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EDIFACT message guide · Statistics and reporting

BOPDIR Direct balance of payment declaration

The UN/EDIFACT message non-bank residents use to report their cross-border transactions directly to the balance of payments compiler.

Sent by
Non-bank resident, such as a company
Received by
Balance of payments compiler, such as a central bank
Standard
UN/EDIFACT · Batch message
X12 equivalent
No direct equivalent

What is the EDIFACT BOPDIR message?

BOPDIR is the UN/EDIFACT direct balance of payment declaration. The directory defines it as a message non-bank residents can send to the balance of payments (BOP) compiler to report directly on their transactions through accounts at resident banks, accounts at non-resident banks, and transactions settled without bank accounts, such as netting.

Large companies with significant international activity are often required to report directly, because banks cannot see transactions settled abroad or by netting. The declaration classifies each transaction by type and counterparty country.

How the EDIFACT BOPDIR message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT BOPDIR Direct balance of payment declaration message. Non-bank resident, such as a company sends it to balance of payments compiler, such as a central bank. It usually starts the exchange. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message) and DTM (Date/time/period) and body and segment groups: the required SG2 loop with NAD (Name and address) and UNS (Section control). 3 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT BOPDIR message worksDirect balance of payment declaration: who sends it, where it fits and what the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeBOPDIRSENDERNon-bank resident,such as a companyRECEIVERBalance of paymentscompiler, such as acentral bankCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYNo business reply expected2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDsUNB … UNZMessage BOPDIRUNH … UNTSTART OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageDTMDate/time/periodBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPSMandatory group SG2 · repeats up to 9NADName and addressUNSSection control+ 3 conditional groups, starting with:RFFBlue box: mandatory segment group. Conditional groups are listed by the trigger segment that starts them; a group is sent only when its data applies.Conditional segments outside groups are not drawn.Structure: mandatory segments and groups in the UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A listing for BOPDIR. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.
How the EDIFACT BOPDIR message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT BOPDIR Direct balance of payment declaration message. Non-bank resident, such as a company sends it to balance of payments compiler, such as a central bank. It usually starts the exchange. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message) and DTM (Date/time/period) and body and segment groups: the required SG2 loop with NAD (Name and address) and UNS (Section control). 3 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT BOPDIRmessage worksDirect balance of payment declaration: whosends it, where it fits and what the directorymarks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeBOPDIRSENDERNon-bankresident, suchas a companyRECEIVERBalance ofpaymentscompiler, suchas a centralbankCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYNo business reply expected2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDs(UNB … UNZ)Message BOPDIR (UNH … UNT)START OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageDTMDate/time/periodBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPSMandatory group SG2 · repeats upto 9NADName and addressUNSSection control+ 3 conditional groups, starting with:RFFBlue box: mandatory segment group. Conditionalgroups are listed by the trigger segment thatstarts them; a group is sent only when its dataapplies. Conditional segments outside groups arenot drawn.Structure: mandatory segments and groups in theUN/EDIFACT directory D.21A listing for BOPDIR.Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.

How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends BOPDIR, to whom, and which messages usually come before and after it. The lower part shows what the directory D.21A itself requires: the envelopes around BOPDIR and the segments and segment groups it marks mandatory. Conditional groups are listed by their trigger segment rather than drawn in full. This is the directory's minimum, not a trading partner's requirement: a message implementation guide, such as an industry subset or a partner’s own guide, usually makes some conditional groups mandatory, restricts the codes and may use an older directory.

Expand diagram Download SVG

When it is used

  • Reporting transactions through foreign bank accounts
  • Reporting intra-group netting and offsets
  • Meeting direct reporting obligations of large companies

Where it fits in the message flow

This message BOPDIR Direct balance of payment declaration

No other message routinely comes directly before or after BOPDIR; it is exchanged when the business event occurs. If the partners agree, the receiver confirms each interchange with a CONTRL syntax and service report.

Structure

Mandatory segments in BOPDIR (directory D.21A)

In UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A, the BOPDIR message has 42 segment positions arranged in 11 segment groups. These are the segments and segment groups marked mandatory at message level, in order; a mandatory group is shown with the segment that starts it. Segments inside conditional groups are needed only when the group is used. This is the directory’s requirement, not your trading partner’s: each partner’s message implementation guide names the directory it uses, often an older one such as D.96A or D.01B where the structure can differ, makes some conditional segments mandatory and restricts the codes.

  • UNH
  • BGM
  • DTM
  • SG2 (NAD)
  • UNS
  • UNT

Practical example

BOPDIR in practice

A multinational's European subsidiary settles many intra-group invoices through a netting center and holds accounts abroad. Each month it sends the central bank a BOPDIR reporting these transactions by type, counterparty country and amount, as required of direct reporters.

Implementation

Implementation considerations for BOPDIR

  • Confirm whether the company is a direct reporter under national rules.
  • Classify transactions with the compiler's codes.
  • Capture netting and foreign account flows that banks do not see.
  • Check the compiler's current reporting format.

How ECOM helps

Automate BOPDIR with ECOM

Industry

Financial Services

Secure file transfer and B2B integration for banks and financial institutions.

Solution

Financial Document Automation

Automate invoices, remittances, payment files and bank statements from capture to posting.

Solution

Enterprise Integration

Any-to-any integration across partners, systems, protocols, security requirements, formats and ERPs, in batch or real time.

Compare X12 and EDIFACT, or see answers to general questions in the EDI FAQ.

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