Re: [off-topic?] expertise on oc240 and SEPA files

Hi Marc,

On Tue, Feb 4, 2014 at 4:47 PM, Marc Chantreux <..hidden..> wrote:

hello people,

first: i would like to apologize as i failed to find a channel that
could be more appropriate to ask.

I'm a Perl programmer, CPAN author (https://metacpan.org/author/MARCC)
working on a script to convert legacy files (i think the format is known
as 0C-240) describing bank operations in SEPA XML files (SDD? Pain?).

Never heard of this format. (looked at multiple sites; this one lists all that I knew about and some more: http://www.corporatetobank.com/resources/financial-services-file-formats-and-document-standards/ but none are called oc-240).

Parsing legacy files and generating XML wasn't the deal but i have to
admit i have hard time trying to figure out what's really expected by
the SEPA format.

Well, what's required is determined by the type of message you're trying to create. Are these "outgoing payments", "direct debits"? Or maybe these are customer account statements? What's expected in the XML has been written down in an XSD. Although I must say that the XSD may be a minimal requirement and local banks may require more fields to be filled out.

For the PAIN formats (outgoing payments, direct debits), there are XSDs and an XML validator (online) here: http://www.mobilefish.com/services/sepa_xml_validation/sepa_xml_validation.php

does anyone have code, module or even good understanding of SPEA XML to
help me to write tests and validation?

Well, I basically think you shouldn't be writing tests: you should be running your XML through the XSD validator. If/when there are additional local requirements, you could create your own amended XSD.

However, to be able to fill the fields in the XML document, you need a thorough understanding of the meaning of the fields in the old and new formats. I'm sure that whoever you're developing for should be able to find someone who understands both. If nothing else, they should probably be able to get a technical contact from the bank that's sending them these files, or expecting them to switch from one format to the other.

Sorry I can't be of more use. We'd like to be able to generate the PAIN files for outgoing payments though. So, when you do find the right people to talk to, I'd like to learn what you've learned so we can implement the payments files in LedgerSMB!

Bye,

Erik.

http://efficito.com -- Hosted accounting and ERP.

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