Using custom attributes

When outbound acknowledgment builds the routing file, it includes any custom attributes that are configured for the endpoint, participant, and file that is being processed. An attribute hierarchy is used to determine the method of delivering the custom attributes. The order is shown in the following list.
  • Endpoint
  • Participant
  • Transmission
  • Global

If identically named attributes exist at multiple levels of the configuration, the actual value that is delivered comes from the top level of the hierarchy (endpoint). This hierarchical structure needs to be considered when you are setting up the custom attributes.

For example, an attribute that is named MODE has the values: custom, charmed, curious, and strange. If the global specification for this attribute is charmed and no endpoint, participant, or transmission specification for MODE exists, the custom attribute that is delivered to the routing file is charmed, as specified globally. If the transmission specification is custom, the global value is overridden, and custom is delivered to the routing file. If the participant specification is strange, it overrides the transmission and global values and strange is delivered to the routing file. If the endpoint specification is curious, the other values are overridden, and curious is delivered to the routing file for the attribute named MODE.

If multiple endpoints are involved with different values for a custom attribute, order them by their endpoint ID and use the custom attribute value that is specified by the first endpoint.

The outbound acknowledgment feature collects all attributes at all of the levels for delivery to the routing XML file. To view the output XML for the routing file, see File and XML Formats.
Note: Custom attributes for other levels, such as endpoint attributes, are not supported for outbound acknowledgment routing.
Symbolic substitution values can be used when you are specifying custom attributes. The following table describes the supported custom attributes symbolic substitution values.
Table 1. Symbolic substitution values
Symbolic value Description
%OrigRT% Origination routing number.
%DestRT% Receiver routing number.
%Filename% Customer transmission base name (no extension).
%FullFilename% Customer transmission name (including extension).
%TestFile% Test file indicator.
%ItemCount% Total transaction count of the transmission.
%FileAmt% Total transmission amount that is derived by subtracting the debit amount from the credit amount.
%FileDebitAmt% Total transmission debit amount.
%FileCreditAmt% Total transmission credit amount.