Can a Lockbox Go Live in Days? A Q&A with CheckAlt

Speed matters in payments. For financial institutions and fintechs, the ability to onboard new business clients quickly can make all the difference in winning and retaining accounts. At CheckAlt, we’re streamlining that process—including lockbox implementations that can go live just a few days.

From Weeks to Days: The CheckAlt Advantage

We sat down with Matt Crosby, Executive Director of Implementations and Operations at CheckAlt, to understand how our approach to lockbox onboarding sets us apart. Here’s what he shared.

Q: Is it really possible to go live with a lockbox in just days?

Matt: It is. For existing channel partners with a templated setup, we’ve gone live in as little as four days. One partner, in particular, had a parent-level relationship with many sub-merchants that needed to be onboarded rapidly. By designing a repeatable template with aligned requirements, we eliminated the need for re-customization at the child level. That’s where we save time.

Q: What’s the difference between new partner setup and adding a new business unit?

Matt: A brand-new partner typically takes four to six weeks to onboard, depending on their requirements. That initial time is used to gather files, define rules, establish reporting, and integrate with vendors or core systems. But once that structure is in place and standardized, adding additional business units or sub-merchants can happen very quickly—often in just days. The key is eliminating unnecessary complexity.

Q: What makes this kind of fast implementation possible?

Matt: It’s all about upfront discovery and design. When we invest time with a partner early on to define the right structure and document the requirements at the parent level, everything after that becomes repeatable. Our team has developed toolkits based on what we've seen work well across different institutions. It allows us to streamline onboarding without sacrificing quality or compliance.

Q: What about new partners who don’t have a templated structure?

Matt: We’re still efficient, but it requires more collaboration. We look at how they're connecting with vendors, where files are going, and how we’ll be exchanging data—via API, SFTP, or other methods. Once we align on those technical and operational requirements, we build a repeatable foundation for future growth. That way, even if it takes a bit longer up front, we’re setting the stage for speed down the line.

Q: What would you say is CheckAlt’s key differentiator when it comes to onboarding?

Matt: Agility. We move at the pace of our customers. If a partner is ready to go fast, we’re ready. We coordinate with all necessary vendors and keep communication open throughout. And because we offer both traditional and electronic lockbox solutions, we can meet our partners wherever they are in their digital journey.

More Than Speed: Why Implementation Strategy Matters

CheckAlt isn’t just about quick turnaround—we’re about scalable success. Our lockbox onboarding approach is built to reduce complexity, improve transparency, and ensure every partner can grow efficiently. We support:

• Traditional lockbox for check processing
• Remote lockbox for on-site payment capture
• Electronic lockbox to keep online banking bill payments digital
• Online payments for ACH, credit, and debit card acceptance
• Remote deposit capture for on-the-go check deposits

And because many of our partners are financial institutions or fintechs that resell our services, we design onboarding processes that work across multiple business types and use cases.

Best Practices for Faster Lockbox Implementation

To support our partners, we also compiled a list of five best practices for shortening implementation time:

1. Limit customization at the child level—design once at the parent level.
2. Assign a dedicated project manager to lead implementation.
3. Define data exchange methods early (e.g., API, SFTP).
4. Align stakeholders from IT, operations, and business units at the start.
5. Use a templated approach for scalable growth.

Get Your Lockbox Up and Running—Fast

Whether you're onboarding a single business or enabling dozens of sub-merchants, CheckAlt’s approach to lockbox implementation helps you move faster, grow smarter, and support clients with confidence.

Ready to go live?

Contact us today to learn how CheckAlt can help you go live faster and support your receivables strategy with confidence. Or learn more about our lockbox and receivables solutions online today.

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