Submission Checklist, Format Characteristics

Submission Checklist

1. Ensure that the diskette or CD-ROM is properly labeled. The external label on each diskette must contain the following items:

   Respondent Identification Number
   Agency Code
   Institution Name
   Contact Name and Phone Number
   Diskette Number # of #

2. Ensure that proper Regulatory Agency Code has been entered on the transmittal sheet and loan records (1=OCC, 2=FRS, 3=FDIC, or 4=OTS).
3. Ensure proper Respondent ID has been entered on the transmittal sheet and loan number (OCC=Charter Number, FRS=NIC Number, FDIC=Certificate Number, or OTS=Docket Number).
   If this number is less than ten-digits, then the field should be zero-filled to the left. For example, an FDIC bank whose certificate number is 12345 would enter 0000012345.
4. A blank, formatted diskette or CD-ROM was used for the transmission file.
5. The Transmittal Sheet and all records were successfully loaded to the diskette(s).
6. A backup copy of your transmission diskette(s) has been made and stored in a safe area.

   The data submitted to the Board is in a composite format. Do not delete the micro loan records from your PC unless you have made a backup copy on diskette(s).

7. Mail submission to Federal Reserve Board.

Format Characteristics

CRA data submitted via diskette must adhere to the following specifications:

1. The diskette must be formatted with IBM or MS DOS, for IBM compatible personal computers. Only 3½" high density, 1.4M formatted capacity diskettes will be accepted.
   NOTE: 5 ¼" DISKETTES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED
   CD-ROMS SHOULD BE CD-R OR EQUIVALENT RECORDABLE COMPACT DISCS
2. The CRA data should be contained in a file named: CRA.DAT
   • The file must be the only file on the diskette or CD-ROM and may contain CRA records for multiple respondents that must be sorted by respondent ID, record identifier order.
   • If a CRA file will not fit on one diskette, it must be split into multiple files (each named CRA.DAT) using separate diskettes. If a respondent is continued from a previous diskette, a transmittal sheet (TS) record is not required on each subsequent diskette. The TS record should only be on the first diskette and followed by all other records. The loan count on the TS record should reflect the total number of records on all the diskettes (excluding the transmittal sheet).
   • The submission file may contain six types of records per respondent:

     3 = Transmittal Sheet
     4 = Composite Small Business
     5 = Composite Small Farm
     6 = Community Development
     7 = Consortium/Third Party (optional)
     8 = Assessment Area

   
   IT IS REQUIRED THAT RECORD IDENTIFIERS 3, 6, AND 8 BE INCLUDED IN ANY CRA DATA SUBMISSION. Small business and small farm records should be included if applicable. Consortium/third party records are optional. (Micro data records should NOT be included.)

3. The CRA data file must be in ASCII format, containing carriage return/line feed (0D0A in HEX or ASCII char (13) and char (10)) characters at the end of each record. There should not be an end-of-file mark, return or null values (00 in HEX or ASCII char (0)) contained in the file.
4. The record format is fixed; the fields contained in the record should not be delimited. In addition, the record should not be enclosed in double quotes (").
5. Numeric fields on CRA records must be right justified and zero filled. If you are using a product that drops the leading zeros on numeric fields, the data will not pass validity edits.
6. Diskette(s) and CD-ROMS should be labeled with information containing the respondent ID and agency code for each respondent, processing year, institution name, contact name and phone number, number of diskettes (e.g., 1 of 3) and any other pertinent information.
7. All diskettes and CD-ROMs submitted should be virus-free.