Canadian Payments Association (CPA) Standard 005 AFT File Specifications File Structure The file consists of the

following: One Header Record This record consists of one segment containing the A record. Leave other segments blank. Any Number of Detail Records Each record consists of seven segments, as follows: Segment 0 Consists of data elements 01 to 03 of the Detail Record, which are common to all detail transactions. Segments 1 to 6 Each segment consists of data elements 04 to 21 of the Detail record.

Individual transactions are made up of segments 0 and 1, 0 and 2, and so on. A block is made up of segments 0 to 6. The block contains information on six individual transactions. One Trailer Record This record consists of one segment containing the Z record. Leave other segments blank.

Format of Records and Segments In one record, leave unused segments blank (spaces). If one segment is blank, all subsequent segments in that record must be blank. The presence of one Detail record containing unused segments does not preclude the occurrence of subsequent Detail records containing data.

Format of Data Elements Data elements are fixed length. Numeric data elements must right justified and zero filled. Alphanumeric data elements need not be justified, but must be space filled. To leave a data element blank, enter zeros (for numeric fields) or spaces (for alphanumeric fields).

Page 1

Data Element

Contents

Size

A Record Description
Identifies this record as type A.

01 Logical Record Identifier 02 Logical Record Count

"A" Numeric

1 9

Assign sequentially for each logical record, starting at 000000001 for record A. Duplicate numbers between two records, or missing numbers will cause file to reject. Your company's ID, provided by your credit union. For example, 8090012300. Your credit union should have provided you with this number. If invalid, the file will reject. Assign sequentially for each tape, starting at 0001 and rolling over at 9999. Number must increment by one from one tape to the next.

03 Originator's ID

Numeric

10

04 File Creation Number

Numeric

05 Creation Date

Numeric

Duplicate or missing numbers will cause file to reject. Date file was created. Julian format 0yyddd, where: yy = last two digits of the year ddd = Julian day number of year. If creation date is invalid, the file will reject. If creation date is more than 7 calendar days prior to the date processed through the initial edit, CUCBC has the option of rejecting the file.

06 Destination Data 86900 Centre 07 Blank 08 Filler

Unique number identifying CUCBC. If invalid, the file will reject. Enter spaces. Enter spaces.

Alphanumeric 20 Alphanumeric 1409

Page 2

Data Element

Contents

Size

Detail Record Description

01 Logical Record Type ID 02 Logical Record Count

"C" or "D"

1 9

C = Direct credit D = Direct debit Assign sequentially for each logical record, starting at 000000001 for record A. Number must increment by one from one record to the next within the file. Duplicate numbers between two records, or missing numbers will cause file to reject. Combination of data elements 03 and 04 in A record. If invalid, file will reject. See Appendix B for a list. If code is invalid, transaction will reject. Omit commas and decimal points. For example, enter $4456.00 as "445600". Right justified. Julian format 0yyddd, where: yy = last two digits of the year ddd = Julian day number of year. If date is invalid, the file will reject. If backdating, the date cannot be more than 173 calendar days (for debits) or 30 calendar days (for credits) before the date you created the file. If future dating, the date cannot be more than 14 calendar days after the date you created the file. The financial institution to be debited or credited. Format 1 222 33333 where 1= 0 2 = Transit institution number 3 = Charter/branch number of the financial institution and centre where item will clear. For example, 000102180.

03 Origination Control Data

Alphanumeric 14 3 10 6

04 Transaction Type Numeric 05 Amount Numeric

06 Due Date or Date 0YYDDD Funds to be Available

07 Institutional ID Number

Numeric

08 Payor/Payee Account Number 09 Item Trace

Alphanumeric 12

If the ID is invalid, transaction will reject Account to be debited or credited. Omit embedded blanks and dashes. Left justified. If account is invalid, transaction may reject. Enter spaces.

Numeric

22

Page 3

Data Element

Contents

Size

Detail Record Description

Number 10 Stored Transaction Type 11 Originator's Short Name

Numeric

For B.C. Central's use. Zero fill. Short name for your company, abbreviated as necessary. The abbreviation should clearly identify the originator, in case the processing direct clearer chooses this data element (instead of the long name) to identify the originator to the recipient.

Alphanumeric 15

12 Payor/Payee's Name 13 Originator's Long Name 14 Originating Direct Clearer's User ID 15 Originator's Cross Reference

Alphanumeric 30 Alphanumeric 30 Alphanumeric 10 Alphanumeric 12

If blank, transaction will reject. Name of account to be debited or credit. If blank, transaction will reject. Long name for your company. If blank, transaction will reject. Same as data element 03 in A record. 12 characters for your internal cross reference for this transaction, if any (for example, employee number, policy number). Last 7 characters must be blank (used by CUCBC).

16 Institutional ID Numeric Number for Returns

If blank, transaction will reject. Your credit union branch. Format 1 222 33333 where 1= 0 2 = Transit institution number. Always 809 for B.C. credit unions 3 = Charter/branch number of the credit union and centre where item will clear. For example, 080912310

17 Account Number Alphanumeric 12 for Returns 18 Originator's Alphanumeric 15 Sundry Information

If the ID is invalid, transaction will reject. Your account number at the branch identified in data element 16. Returns will be posted to this account. Enter information to further identify the transaction to the recipient. For example, enter the pay period, insurance policy number.

Page 4

Data Element

Contents

Size

Detail Record Description

19 Filler

Alphanumeric 22

Enter spaces. Enter spaces. Must contain zeros. If other data present, transaction will reject.

20 Originator Direct Alphanumeric 2 Clearer Settlement Code 21 Invalid Data Numeric 11 Element ID

Page 5

Data Element

Contents

Size

Z Record Description

01 Logical Record Identifier 02 Logical Record Count

Z Numeric

1 9

Identifies this record as type Z. Assign sequentially for each logical record, starting at 000000001 for record A. Duplicate numbers between two records, or missing numbers will cause file to reject. Combination of data elements 03 and 04 in Header A. If invalid, file will reject. Omit commas and leading zeros. Decimal is assumed. For example, enter $4456.00 as "445600". Total for this batch. Omit commas and leading zeros. Decimal is assumed. For example, enter $4456.00 as "445600". Total for this batch. Enter zeros. Enter zeros. Enter zeros. Enter zeros. Enter spaces.

03 Origination Control Data 04 Total Dollar Value of Debit Items 05Total Number of Debit Items 06 Total Dollar Value of Credit Items 07 Total Number of Credit Items 08 Zero Filler 09 Zero Filler 10 Zero Filler 11 Zero Filler 12 Filler

Alphanumeric 14 Numeric Numeric Numeric Numeric Numeric Numeric Numeric Numeric Alphanumeric 14 8 14 8 14 8 14 8 1352

Page 6

Glossary
AFT Transaction: Automatic funds transfer transaction. An electronic debit or credit transaction in which an individual authorizes an institution to debit or credit their financial institution account for a specific transaction, usually at regular intervals. See also Preauthorized Debit and Direct Deposit. Automatic Funds Transfer: See AFT Transaction. BBS: See Bulletin Board System. Back Date: To date a transaction with a settlement date that has already passed. Block: A piece of information on a magnetic tape or cartridge. For AFT tapes and cartridges, each block contains 1464 characters. Business Day: Monday to Friday except for statutory holidays that fall on a weekday. Branch: A number that identifies the branch of a financial institution. The charter (three digits) and the branch make up the route. Bulletin Board System (BBS): An electronic bulletin board residing on a PC at CUCBC. Corporate clients can deliver AFT files to CUCBC via the BBS, and can retrieve reports from the BBS, if that is the arrangement made with the credit union. Canadian Payments Association: An association formed to establish and operate a national clearings and settlements system and to plan the evolution of the national payments system. Charter: A three-digit number that identifies a credit union. The charter and the branch (one digit) make up the route. CPA: See Canadian Payments Association. Credit Transaction: Same as Direct Deposit. An electronic transaction in which an individual authorizes an institution to credit their financial institution account for a specific transaction, usually at regular intervals and for an agreed upon amount. For example, a pay cheque. Data Centre: The institution that processes transactions for a group of financial institutions. CUCBC is the data centre for all B.C. credit unions. Data Centre ID: A number assigned to each data centre by the CPA. The ID for CUCBC is 86900. Debit Transaction: Same as Preauthorized Debit. An electronic transaction in which an individual authorizes an institution to debit their financial institution account for a specific transaction, usually at regular intervals and for an agreed upon amount. For example, a condominium fee.

Page 7

Detail Record: For AFT magnetic tape and cartridges, a detail record is a block consisting of seven segments of information that make up six AFT transactions. Direct Deposit: Same as Credit Transaction. An electronic transaction in which an individual authorizes an institution to credit their financial institution account for a specific transaction, usually at regular intervals and for an agreed upon amount. For example, a pay cheque. Due Date: The date the payor or payee (recipient) is to be debited or receive payment. File Creation Number: A number assigned to a file, magnetic tape or cartridge, used for verification purposes. Future Date: Same as Post date. To date a transaction with a settlement date that is in the future. Institution Identification Number: Nine digit number that provides a "long identification" of a Canadian financial institution. It consists of 0 (zero) plus institution number plus route. Institution Number: Same as Transit Number. A three digit number assigned by the CPA that indicates the Direct Clearer for a given clearing item. The number used by all B.C. credit unions is "809". Julian Date: The date according to the Julian calendar. In the Julian calendar, dates are identified by a five-digit number: YYDDD. For example, January 31, 1993 is 93031 because it is the thirty-first day in the year. February 1, 1993 is 93032. Lead Time: The number of business days required by CUCBC to process AFT transactions to ensure funds are posted by the opening of business on the due date. NSF: Not Sufficient Funds. Original Posting: The debit or credit transaction posted to your account that is equal to and balances the total of the individual debit or credit transactions. Originator : The institution that creates the AFT transaction; in this case, the corporate client. Originator's Identification: Ten-digit number assigned by CUCBC that identifies the originator of the transaction file. Payee: The individual who has authorized a direct deposit be credited to their financial institution account. Payor: The individual who has authorized a preauthorized debit be debited from their financial institution account.

Page 8

Post: To apply funds to an account. Post Date: See Future Date. Preauthorized Debit: Same as Debit Transaction. An electronic transaction in which an individual authorizes an institution to debit their financial institution account for a specific transaction, usually at regular intervals and for an agreed upon amount. For example, a condominium fee. Preauthorized Payment: Same as AFT Transaction. A preauthorized debit or direct deposit. Recall: The process in which the originator of a credit transaction attempts to prevent posting of the transaction before the due date. Only credit transactions (direct deposits) can be recalled. A recall applies to an individual transaction. Receiver: The financial institution that is receiving AFT transactions created by another financial institution. Recipient: The payee or payor; the individual who has authorized an AFT transaction be posted to their financial institution account. Reject: A transaction in the transaction file that cannot be processed by either CUCBC, the other data centre or the receiving financial institution. Return: The process in which the receiving financial institution of an AFT transaction refuses to post the transaction to the recipient and advises the originating financial institution of this refusal. Reversal: The process in which the originator of AFT transactions instructs CUCBC to reverse posting of all transactions in a transaction file. A reversal applies to an entire file, never to individual transactions in a file. See also Recall. Route: A five-digit number that identifies the branch of a financial institution. Route = charter (four digits) + branch (one digit) + regional settlement point (0 (zero) for most B.C. financial institutions). Segment: A part of a block on a magnetic tape or cartridge. Each segment contains particular, predefined information. Settlement Date: The date CUCBC posts a transaction to the credit union. For an AFT transaction, this is usually due date. See also Due Date and Lead Time.

Page 9

Stale Dated: In AFT, a transaction that is dated outside the acceptable time frames: Backdated more than 173 calendar days (for debits) or thirty calendar days (for credits) or future dated more than fourteen calendar days. Trace: The process in which the originator of an AFT transaction requests that CUCBC investigate a transaction to find out why the transaction was not posted to the recipient's account. Transaction: An individual preauthorized debit or direct deposit. Transit Number: Same as Institution Number. A three digit number assigned by the CPA that indicates the Direct Clearer for a given clearing item. The number used by all B.C. credit unions is "809". Transmission File: A file of AFT transactions that follows a predefined format and content.

Page 10