - 9.30pm	Up to 30 mins. If processed out of hours, it will go through the morning of the next business day.
TSB	9.30am - 10.55pm	Up to 60 mins. If processed out of hours, it will go through the next business day.
The Co-operative Bank	9am - 10.30pm	Within a couple of hours.
Westpac	9am - 10pm	Up to 60 mins. If processed out of hours, it will go through at 9.30am the next business day.

When funds leave your account

Funds are deducted on the day you close your pay, even if the pay is dated in the future. If you close a pay on Wednesday for banking on Friday, the money leaves your account on Wednesday.

Akahu error messages

If you receive an error message while processing your pay with Akahu, here are explanations of what each status code message means.

You will find the status code in the pay period info under Events. A pay may process through a number of status’ before finally being declined or successful. If declined, check the ‘What to do’ column on next steps to take to get your pay closed.

Status	Status Code	Message	What to do
ERROR	INTERNAL_ERROR	Akahu encountered an internal error while processing the payment.	Try and close your pay again. If the problem persists, get in touch with Support.
	BANK_ERROR	Akahu received an unexpected error response or encountered connectivity issues with the bank while processing the payment.	Try and close your pay again. If the problem persists, get in touch with Support.
		The initiating bank was unable to process the payment.	Your bank may be experiencing problems. Wait a little while then try and close your pay again.
	UNAVAILABLE	Akahu is unable to process the payment due to maintenance or updates that have impacted our integration with the initiating bank.	Try and close your pay again in 60 minutes. If the problem persists, get in touch with Support.
DECLINED	INSUFFICIENT_FUNDS	The specified bank account does not have sufficient funds to complete the payment.	Check your account has enough money then try and close your pay again.
	SINGLE_LIMIT_EXCEEDED	The payment amount exceeds the maximum single-payment limit that is enforced for this account by the bank. See Payment Limitations for a list of known limits for each bank.	Request a limit increase from your bank if possible. Otherwise get in touch with Support to close your pay with another payment method.
	DAILY_LIMIT_EXCEEDED	The payment would cause the cumulative daily payment limit for this account to be exceeded. See Payment Limitations for a list of known daily limits for each bank.	You may have to wait until the next day to process this payment. Otherwise get in touch with Support to close your pay with another payment method.
	AKAHU_LIMIT_EXCEEDED	The payment amount exceeds the maximum value allowed by Akahu. Currently this is set at $100,000 for all payments.	You will not be able to use Akahu for this payment. Get in touch with Support to close your pay with another payment method.
	AUTHENTICATION_FAILED	Akahu was unable to complete the payment because authentication with the user's bank was unsuccessful.	Try and close your pay again. If the problem persists, visit My Akahu to manage your liked accounts - delink your bank account then relink again to Akahu. Try and close your pay again in PaySauce.
	MFA_UNSUPPORTED	The bank required a multi-factor authorisation method that is not supported by Akahu.	You will not be able to use Akahu for this payment. Get in touch with Support to close your pay with another payment method.
	MFA_FAILED	The bank required multi-factor authorisation for the payment, which was handled by the Manual Payment Approval process. However, the user was unable to complete the authorisation (e.g. they entered an SMS code incorrectly too many times).	Try and close your pay again. If a second approval is required, ensure you enter the code correctly. If the problem persists, get in touch with Support.
	MULTISIG_UNSUPPORTED	The payment requires approval from multiple signatories, which is unsupported at this time.	Akahu may not be a suitable payment method for you. Get in touch with Support to change your payment settings to another payment method.
	AFTER_HOURS	The bank rejected the payment due to their payment system being offline for out-of-hours maintenance.	Check when your bank's systems will be back online then try and close your pay again.
	INVALID_ACCOUNT	The specified bank account can't be used to initiate payments.	You must connect a different account to continue using Akahu. Log into PaySauce then go to your company Settings > Integrations > Akahu > Click the 'x' to break the current connection then 'Connect to Akahu' again. This article has further detail on connecting.
CANCELLED	USER_CANCELLED	The payment required approval via the Manual Payment Approval process, but approval was denied by the user.	The secondary approval email from Akahu was declined so this payment was cancelled. Close the pay again or get in touch with Support to close your pay with another payment method.
	AKAHU_CANCELLED	The payment required approval via the Manual Payment Approval process, but no action was taken within 48 hours so it was cancelled by Akahu.	The secondary approval email from Akahu wasn't completed in time so this payment was cancelled. Close the pay again or get in touch with Support to close your pay with another payment method.

If you receive the Akahu error message "A validation exception has occurred. No valid payment consent found for this payment" this means you did not enable payments when you created your Akahu account during the connection process. You need to log into your Akahu account (https://my.akahu.nz/login) and ensure that 'enable payments' is enabled for the connection. You cannot change this in your PaySauce account, it must be changed in your Akahu account.

Using the Akahu payment type