BAI2 is a comma-delimited text file in which a bank reports balances and transactions for business accounts, mostly in the United States. It was defined by the Bank Administration Institute as the Cash Management Balance Reporting Specifications, Version 2. The Accredited Standards Committee X9 now maintains it, alongside its successor BTRS. Klarbon reads BAI2 files in beta.
What is in a BAI2 file?
| Record | Name | Holds |
|---|---|---|
01 |
file header | sender, receiver, creation date and time |
02 |
group header | the reporting bank, the as-of date, the currency |
03 |
account identifier | the account and its balances, each with a type code |
16 |
transaction detail | type code, amount, funds type, bank and customer references, text |
88 |
continuation | the rest of the record before it |
49 |
account trailer | the account's control total and record count |
98 |
group trailer | the group's control total and counts |
99 |
file trailer | the file's control total and counts |
Balance type codes include 010 for the opening ledger balance and 015 for the closing ledger balance; banks publish the code lists they use, as East West Bank does (East West Bank). Amounts have no decimal point: the currency sets the implied decimals. X9 publishes the standard, its code lists and BTRS Version 3, X9.121-2016 (X9).
BAI2 or CAMT.053?
| BAI2 | CAMT.053 | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | mainly the United States | Europe and many other markets |
| Syntax | comma-delimited text | ISO 20022 XML |
| Codes | BAI and BTRS type codes | ISO 20022 bank transaction codes |
| Maintained by | X9 | ISO 20022 |
What does Klarbon do with BAI2?
Reading BAI2 files and writing them as CSV, Excel, CAMT.053, MT940 or OFX is in beta. Klarbon joins 88 continuations to their records, applies the currency's implied decimals, and checks every control total and record count in the 49, 98 and 99 trailers. Where opening ledger balance (010) and closing ledger balance (015) are given, Klarbon reports the balance difference for review. A zero difference does not prove that every transaction is correct. Klarbon does not write BAI2. See supported bank statement files.
Related
Frequently asked questions
What is a BAI2 file?
A plain text file in which a bank reports balances and transactions for one or more accounts. It was defined by the Bank Administration Institute as Cash Management Balance Reporting Specifications Version 2 and is used mainly by US banks.
What do the BAI2 record codes mean?
Each line starts with a record code. 01 is the file header, 02 the group header, 03 the account with its balances, 16 a transaction, 88 a continuation of the line before, 49 the account trailer, 98 the group trailer and 99 the file trailer.
What are BAI2 type codes?
Three-digit codes that classify each balance and transaction. 010 is the opening ledger balance and 015 the closing ledger balance; transaction codes say whether an entry is, for example, an ACH or wire credit or debit. Banks publish the codes they use.
How do I open a BAI2 file?
Any text editor shows it, but amounts have implied decimals and records continue across lines, so it is hard to read. A converter that writes CSV or Excel makes it readable; Klarbon does this in beta.
Is BAI2 the same as BTRS?
BTRS is X9's successor to BAI2. X9 now maintains both, and published BTRS Version 3 as X9.121-2016 to harmonise how banks build the file.