BACS Export File format - SWIFT MT103

This format is used to create a BACS file that can be used by UK Banks and BACS Service Providers to produce a currency transfer.

MIG = Message Implementation Guideline

The MT103 message format is designed specifically to handle priority payment instructions.

SWIFT MT103 tags

Below are some examples of the tags used in the construction of a SWIFT MT103 message.

Tag 20

Tag	:20:
SWIFT Field Name	Senders Reference
Description	Reference for your account
Format	16x
Presence	Mandatory
Specific Values
Usage Rules and Validation Requirements	The information quoted here will appear against the debit entry on your bank account. HSBC will truncate information longer than 16 characters.

Example: :20:MT103TESTCASEFILE

Tag 32A

Tag	:32A:
SWIFT Field Name	Value Date/Currency/Interbank Settled Amount
Description	A type of Bank Operation
Format	6!n = Date 3!a = Currency 15d = Amount
Presence	Mandatory
Specific Values
Usage Rules and Validation Requirements	Comma separator must be used for ccy units When paying currency equivalent with unknown exchange rate use 0,00 in the amount. Only available for pre-authorised files. Must be followed by 33B.

Example: :32A:090324EUR100,00

Tag 57a

Tag	:57a:
SWIFT Field Name	Account with Institution
Description	This provides information about the institution that holds the account of the beneficiary
Format	Option A: [/1!a][/34x] = Party Identifier 4!a2!a2!c[3!c]= BIC Option B [/1!a][/34x] = Party Identifier [35x] = Location Option C: /34x = Party Identifier Option D: [/1!a][/34x] = Party Identifier 4*35x = Name & Address
Presence	Optional
Specific Values	Party Identifier may be used to indicate a national clearing system code. The following codes may be used preceded by a double slash ('//'): with options C : CH 6!n CHIPS Universal Identifier CP 4!n CHIPS Participant Identifier FW 9!n Fedwire Routing Number SC 6!n UK Domestic Sort Code
Usage Rules and Validation Requirements	Use :57A: when quoting the SWIFT address; Use :57C: when quoting the local bank code.

Example: :57A:CITIAU2X

Tag 59a

Tag	:59a:
SWIFT Field Name	Beneficiary Customer
Description	The account details of the beneficiary that will receive the funds.
Format	Option A [/34x] = Account 4!a2!a2!c[3!c] = BIC/BEI No letter option [/34x] = Account 4*35x = Name & Address
Presence	Mandatory
Specific Values
Usage Rules and Validation Requirements	CHIPS UID in US - //CHnnnnnn where (6n) is the CHIPS UID

Example:
:59:/387456789001
BENEFICIARY NAME 123456789012345678
ADDRESS LINE ONE 123456789012345678
ADDRESS LINE TWO 123456789012345678
ADDRESS LINE THREE 1234567890123456

IBAN Number : The composition of a IBAN number can be verified on the APACS website using the IBAN checker.

Message Specification

You should ask your Bank or BACS Service Provider whether they require header and trailer text to be included in your transmission.

Header Record

Field Name	Length	Status	Value	Comments
Record Type	01x	M	“H”
Customer ID	11x	M		To be provided by HSBC during implementation
Map Format	08xn	M	“x1030020”
Type	03xn	M	Spaces
File reference	35xn	M		This is assigned by customer and need to be unique per file for file duplication checking.
File creation date	10xn	M		Format : ccyy/mm/dd This should not 5 days earlier than current date.
File creation time	08xn	M		Format : hh:mm:ss

Example:
HABC00010001x1030020 MT103TESTCASEFILE 2005/04/0401:53:00

Trailer Record

Field Name	Length	Status	Value	Comments
End of message	01x	M	“-”
Record type	01x	M	“Z”
Customer ID	11x	M		To be provided by HSBC during implementation
Map format	08xn	M	“x1030020”
File reference	35xn	M		This is assigned by customer and need to be unique per file for file duplication checking. This must match that of the header.
File creation date	10xn	M		Format : ccyy/mm/dd This should not 5 days earlier than current date.
File creation time	08xn	M		Format : hh:mm:ss
Record count	09n	M		Number of records in the file including header and trailer

Example:
-ZABC00010001x1030020MT103TESTCASEFILE 2005/04/0401:53:00000000003

SWIFT Character Set

VALID Characters in SWIFT

Valid characters in SWIFT are:

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
/ - ? : ( ) . ' +
'carriage return', 'line feed' and 'space'

INVALID Characters in SWIFT

Invalid characters in SWIFT are:

, (comma)	!	"
£	$	%
^	&	*
_ (underscore)	=	[
]	{	}
;	@	~
#	\|	\
<	>

Attention:

Though { } (curly brackets) are valid SWIFT characters, they cannot be used within text of user-to-user messages and are therefore included in the table above.

Though : (colon) and - (hyphen) are valid SWIFT characters, they are not allowed as the first character of any line within a field. If a colon or hyphen is found as the first character of any line within a field, it must be replaced by a space.