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Before submitting ASCII text files produced by third-party software or manually produced, you should verify the format using these specificationfile formats, record layouts and file names using these specifications.  Verifying the correct format will increase the chances that your files will be accepted.  If a file does not conform to these specifications, the report may be returned or rejected. You will be contacted and asked to correct and re-submit your files. 

Microsoft Windows users can use the PRL text file validation program (Option C) to verify their files.  Verifying the correct format will increase the chances that your submitted files will be accepted.

This section describes the record layouts and field formats for fields of the data that you need to submit.  The file format and naming conventions that should be followed are also given.

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The report’s text file(s) should contain ASCII data and use the pipe (“|”) character as a field separator; pipe separators are preferred, but tabs are acceptable.  Each record must always contain all the "pipe" delimiters for all fields in the record type. 

Individual records should occupy one line in the file; each record ends with the line feed and carriage return characters.  Fixed width records will not be accepted.

The widths specified in the Record Specifications Data Dictionary are the maximum allowable widths for the fields. Fixed width records will not be accepted. Each record must always contain all the "pipe" delimiters for all fields in the record type.

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