Bankline ISO 20022 FAQs

For non-SEPA international payments you may need to provide: 

• Structured address information, such as separate town and country fields
• Legal Entity Identifiers (LEIs) for organisations, counterparties, or intermediaries
• Purpose of payment and reason codes
• Enhanced payment references that follow updated formatting requirements

For SEPA payments you may need to provide:

• Structured address information (for example, separate town and country fields)
• CIN, BIC’s and Legal Entity Identifiers (LEIs) for organisations, counterparties, or intermediaries 
• Purpose of payment and reason codes
• Enhanced payment references with updated formatting rules

Your international templates will need to be updated to the new structured format for addresses. Impacted customers will receive direct communication via email as to when and how to update the templates.

To review your templates:

1. Log in to Bankline and go to Payments > Templates.
2. Under Template status, select Active.
3. Select More filters, then choose International/FX.
4. Select Apply filters.
5. Scroll to the bottom of the page, select View templates and choose 100.
6. Return to the top of the page and select the checkbox to choose all visible templates.
7. Select Create export, then Export.
8. Open the downloaded file and go to column AH.
9. Filter column AH to show non-blank values.

Templates listed in column AH contain address information that you'll need to either:

• Update to the new structured format, or
• Remove from the template.

Customers can provide like for like data in ISO 20022 MX formats for Faster Payment imports today, however enhanced data will not be supported for Faster Payments at this time. We will provide notification to customers when this will be supported.

Payments that don’t need enhanced data included can continue to be imported using other import formats, while they remain available for use. We’ve also extended our CSV format to allow for enhanced data that will be made mandatory. While you don’t have to move to ISO 20022 formats, they are likely to offer benefits that cannot be provided using the CSV format.

Your domestic templates will need to be update to the new structured format for addresses. Impacted customers will receive direct communication via email as to when and how to update the templates.

To review your templates:

1. Log in to Bankline and go to Payments > Templates.
2. Under Template status, select Active.
3. Select More filters, then choose Faster Payments or CHAPS.
4. Select Apply filters.
5. Scroll to the bottom of the page, select View templates and choose 100.
6. Return to the top of the page and select the checkbox to choose all visible templates.
7. Select Create export, then Export.
8. Open the downloaded file and go to column AH.
9. Filter column AH to show non-blank values.

Templates listed in column AH contain address information that you'll need to either:

• Update to the new structured format, or
• Remove from the template.

From November 2026 SWIFT MT import formats will no longer be supported in Bankline, which means if you currently import files of SWIFT MT 101, 103 or 202 formats into Bankline they’ll stop being accepted.

These file formats do not support the additional information that can be provided as we transition payments into ISO 20022. To find out more about ISO 20022, take a look at our support page.

What do I need to do?

If you’re importing payments in one of the above formats, you’ll need to switch to another format before November. The file format options you can switch to are either CSV or XML. You can find the guidance for both of these in the importing section at Bankline Help and Support guides.

Yes, Bankline will accept additional ISO 20022 fields in both CSV and XML file formats.

If you import payments using XML files, Bankline supports the ISO 20022 PAIN and PACS message formats. The additional payment information required under ISO 20022 can also be included in CSV files.

You can access the latest CSV file import guides from the Bankline Help and Support pages.

If you import XML files, you can also register for SWIFT MyStandards to:

• View the latest specifications
• Validate files
• Test files before submitting them

These guides will be updated whenever changes are made as part of the ISO 20022 programme.

ISO 20022 delivers a common language and model for exchanging payments data across the globe, provides richer and higher quality information than current messaging standards and better enables future innovation and development in the UK payments ecosystem.

As a Bankline customer, you can already adopt ISO 20022 MX formats on a like for like basis for all import payment types.

Enhanced data for SEPA Credit Transfers became available from March 2024. Enhanced data for CHAPS payments is available from February 2025. Make sure you’re using the most up to date version of the XML import guide, which includes specific guidance on CHAPS payments found on Bankline.

You can also access a Bankline online community on Swift MyStandards where you’ll find interactive format information and be able to test your files to get feedback on any formatting issues.

You’ll find support guides and information on Swift MyStandards at Bankline Help and Support.

For Bankline File Import:

If you’re using the Bankline CSV format we’ve updated our CSV guide to include the enhanced data that can now be included.

If you’re using ISO 20022 formats you can view the latest XML pain.001.001.09 file import guide, and also visit our Bankline online community on ‘Swift MyStandards’. We’ve created a Bankline Swift MyStandards guide to help you get registered and find the Bankline information and testing portal.

You’ll find support and all the guides mentioned above in the ‘Importing’ section at Bankline Help and Support.

If you’re a Bankline Direct customer, you can visit NatWest Swift MyStandards for the latest ISO 20022 payment format guides (the formats differ to Bankline so make sure you’re accessing the right community). We also have format translation documentation to help you identify where key information from you existing format will be entered in the ISO 20022 MX formatted payment.

For business and corporate payments, customers will submit Customer Credit Transfer Initiation pain.001.001.09 format import files.

Purpose codes can be included for business and corporate CHAPS payments using the Bankline ‘domestic payment’ screen.

A purpose code is now mandatory for certain CHAPS property transactions.

From November 2027 purpose codes will be mandatory for all CHAPS payments.

The ability to capture this information in an import file is now available (using XML and Bankline CSV formats).

LEIs can be included for business and corporate CHAPS payments using the Bankline ‘domestic payment’ screen. 

The ability to capture this information in an import file is now available (using XML and Bankline CSV formats).

You can now import CHAPS payments with a structured address and we’d encourage you to adopt this. You’ll be able to import hybrid addresses from November 2025. From November 2026 all CHAPS payments with a fully unstructured address will no longer be supported, please continue to use hybrid/structured addresses.

Hybrid addresses will require the use of structured town and country fields while other address elements can remain unstructured.

If you’re a Financial Institution, you’ll submit FI to FI Customer Credit Transfer pacs.008.001.08 files when making payments on behalf of your own customers. Please note that due to the nature of this message type, each uploaded file to Bankline will contain one transaction.

Purpose codes can be included for CHAPS payments made by Financial Institution customers using the Bankline ‘domestic payment’ screen. A purpose code is now mandatory for certain property related CHAPS payments, and all CHAPS payments sent between two Financial Institutions (which includes CHAPS Financial Transfers).

If you’re a Financial Institution customer making a CHAPS Financial Transfer in Bankline and don’t provide a purpose code, you’ll see an error message and won’t be able to proceed with your payment.

From November 2027, purpose codes will be mandatory for all CHAPS payments.

The ability to capture this information in an import file is now available (using XML and Bankline CSV formats).

LEIs can be included for CHAPS payments made by Financial Institution customers using the Bankline ‘domestic payment’ screen. LEIs are now mandatory for all CHAPS payments sent between two Financial Institutions (which includes CHAPS Financial Transfers).

If you’re a Financial Institution customer making a CHAPS Financial Transfer in Bankline and you use a sort code or name and address to identify a party, you’ll see an error message in Bankline if you don’t provide the LEI. If you use a BIC, our payment system will attempt to add the associated LEI, but we’d still recommend that you include them.

The ability to capture this information in an import file is available now (using XML and Bankline CSV formats).

You can now import CHAPS payments with a structured address and we’d encourage you to adopt this. You’ll be able to import hybrid addresses from November 2025. From November 2026 all CHAPS payments with a fully unstructured address will no longer be supported, please continue to use hybrid/structured addresses.

Hybrid addresses will require the use of structured town and country fields while other address elements can remain unstructured.

Yes. Financial Institution (FI) payments will require:

• Additional LEI information
• By-Order-Of address details
• Reference fields reduced from 18 to 16 characters

As bank-wide ISO 20022 changes are rolled out you’ll start to notice the following differences in some of your payment advices.

The ‘Your Reference’ field in the top right might have extra information, shown with a ‘+’ sign. If needed, this extra information can be found in the ‘Payment Details’ section of your advice.

Your address will be included on the top left corner of your advice. If you need to make changes to the address linked to your account, see How do I change my business address?

The ‘Beneficiary account number’ now includes the full sort code and account number (not just the account number).

The ‘Charge type’ will now be blank for some payments.

The ‘Our Reference’ field will now include references starting ‘OPF’, which helps us to identify a payment through bank systems.

The ‘Beneficiary bank ID’ field will now include the Clearing System Identifier for some payments, such as ‘GBDSC’, which helps to identify a UK domestic sort code.

The 'Payment Details' field will no longer include reference to Purpose Code and E2E ID, such as PURP/XXXX/ROC/XXXXXXXXX. This data is available within the camt.054. 'Payment Details' will continue to display remittance information.

The ‘Delivery Ref’ field will no longer display ‘991231’ at the beginning when a Sender BIC is available. 

The Sender BIC hasn’t been removed and will still appear where applicable. 

You’ll now see the BIC displayed on its own, for example: BICXXXXXXXX.

We’ve started to introduce ISO 20022 based reporting into Bankline with individual camt.054 debit and credit advices, which are available on the Original Bankline Payment Advice screen. Therefore each camt.054 file downloaded from Bankline will contain a single advice. We’re starting to increase the level of detail provided in these advices for some payments. If you’d like more information, see camt.054 Payment Advice Notifications. You’ll find support for the enhanced camt.054 format for Bankline in section 3. Please note, this guide also mentions multiple debit and/or credit download functionality that’s specific to Bankline Direct customers only at this time.

  You'll ll need to be in the Original Bankline screens.

• Once in Original Bankline, click ‘Account information’ on the left-hand side menu, and go to either:
• ‘View statements’ and select the account and dates you wish to view
• Or ‘View account balances’ and click on ‘Search Transactions’ for the account and dates you need
• Take a look under the ‘Payment advice’ column, and you’ll see ‘View’ if there’s a payment advice available for that individual entry.
• After you click ‘View’, you’ll be able to see the option ‘Export Camt.054’ to the bottom right of the screen, which will export the payment advice as a Camt.054 xml file.

The narrative line may not always include the Purpose Code and End to End ID (for example: PURP/XXXX/ROC/XXXXXXXXX). It will continue to show either the End to End ID or the remittance information.

Any fees we charge will be deducted and appear separately on your transaction summary. The payment reference for the fee will match the related payment, making it easy to identify.

The narrative line field might not include reference to Purpose Code and E2E ID, such as PURP/XXXX/ROC/XXXXXXXXX. The narrative line will continue to display remittance information.

As bank-wide changes are rolled out you’ll start to notice the following differences in some of your CHAPS payment narratives. The transaction code will display as CHP from the day the payment is made. The bank’s reference shown in your statement will start with ‘OPF’ followed by nine numbers. You’ll also now be able to see the full five lines of narrative information about the CHAPS on the same day the payment is made.

LEIs, purpose codes and structured addresses submitted in outbound payments will not be included in statement downloads, regardless of format.

We will be investigating the best way to incorporate the enhanced data that MX messaging makes available into Bankline’s screens, PDF’s, and other exported outputs.

• Any fees we charge will be deducted and shown as separate entries on your transaction summary.
• The fee reference will match the related payment, making it easier to identify.