File Format Information
We’ve made some updates to how payment files are formatted. You can find all the details in the documents below:
- SEPA Credit Transfers File Guide
- SEPA Instant Credit Transfers File Guide
- AIB SEPA Direct Debit File Guide
- Multi-Currency File Guide
Here are the main changes:
SEPA Credit Transfer Bulk Payment File
| Main changes in the new AIB SCT Bulk File Specification; available from March 2024 “pain.001.001.09” |
|
|---|---|
| Field Name | Required Change |
| Encoding | PAIN Name changes to “pain.001.001.09”
Each file must start with:
<?xml version=”1.0” encoding=”UTF-8”?><Document xmlns=”urn:iso:std:iso:20022:tech:xsd:pain.001.001.09” xmlns:xsi=”http://www. w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance”> |
| Requested Execution Date | Inclusion of new “Dt” tag within the XPath. |
| Debtor Agent BIC | ''BIC” changes to “BICFI” within the Xpath. |
| Creditor Agent BIC | “BIC” changes to “BICFI” within the Xpath. |
| Creditor Postal Address | There is a new Structured and Hybrid address format.
Structured format will consist of 4 fields. These include:
Hybrid format will consist of at least 3 fields. These include:
*Please review the relevant bulk file specification for more information.
|
| Remittance Data (Unstructured) | A new business rule applies if you choose to populate this field.
*Please review the relevant bulk file specification for more information.
|
New SEPA Usage Rule(s): Either “AnyBIC”, “LEI” and/or one occurrence of “Other” is allowed.
|
|
| Debtor Organisation BIC | “BICOrBEI” changes to “AnyBIC” within the Xpath.
|
| Debtor Organisation LEI | This is a new field that you can choose to populate if required.
|
| Ultimate Debtor Organisation BIC | This is a new field that you can choose to populate if required.
|
| Ultimate Debtor Organisation LEI | This is a new field that you can choose to populate if required.
|
New SEPA Usage Rule(s): Either “AnyBIC”, “LEI” or one occurrence of “Other” is allowed.
|
|
| Creditor Organisation BIC | “BICOrBEI” changes to “AnyBIC” within the Xpath.
|
| Creditor Organisation LEI | “BICOrBEI” changes to “AnyBIC” within the Xpath. |
| Ultimate Creditor Organisation BIC | “BICOrBEI” changes to “AnyBIC” within the Xpath.
|
Ultimate Creditor Organisation LEI
|
This is a new field that you can choose to populate if required.
|
Instant Credit Transfer Bulk Payment File
| Main changes in the new AIB ICT Bulk File Specification; available from March 2026 “pain.001.001.09” |
|
|---|---|
| Field Name | Required Change |
| Encoding | PAIN Name changes to “pain.001.001.09”
Each file must start with:
<?xml version=”1.0” encoding=”UTF-8”?><Document xmlns=”urn:iso:std:iso:20022:tech:xsd:pain.001.001.09” xmlns:xsi=”http://www. w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance”> |
Initiating Party Organisation Id
(InitgPty/ Id/ OrgId/Othr/Id)
|
Must use the OIN assigned specifically for SEPA Instant, where characters 5–7 = ICT
Example: IE11ICT712345 |
<PmtInf> block
Blocks, debit a/c, exec date
|
Only one <PmtInf> block per file with one debit account and one execution date per file
|
| Debtor Account | Only one debit account is allowed for all transactions in the file. |
| Requested Execution Date | Only one Requested Execution Date is allowed for all transactions in the file.
|
Local Instrument Code
(LclInstrm/Cd)
|
Optional. If provided, the value must be INST
|
Local Instrument Proprietary
(LclInstrm/Prtry)
|
If populated this information will not travel with the payment to the recipient bank.
|
SEPA Instant Transfer Codes and Reasons
|
Addition of new unpaid error codes, success codes etc
*Please review the relevant bulk file specification for more information.
|
Creditor Postal Address
|
Only Structured address format.
Structured format will consist of 4 fields. These include:
Creditor Postal Address Street Name
Creditor Postal Address Post Code
Creditor Postal Address Town Name
Creditor Postal Address Country
Hybrid format consists of at least 3 fields. These include:
Creditor Postal Address Town Name
Creditor Postal Address Country
Creditor Postal Address Line 1
Creditor Postal Address Line 2(Optional)
*Please review the relevant bulk file specification for more information.
|
SEPA Direct Debit Bulk Payment File
| Main changes in the new AIB SDD Bulk File Specification; available from March 2024 “pain.008.001.08” |
|
|---|---|
| Field Name | Required Change |
Encoding
|
PAIN Name changes to “pain.008.001.08”
Each file must start with: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><Document xmlns=”urn:iso:std:iso:20022:tech:xsd:pain.008.001.08” xmlns:xsi=”http://www.w3.org/2001/
XMLSchema-instance”> |
| Creditor Agent BIC | “BIC” changes to “BICFI” within the Xpath.
|
New SEPA Usage Rule(s): Either “AnyBIC”, “LEI” or one occurrence of “Other” is allowed.
|
|
| Ultimate Creditor Organisation BIC | '“BICOrBEI” changes to “AnyBIC” within the Xpath.
|
Ultimate Creditor Organisation LEI
|
This is a new field that you can choose to populate if required.
|
| Mandate Original Debtor Agent | “BIC” changes to “BICFI” within the Xpath.
|
| Debtor Agent BIC | “BIC” changes to “BICFI” within the Xpath.
|
Debtor Postal Address
|
There is a new Structured and Hybrid address format.
Structured format consists of 4 fields. These include:
Hybrid format consists of at least 3 fields. These include:
*Please review the relevant bulk file specification for more information.
|
New SEPA Usage Rule(s): Either “AnyBIC”, “LEI” and/or one occurrence of “Other” is allowed.
|
|
| Debtor Organisation BIC | “BICOrBEI” changes to “AnyBIC” within the Xpath.
|
| Debtor Organisation LEI | This is a new field that you can choose to populate if required.
|
| Ultimate Debtor Organisation BIC | “BICOrBEI” changes to “AnyBIC” within the Xpath.
|
Ultimate Debtor Organisation LEI
|
This is a new field that you can choose to populate if required.
|
| Remittance Data (Unstructured) | A new business rule applies if you choose to populate this field.
*Please review the relevant bulk file specification for more information.
|
Multi-Currency Bulk Payment File
| Main changes in the new AIB MCY Bulk File Specification; available from March 2024 “pain.001.001.09” |
|
|---|---|
| Field Name | Required Change |
| Encoding | PAIN Name changes to “pain.001.001.09”
Each file must start with: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Document xmlns:xsi=”http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance” xmlns=”urn:iso:std:iso:20022:tech:xsd:pain.001.001.09”>
|
| Requested Execution Date | Inclusion of new “Dt” tag within the XPath. |
| Debtor Agent BIC | “BIC” changes to “BICFI” within the Xpath. |
| Creditor Agent BIC | “BIC” changes to “BICFI” within the Xpath. |
| Multi-Currency Creditor Agent Clearing Code | *Only applicable for Non-SCT payments
Character length reduced from 35 to 28
|
| Creditor Postal Address | There is a new Structured and Hybrid address format
Structured format consists of 4 fields. These include:
Hybrid format consists of at least 3 fields. These include:
*Please review the relevant bulk file specification for more information.
|
| Multi-Currency Creditor Bank Account | *Only applicable for Non-SCT payments
Character length reduced from 35 to 34
|
| Purpose Code | Either the Purpose Code or Purpose Proprietary is mandatory for non SCT payments and one of these tags must be included in your file.
This is an optional field for SCT payments.
*Please review the relevant bulk file specification for more information.
|
| Purpose Proprietary | Either the Purpose Proprietary or Purpose Code is mandatory for non SCT payments and one of these tags must be included in your file.
This is an optional field for SCT payments.
*Please review the relevant bulk file specification for more information.
|
| Remittance Data (Unstructured) | This field is only mandatory for payments made from a 238590 account and must contain a purpose of payment e.g. wages
A new business rule applies if you choose to populate this field.
This is an optional field for SCT payments.
*Please review the relevant bulk file specification for more information.
|
New SEPA Usage Rule(s): Either “AnyBIC”, “LEI” and/or one occurrence of “Other” is allowed.
|
|
| Debtor Organisation BIC | “BICOrBEI” changes to “AnyBIC” within the Xpath.
|
| Debtor Organisation LEI | “BICOrBEI” changes to “AnyBIC” within the Xpath
|
| Ultimate Debtor Organisation BIC | ''BICOrBEI” changes to “AnyBIC” within the Xpath
|
| Ultimate Debtor Organisation LEI | This is a new field that you can choose to populate if required.
|
New SEPA Usage Rule(s): Either “AnyBIC”, “LEI” or one occurrence of “Other” is allowed.
|
|
| Creditor Organisation BIC | “BICOrBEI” changes to “AnyBIC” within the Xpath.
|
| Creditor Organisation LEI | This is a new field that you can choose to populate if required.
|
| Ultimate Creditor Organisation BIC | “BICOrBEI” changes to “AnyBIC” within the Xpath.
|
| Ultimate Creditor Organisation LEI | This is a new field that you can choose to populate if required.
|
| Unpaid Error Codes | Addition of new unpaid error codes
*Please review the relevant bulk file specification for more information.
|
How to Test Your Files?
- We’ve teamed up with XMLdation, a trusted Finnish company, to offer a free online testing tool. This tool helps you check if your payment files are set up correctly for the new format.
- Available 24/7, all year round
- Easy to use — just click here to register
- You can find the XMLdation user guide here
Need Help?
If you have any more questions, we’re ready to help just call us on 0818 720000 (or +353 1 641 4889 if you're outside Ireland)
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