Real-Time Payments File

Importing a Real-Time Payments (RTP) Request for Payment (RfP) file to a bank, credit union, or financial institution involves several key steps and considerations to ensure the process is secure, compliant with regulations, and efficient. Here’s an outline of how you might go about this process:

Steps for Importing RTP Request for Payment File:

1. File Format and Structure:
   • RTP RfP files typically follow the ISO 20022 XML format, which is the international standard for electronic data interchange between financial institutions.
   • Confirm the specific format required by the bank, credit union, or financial institution, which may differ slightly in structure or required fields based on their payment system configurations.
2. Access to the Bank’s RTP System:
   • Ensure that the institution has RTP capabilities integrated with The Clearing House or a similar RTP network.
   • The financial institution must provide access to its RTP gateway or API. This could be a web portal, a secure file transfer protocol (SFTP) server, or direct API access for programmatic uploads.
3. Authentication and Security:
   • Establish secure authentication protocols, such as OAuth, mutual TLS (mTLS), or other forms of cryptographic authentication.
   • Make sure that the RfP files are encrypted during transit, typically using Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) or API encryption standards like HTTPS or AES.
   • Implement security controls such as tokenization or digital signatures to ensure the integrity of the RfP data.
4. Data Validation:
   • Validate that the RTP RfP file adheres to the bank’s schema, such as correct formats for dates, currencies, payer/payee details, and transaction identifiers.
   • Run compliance checks to ensure the RfP file meets legal requirements (e.g., KYC, AML) for the financial institution and RTP network.
   • Some institutions may require the files to undergo further validation before processing, such as fraud checks or additional approval workflows.
5. File Import Process:
   • SFTP Transfer:
     • If using SFTP, you would need to place the file into the designated folder provided by the bank or credit union.
     • The institution will likely have a monitoring system in place to detect new RfP files and process them automatically.
   • API Upload:
     • If the institution provides API access, you would typically send the RTP RfP file as part of an HTTP POST request, along with authentication tokens and any other required headers.
   • Batch Uploads:
     • Some institutions may allow for batch processing of multiple RfP files, which involves uploading a compressed or consolidated file containing multiple requests.
6. Confirmation and Acknowledgement:
   • Once the file is imported successfully, the institution should send an acknowledgment, confirming receipt and validation of the RfP.
   • RTP systems often provide status updates, such as "Received," "Accepted," or "Rejected." These updates can be accessed via the institution’s portal or API.
7. Reconciliation and Tracking:
   • Reconciliation involves tracking the status of each RfP through its lifecycle, from the initial submission to payment completion.
   • Ensure the financial institution provides detailed reporting tools or API endpoints to track the success or failure of requests.
8. Error Handling and Retries:
   • Have systems in place for error handling in case an RfP file is rejected due to validation failures or format issues. Errors will typically come with response codes that can be interpreted to resolve issues.
   • Implement automatic retries for transient errors, like network timeouts or server unavailability.

Best Practices:

• Compliance with Standards: Ensure that your system complies with all ISO 20022 standards and RTP network rules for creating and importing RfP files.
• Automation: If possible, automate the process using APIs to avoid manual file uploads and minimize errors.
• Monitoring and Alerts: Set up real-time monitoring and alerting systems to be notified of any issues during the import process, such as failures or validation errors.
• Testing Environment: Most banks and financial institutions provide a sandbox or testing environment where you can test the import of RfP files before going live.

By following these steps and best practices, you can streamline the process of importing RTP Request for Payment files into a bank, credit union, or financial institution.