0.    INTRODUCTION

       This specification provides the definition of the Authorization
       message (AUTHOR) to be used in Electronic Data Interchange
       (EDI) between trading partners involved in administration,
       commerce and transport.

1.    SCOPE

1.1   Functional Definition

       An Authorization Message is sent by the Ordering Customer (or
       Payor or Agent on behalf of the Ordering Customer) or by a
       third party having authority on the Ordering Customer's
       payments to the Ordered Bank, to authorize the Ordered Bank to
       execute a given financial transaction.
       
       This financial transaction might relate to both multiple
       messages like PAYMUL and DIRDEB, and single instruction
       messages like PAYORD and PAYEXT.
       
       An Authorization Message could also be sent from the Ordered
       Bank to the Ordering Customer or its Authorization Authority to
       request authorization for a given financial transaction.
       
       Throughout this document the term 'Original Message' refers to
       the message to be authorized.

1.2   Field of Application

       This message may be applied to both national and international
       settlements. It is based on universal practice and is not
       dependent on the type of business or industry.

1.3   Principles

       - The authorization carried by the message applies to the whole
       original message (i.e. to all instructions within the message)
       or to individual debit transactions and their related credits.
       
       -  The AUTHOR message may also authorize a single transaction
       in a multiple direct debit transaction.

2.    REFERENCES

       See UNTDID, Part 4, Chapter 2.6 UN/ECE UNSM - General Introduction,
       Section 1.

3.    TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

3.1   Standard terms and definitions

       See UNTDID, Part 4, Chapter 2.6 UN/ECE UNSM - General Introduction,
       Section 2.

4.    MESSAGE DEFINITION

4.1   Data Segment Clarification

       This section should be read in conjunction with the Segment
       Table which indicate mandatory, conditional and repeating
       requirements.
       
       The following semantic principles applying to the message are
       intended to facilitate the understanding of the message.
       
       The Authorization message is structured in three levels: A, B,
       and C.
       
       Level A Segment Groups 1, 2, 3 and 9 contains general data
       related to the whole message.
       
       Level B Segment Groups 4 and 5 contains data identifying the
       message or transaction to be authorized.
       
       Level C Segment Groups 6 to 8 contains the authorization.
       
       The structure of the message is designed to allow several B
       levels, each B level being followed by its realted C levels.
       
       Where a choice of code or text is given only the code element
       should be used wherever possible.

   UNH, Message header
       A service segment starting and uniquely identifying a message.
       The message type code for the Authorization message is AUTHOR.
       
       Note: Authorization messages conforming to this document must
       contain the following data in segment UNH, composite S009:

       Data element  0065 AUTHOR
                     0052 D
                     0054 97A
                     0051 UN

   BGM, Beginning of message
       A segment for unique identification of the Authorization
       message, its type and number and its function, i.e., specifying
       if it is an authorization or request for authorization.

   DTM, Date/time/period
       A segment containing the creation date of the Authorization
       Message.

   BUS, Business function
       A segment providing information for routing of the message.


   Segment group 1: RFF-DTM
       A group of segments identifying the message to be authorized
       and possibly the request for an authorization which has been
       previously sent.

      RFF, Reference
          A segment referring to the message that has to be authorized
          or to a previously-sent request for authorization.

      DTM, Date/time/period
          A segment indicating the date and time of creation of the
          message referenced in the RFF segment or possibly the
          payment date.


   Segment group 2: FII-CTA-COM
       A group of segments identifying the financial institutions
       involved in the Authorization message.

      FII, Financial institution information
          A segment identifying the Ordered Bank acting for the
          Ordering Customer and/or Payor and the relevant account
          number and currency.

      CTA, Contact information
          A segment identifying a person or department for the
          financial institution specified in the FII segment and to
          whom communication should be directed.

      COM, Communication contact
          A segment providing communication numbers for the financial
          institution identified in the FII segment and optionally for
          the contact identified in the associated CTA segment.


   Segment group 3: NAD-CTA-COM
       A group of segments identifying the parties involved in the
       exchange of the message.

      NAD, Name and address
          A segment identifying the name and address of the
          non-financial parties involved in the exchange of this
          message. (Sender and Recipient).

      CTA, Contact information
          A segment identifying a person or department for the party
          specified in the NAD segment and to whom communication
          should be directed.

      COM, Communication contact
          A segment providing communication numbers for the party
          identified in the NAD segment and optionally for the contact
          identified in the associated CTA segment.


   Segment group 4: LIN-SG5-SG6-SG7-SG8
       A group of segments identifying a message or a group of
       transactions in a message or a specific transaction in a
       multiple message.

      LIN, Line item
          A segment specifying the beginning of details referring to
          the message/transaction to be authorized.


      Segment group 5: RFF-DTM
          A groups of segments specifying reference numbers, dates
          and/or times needed to identify a referenced message or
          transaction.

         RFF, Reference
             A segment indicating reference number(s) for the message
             or transaction to be authorized.

         DTM, Date/time/period
             A segment specifying the date/time of the referenced
             message or transaction.


      Segment group 6: SEQ-GIS-DTM-MOA-DOC
          A group of segments identifying the authorization of the
          message/transaction.

         SEQ, Sequence details
             A segment identifying the beginning of the details needed
             to give the authorization.

         GIS, General indicator
             A segment specifying the kind of authorization given to
             the referenced message/transaction in a coded form.

         DTM, Date/time/period
             A segment identifying dates related to the referenced
             message/transaction.

         MOA, Monetary amount
             A segment giving the amount of the referenced
             message/transaction.

         DOC, Document/message details
             A segment identifying referenced numbers of the
             referenced message/transaction.


      Segment group 7: FII-CTA-COM
          A group of segments identifying the financial institutions
          associated with the referenced message/transaction.

         FII, Financial institution information
             A segment identifying a financial institution related to
             the referenced message/transaction.

         CTA, Contact information
             A segment identifying a person or department for the
             party specified in the FII segment and to whom
             communication should be directed.

         COM, Communication contact
             A segment providing communication numbers for the party
             identified in the FII segment and optionally for the
             contact identified in the associated CTA segment.


      Segment group 8: NAD-CTA-COM
          A group of segments identifying the name and address of
          non-financial parties associated with the referenced
          message/transaction.

         NAD, Name and address
             A segment identifying a non-financial party related to
             the referenced message/transaction.

         CTA, Contact information
             A segment identifying a person or a department for the
             party identified in the NAD segment and to whom
             communication should be directed.

         COM, Communication contact
             A segment identifying communications types and numbers
             for the persons or departments specified in the
             associated CTA segment.

   CNT, Control total
       A segment identifying the type of control checks and totals.


   Segment group 9: AUT-DTM
       A segment group identifying the authentication procedures used.

      AUT, Authentication result
          A segment specifying the details of any authentication
          (validation) procedure applied to the Authorisation message.

      DTM, Date/time/period
          A segment defining the validation date/time.

   UNT, Message trailer
       A service segment ending a message, giving the total number of
       segments in the message and the control reference number of the
       message.

4.2   Data segment index (Alphabetical sequence by tag)

          AUT Authentication result
          BGM Beginning of message
          BUS Business function
          CNT Control total
          COM Communication contact
          CTA Contact information
          DOC Document/message details
          DTM Date/time/period
          FII Financial institution information
          GIS General indicator
          LIN Line item
          MOA Monetary amount
          NAD Name and address
          RFF Reference
          SEQ Sequence details
          UNH Message header
          UNT Message trailer

Contents of AUTHOR