EDIFACT message guide · Finance
DEBREC Debts recovery
The UN/EDIFACT message used to exchange detailed information on debt recovery cases between the principal and the party acting for it.
- Sent by
- Principal (creditor) or debt recovery agency
- Received by
- Debt recovery agency or principal
- Standard
- UN/EDIFACT · Batch message
- X12 equivalent
- No direct equivalent
What is the EDIFACT DEBREC message?
DEBREC is the UN/EDIFACT debts recovery message. The directory defines it as a message for exchanging detailed information on debt recovery cases between the appropriate parties, such as the principal and the enacting party. One message can cover one or more events, such as a case submission or status information, for one or more cases.
Creditors that outsource collection use it to submit overdue accounts to agencies and to receive progress reports, payments collected and case closures, without manual case handling.
How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends DEBREC, 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 DEBREC 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.
When it is used
- Submitting overdue accounts to a collection agency
- Reporting case status and collected amounts
- Closing or withdrawing recovery cases
Where it fits in the message flow
No other message routinely comes directly before or after DEBREC; 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 DEBREC (directory D.21A)
In UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A, the DEBREC message has 89 segment positions arranged in 26 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
- UNT
Practical example
DEBREC in practice
A telecom operator passes accounts more than 90 days overdue to a collection agency. Each week it sends a DEBREC with the new cases, the debtor details and the amounts owed. The agency returns DEBREC messages with status updates, payment arrangements and amounts collected, and the operator updates its receivables.
Implementation
Implementation considerations for DEBREC
- Protect personal data and follow data protection and consumer credit rules.
- Synchronize payments received directly by the creditor with the agency.
- Use case references that both parties track.
- Agree the event and status codes both parties use.
How ECOM helps
Automate DEBREC with ECOM
Solution
Financial Document Automation
Automate invoices, remittances, payment files and bank statements from capture to posting.
Industry
Telecom and Media
Equipment supply chains, service billing and partner data exchange for telecom and media companies.
Industry
Financial Services
Secure file transfer and B2B integration for banks and financial institutions.
Compare X12 and EDIFACT, or see answers to general questions in the EDI FAQ.
Related messages
Related finance messages
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