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Direct Entry File Specification

Version No. 7 1 March 2026 Public

Direct Entry payment files submitted to the Commonwealth Bank for processing require the following file structure:

  • A header record (one per user)
  • Detail records (variable number)
  • A File trailer record (one per user)

Payment files consist of a single header record, followed by at least 2 detail records, followed by a single trailer record. Each record should be 120 characters in length. Only the final fields in the header and trailer records can be dropped; the length in this case must be 80 characters.

Direct Entry files must include a contra entry to the user's nominated account(s) to ensure the files are self - balancing. The last field in each record must be followed by a carriage return line feed (CRLF) character (ASCII values 13 & 10).

1. Header Record Format

Character PositionField LengthDescriptionMandatory / OptionalComments
11Record Type 0MMust be "0"
2 - 1817BlankMUnused, space filled
19 - 202Reel Sequence NumberMMust be "01"
21 - 233Name of User Financial InstitutionMMust be "CBA"
24 - 307BlankMUnused, space filled
31 - 5626Name of User Supplying FileMUser Name (Preferred Name)
• Must not be left blank
• Left justified, space filled
57 - 626Number of User Supplying FileMUser Identification Number (APCA ID)
• Must be 6 digits
• Right justified, zero filled
63 - 7412Description of Entries on File (e.g. salaries)M• Must not be left blank
• Left justified, space filled
75 - 806Date to be ProcessedMDate for processing in DDMMYY format. Must be valid date greater than 5 da ys in the past and l ess than 420 days in the future.
81 - 12040BlankMUnused, space filled

2. Detail Record Format

Character PositionField LengthDescriptionMandatory / OptionalComments
11Record Type 1MMust be "1 "
2 - 87BSB NumberMMust be in format nnn - nnn where n is numeric
9 - 179Account Number to be Credited/DebitedM• Alpha - numeric, hyphens and spaces allowed only
• Must not contain all blanks or all zeros
• Leading zeros, which are part of an account number must be shown
• Right justified, space filled
181IndicatorOSee Indicator section below
19 - 202Transaction CodeMSee Transaction Code section below
21 - 3010AmountM• Must be 10 numeric characters
• In cents, without decimal point
• Right justified, zero filled
31 - 6232Title of Account to be Credited/DebitedM• Must not be left blank
• Left justified, space filled
63 - 8018Lodgement Reference (e.g. Payroll Number)M• Left justified, space filled
81 - 877Trace BSB Number (BSB Number and account number of User, to enable retracing of the entry to its source if necessary).M• Must be in format nnn- nnn where n is numeric
88 - 969Trace Account Number (BSB Number and account number of User, to enable retracing of the entry to its source if necessary).M• Alpha - numeric, hyphens and spaces allowed only
• Must not contain all blanks or all zeros
• Leading zeros, which are part of an account number must be shown
• Right justified, space filled
97 - 11216Name of RemitterMName of originator of the entry. This may vary from Name of User
• Left justified, space filled
113 - 1208Amount of withholding taxM• In cents, without decimal point
• Right justified, zero filled

2.1 Notes for Detail Record

(1) INDICATOR

Must be one of "N", "W", "X", "Y" or blank. Care should be exercised to ensure inclusion of "N" symbol. Failure to do so may render the user liable in the event that incorrect processing occurs as a result.

However, for Withholding Tax, valid indicators are:

Care should be exercised to ensure inclusion of:

CodeDescription
"W"Dividend paid to a resident of a country where a double tax agreement is in force
"X"Dividend paid to a resident of any other country
"Y"Interest paid to all non - residents

(2) TRANSACTIONS CODES

CodeDescription
"13"Externally initiated debit item
"50"Externally initiated credit items with the exception of those items bearing transaction

Codes "51" – "57" inclusive

CodeDescription
"51"Australian Government Security Interest
"52"Family Allowance
"53"Pay
"54"Pension
"55"Allotment
"56"Dividend
"57"Debenture/Note Interest

3. Trailer Record

Character PositionField LengthDescriptionMandatory / OptionalComments
11Record Type 7MMust be "7 "
2 - 87BSB NumberMPlaceholder value and must be 999 - 999
9 - 2012BlankMUnused, space filled
21 - 3010File (User) Net Total AmountMMust be the difference between the File Cred it and File Debit total amounts
• In cents, without decimal point
• Right justified, zero filled
31 - 4010File (User) Credit Total AmountMMust equal the accumulated total of CREDIT Detail Record amounts
• In cents, without decimal point
• Right justified, zero filled
• Unsigned
41 - 5010File (User) Debit Total AmountMMust equal the accumulated total of DEBIT Detail Record amounts
• In cents, without decimal point
• Right justified, zero filled
• Unsigned
51 - 7424BlankMUnused, space filled
75 - 806File (User) Count of Record Type 1MMust equal accumulated number of Record Type 1 (Detail records) on the File
• Numeric only
• Right justified, zero filled
81 - 12040BlankMUnused, space filled

4. Allowable Character Set

The below characters are permissible. Characters outside of this range will be replaced with a space character.

CharacterSymbolASCII CodeHex Code
Space3220
Exclamation!3321
Hash#3523
Dollar$3624
Percent%3725
Ampersand&3826
Apostrophe'3927
Dash-452D
Dot.462E
Fwd Slash/472F
All Numbers0 - 948 - 5730 - 39
Colon:583A
Semicolon;593B
Equal=613D
Question?633F
At@6440
All alphaA- Z65 - 9041 - 49, 4A - F, 50 - 59, 5A
All alphaa- z97 - 12261 - 69, 6A - F, 70 - 79, 7A
Underscore_955F
Asterisk*422A
Parenthesis()40,4128, 29
Plus+432B
Comma,442C
Tide~1267E

5 . Sample File

0 01CBA ABCD COMPANY PTY LTD 301500PAYMENTS 040326
1123-456 12345678 500000001200JOHN SMITH CREDIT 1 063-001111122223CBA
1222-222 12345678 500000000800JANE DOE CREDIT 2 063-001111122223CBA
1333-333 33333333 500000000600ALPHA SERVICES PTY LTD CREDIT 3 063-001111122223CBA
1444-444 44444444 500000000900BETA CONSULTING CREDIT 4 063-001111122223CBA
1010-010 99990000 500000001500OMEGA SUPPLIES CREDIT 5 063-001111122223CBA
1063-001 00000000 130000005000ACME PTY LTD BATCH DEBIT 063-001111122223CBA
7999-999 000000000000000000500000000050 000006