ISO 20022 Post-Implementation Frequently Asked Questions

Format Questions

1. Should we be using the Carriage Return Line Feed (CRLF) in free-formatted text elements in our messages?

   Federal Reserve Financial Services (FRFS) recommends that Fedwire Funds Service participants do not use the CRLF in free-formatted text elements in their messages to avoid delays in the successful processing of their transactions. While the CRLF character (hard return key) is part of the Fedwire Funds Service ISO 20022 permissible character set (i.e., will not cause a rejection by the Fedwire Funds Service application), its use by Fedwire senders in free-formatted text elements (e.g., when including payment remittance information) is causing issues for Fedwire receivers’ downstream systems and applications.

2. Can we use only spaces in free-formatted text elements in our messages?

   FRFS recommends that Fedwire senders do not include spaces in free-formatted text elements in their messages to avoid delays in the successful processing of their transactions. Use of only spaces in free-formatted text elements (e.g., unstructured remittance information) is causing issues for Fedwire receivers’ downstream systems and applications.

3. Can you clarify the correct use of Charge Bearer codes?
   • SHAR – This code is commonly used. If you are required to use Charge Bearer, we recommend you use this code unless one of the other codes applies. This code indicates that the wire processing charges will be shared, i.e., the originator/debtor will pay any fees associated with the wire payment of their financial institution (originator's bank/debtor agent) and the beneficiary/creditor will cover any fees of their financial institution (beneficiary's bank/creditor agent).
   • CRED – This code indicates that all fees associated with the wire payment will be paid by the beneficiary/creditor. This means that all financial institutions in the payment chain may deduct fees, thereby reducing the payment amount to the beneficiary/creditor. If financial institutions do so, then any fees deducted from the wire amount must be documented in the Charges Information (amount and agent).
   • DEBT – This code indicates that the originator/debtor is responsible to cover all fees associated with the wire payment, including fees that may be due to any intermediaries and the beneficiary's bank/creditor agent.
   • SLEV – This code indicates that charges are to be processed in line with a (bilateral) service level agreement between the sending bank and the receiving bank.
4. Are we required to uppercase the external codes?

   While the Fedwire Funds Service does not validate the external codes, we recommend that you uppercase the external codes as this may become a requirement later. Today, the Fedwire Funds Service only checks for up to four alphanumeric characters. Please refer to the External code sets (Off-site) web page for the latest list.

5. We use the FedLine Direct^® Solution and we are receiving T125 errors on our outgoing wires. Could this be related to the Business Application Header?

   Please note that the routing number in the From Member ID in the Business Application Header must be associated with the FedLine Direct connection owner.

6. How do we send a camt.110 (investigation request) for outgoing messages?

   You will not be able manually send a camt.110 for your outgoing messages. This will be fixed in a fast follower release later this year. As a workaround, you can upload/import a camt.110 message using the FedPayments Manager import feature. Reach out to bosoffline@bos.frb.org to get a sample. If you have questions after receiving the sample, please call (833) 377-7827.

7. Can you clarify if the creditor's postal address is required in a customer credit transfer (pacs.008) or drawdown request (pain.013) message?

   While the Fedwire Funds Service's message format specifications do not require the creditor's postal address in a pacs.008 and pain.013 message, you should consult your compliance and legal departments on what information (e.g., creditor's postal address) you may need to include in messages to satisfy your compliance obligations. A Fedwire sender should also check with the Fedwire receiver and any other bank that may process the transfer to understand additional requirements that they may have to ensure straight-through processing (e.g., creditor's postal address in addition to the creditor's name).

Drawdown Messages

1. How should we correctly format drawdown requests and drawdown transfer messages?

   When honoring a bank or customer drawdown request (pain.013), a Fedwire sender needs to make sure the corresponding customer drawdown transfer (pacs.008) or bank drawdown transfer (pacs.009) message is correctly formatted by maintaining the roles of customers and financial institutions identified in the drawdown request. In practice, this means that the Debtor, Debtor Agent, Creditor and Creditor Agent reflected in the drawdown request message must remain as the Debtor, Debtor Agent, Creditor and Creditor Agent, respectively, in the drawdown transfer message.

2. How should we use the drawdown request response (pain.014) message?

   There are a number of uses of drawdown request response (pain.014) message?

   • When you do not plan to honor an incoming drawdown request (pain.013) message, you should send a pain.014 message with status “RJCT” (Rejected) as Transaction Status.
   • When you need more time to determine whether or not you will honor an incoming drawdown request (pain.013) message, you may send a pain.014 message with status “PDNG” (Pending) as Transaction Status. Afterwards you should follow up with another pain.014 message to communicate the final response, i.e., either reject or accept the drawdown request.
   • When you plan to honor the incoming drawdown request (pain.013) message, you may respond by sending a pain.014 message with status “ACTC” (Accepted) as Transaction Status. However, you may simply send the drawdown transfer message (pacs.008 or pacs.009).

   
   
3. We use the FedLine Direct Solution. Why are we receiving a pain.014 (drawdown request response) as a reject message from the Fedwire Funds Service? Does this mean our outgoing drawdown request (pain.013) message was not delivered to the Fedwire receiver?

   If you receive a pain.014 message after you have sent a drawdown request (pain.013), this means your message was not delivered to the Fedwire receiver due to business errors. The Fedwire Funds Service uses the pain.014 message for negative acknowledgement back to the Fedwire senders as indicated below:

   • If a Fedwire sender sends a drawdown request (pain.013) successfully, the Fedwire sender will receive a positive acknowledgement with an admi.007 (positive response to a nonvalue message) and that indicates the message was delivered to the Fedwire sender.
   • If there were business errors with the pain.013 message, the Fedwire sender will receive a negative acknowledgement in a pain.014 message that includes all the business errors.

   
   
4. We use the FedPayments^® Manager – Funds application via FedLine Advantage^®. Where can we find the dollar amount for drawdown requests (pain.013)?

   You can find the dollar amount associated with the drawdown request (pain.013) in the detailed view of the message under the Basic Information section, Instructed Amount.

5. We use the FedPayments Manager – Funds application via FedLine Advantage. How do we verify nonvalue messages like a drawdown request (pain.013)?

   This verification feature is available in the Processing Options/Verification tab. Please work with an individual with a Funds Supervisor credentialed role to enable this feature. Once this feature is enabled, all outgoing nonvalue messages will require verification.

6. We are receiving a "T134" error when sending a customer drawdown payment in response to an incoming drawdown request (pain.013) with a Charge Bearer code of CRED. What should we do?

   The T134 error is triggered if a Fedwire sender fails to include an amount in the Charges Information field when responding to a drawdown request (pain.013) that included a Charge Bearer code of CRED. Under the format specification, CRED indicates that all fees associated with the transfer will be paid by the beneficiary/creditor.

   • If the sender of the drawdown request is not instructing the sender of the drawdown payment (and any other receiving bank that handles the transfer) to charge against the principal amount of the transfer, it should instead consider using Charge Bearer code of SHAR, which does not require the Charges Information field to be completed.
   • If the sender of the drawdown payment receives a drawdown request with a Charge Bearer code of CRED and does not intend to charge against the principal amount of the wire, it should include $0.00 in the Charges Information field.

    

   Note that any receiving bank that charges against the principal amount of a transfer through the service must obtain authorization to do so consistent with applicable law.

Return Messages

1. What is the correct ISO 20022 message to return funds of a previously settled value message?

   The correct ISO 20022 message to return funds of a previously settled value message (e.g., customer credit transfer (pacs.008) or financial institution credit transfer (pacs.009) message) is the ISO 20022 payment return (pacs.004) message. If a Fedwire Funds Service participant is not capable of sending a pacs.004 message and decides to send a new customer credit transfer (pacs.008) or financial institution credit transfer (pacs.009) message to return a previously settled value message, then any payment return-related information should be populated in the unstructured remittance information element of the message. A Fedwire receiver may decide to reject a pacs.008 or pacs.009 message that is used to return a previously settled value message due to the Fedwire sender’s use of the incorrect message type.

2. We use the FedLine Direct Solution. Why are we receiving a camt.029 (return request response) as a reject message from the Fedwire Funds Service? Does this mean our outgoing return request response (camt.029) messages were not delivered to the Fedwire receiver?

   If you receive a camt.029 message after you have sent a return request (camt.056), this means your message was not delivered to the Fedwire receiver due to business errors. The Fedwire Funds Service uses the camt.029 messages for negative acknowledgement back to the Fedwire senders as indicated below:

   • If a Fedwire sender sends a return request (camt.056) successfully, the Fedwire sender will receive a positive acknowledgement with an admi.007 (positive response to a nonvalue message) and that indicates the message was delivered to the Fedwire sender.
   • If there were business errors with the camt.056 message, the Fedwire sender will receive a negative acknowledgement in a camt.029 message that includes all the business errors.

   
   
3. How do we send a camt.056 (return request) for a FAIM message?

   You will not be able to manually send a camt.056 to request a return of a FAIM message. This will be fixed in a fast follower release later this year. As a workaround, you can upload/import a camt.056 message using the FedPayments Manager import feature. Reach out to bosoffline@bos.frb.org to get a sample. If you have questions after receiving the sample, please call (833) 377-7827.

4. What is the correct ISO 20022 message to request return of funds of a previously settled value message?

   The correct ISO 20022 message to request return of funds of a previously settled value message (e.g., customer credit transfer (pacs.008) or financial institution credit transfer (pacs.009) message) is the ISO 20022 return request (camt.056) message. Fedwire Funds Service participants must not send the information request (camt.110) message, which replaces the FAIM service message (type 90), to request return of funds. Use of the investigation request (camt.110) message to request return of funds may cause a rejection by a Fedwire receiver of the request due to the Fedwire sender’s use of an incorrect message type, thereby further delaying the possible return of funds.

FedTransaction Analyzer^®

1. We use the FedTransaction Analyzer tool and the Creditor Account information in the tool is incorrect. What can we do?

   This issue has been addressed as of the July 21 business day. However, we do not anticipate restoring blank data for the week of July 14. We advise customers to use alternative means to pull accurate information as described below.

   FedLine Advantage customers:

   • To locate the correct Creditor Account identification, log in to the FedPayments Manager Funds application and navigate to the Past Messages page to retrieve the message in question.

   
   

   FedLine Direct customers:

   • To locate the correct Credit Account identification, send an admi.006 (Retrieval Request) for the message in question. Please refer to the Fedwire Funds Service ISO 20022 usage guidelines for additional information on how to use the admi.006. What is the appropriate field to provide the Creditor Account? When sending a customer credit transfer (pacs.008), the account of the Creditor that will be credited should be included in the Other/Identification field of the Creditor Account section and not in the Other Identification field of the Creditor section.

FedPayments^® Manager – Funds Application

1. Is the "Allow duplicate Instruction Identification" feature not working for payment returns (pacs.004) messages?
   • In the Processing Options/Settings page, "Allow duplicate Instruction Identification" feature does not check for payment return (pacs.004) and investigation response (camt.111).
   • Please note that this feature only checks the following message types:
     • Customer credit transfers (pacs.008)
     • Financial institution credit transfers (pacs.009)
     • Drawdown requests (pain.013)
     • Investigation requests (camt.110)
   • For manual entry users using this feature, you should have controls in place to ensure you do not send duplicate payment return (pacs.004) or investigation response (camt.111).
   • For import/upload users using this feature, you should create unique filenames to avoid uploading/importing duplicate messages.
     • FedPayments Manager – Funds application will only provide a warning message if you try to upload/import a previously imported file with the same file name for the same service unit and current business day.
2. Why are we getting an error with the Original Creation Date Time field when using the Create Payment Return button?

   The Create Payment Return feature and the manual entry forms only support three digits up to milliseconds in the Original Creation Date Time field. The incoming wire you are trying to return likely had more than three digits representing partial seconds in that field, which caused the error. As a workaround, please use the Payment Return (pacs.004) manual entry form and populate the original IMAD of the payment that you want to return, then click on the Search by Original IMAD button. Once the data is provided on the screen, please modify the Original Creation Date Time field to remove the extra digits in that field (Fedwire Funds Service allows up to nine digits) so you only have three digits representing partial seconds to process the message. 

   Original Creation Date Time field workaround example

   Format example	Local time with UTC offset	UTC time
   Nine-digit format	2025-09-15T00:00:00.000000000-04:00	2025-09-15T00:00:00.000000000Z
   Three-digit modified format	2025-09-15T00:00:00.000-04:00	2025-09-15T00:00:00.000Z

End-of-Day Activity Report

1. How can we get a copy of our Fedwire Funds Service Subsidiary Statements in the FAIM format?

   Post-migration to the Fedwire Funds Service ISO^® 20022 message format, customers no longer have access to the statements from Friday, July 11, 2025. Customers may request their statements by emailing us at bosoffline@bos.frb.org. Please note the email must come from an authorized contact (i.e., your financial institution’s Official Authorization List or Fedwire Funds Service Authorization Form). Statements will be sent in the order received.

2. We use FedLine Direct and we don't receive the End-of-Day Activity Report today. How do we sign up to receive this report?

   Please have an authorized contact (i.e., Official Authorization List or Funds Authorization Form) send an authorization letter (wet signed on letter head) to bosoffline@bos.frb.org. We strongly recommend that you test in our DIT2 environment before enabling in production. Once you submit the authorization letter, our support team will advise on testing options available.

3. We use FedLine Direct and we receive the End-of-Day Activity Report today. Could you explain how pagination works in the End-of-Day Activity Report?

   For the Activity Report delivered end-of-day to FedLine Direct customers who have subscribed to this report, customers may receive more than one MQ message depending on the total number of transactions (e.g., approximately 2,000 value and nonvalue messages) processed on a funds-transfer business day. High-volume customers that receive multiple camt.052 messages for the Activity Report should check the “Page Number” and “Last Page Indicator” elements in the Group Header to ensure all transactions are received for the funds-transfer business day. For example, if the Fedwire Funds Service sends you two camt.052 messages for the Activity Report, one message will contain Page Number “1” with Last Page Indicator “False” and the other message will contain Page Number “2” with Last Page Indicator “True.”

4. What is the maximum message size for the End-of-Day Activity Report?

   The maximum size of the camt.052 message for the Activity Report is four megabytes, which represents approximately 2,000 transactions. Customers with a high volume of transactions (i.e., more than about 2,000 transactions) need to be prepared to receive multiple camt.052 messages for the Activity Report.

   In lieu of receiving the Activity Report, customers can subscribe to the Financial Institution Reconcile Data (FIRD), a machine-readable reconcilement data file, which contains the same Fedwire Funds Service information as the Activity Report except for the Instruction Identification (this will be blank in the FIRD file). The FIRD file also contains information about all of the transactions you send/receive across all Federal Reserve Financial Services. For additional information about the FIRD file, refer to the Account Management Guide or Contact Us to learn about subscribing to this service.

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