Formatting a Negative Value File

A brief guide on how to format a Seller upload file that has an overall negative value

There may be instances when a Seller has the need to submit a file that consists of only refunds or has mixture of positive and negative transactions but an overall negative value.

In this instance, it is important to ensure the negative indicators '-' are positioned correctly for the file to successfully upload and be committed to the Buyers for review, both at individual transaction level (where applicable) and in the final trailer line of the file that reflects the total amount

When considering the line by line transactions, you also need to ensure the negative indicator '-' is correctly positioned. There are 7 digits available required for the amount, these must all be utilised therefore where a figure is less than 7 digits it should be prefixed by zeros. As an example:

£112.70 = 0011270

If an amount is negative, the first of these digits needs to used for the negative indicator:

When we look at a file with an overall negative value and therefore a negative value requiring indication in the trailer (total), it again needs to be in place instead of the first zero. Where the individual transaction lines have 7 digits, the trailer is a total of all individual transactions and therefore a larger amount with 9 digits required. An example of a completed trailer record is provided below:

For guidance on general file formatting see Old File Format for Upload