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EDIFACT message guide · Finance

DOCADV Documentary credit advice

The UN/EDIFACT message an advising bank uses to give the beneficiary the terms and conditions of a documentary credit.

Sent by
Advising bank or intermediary advising bank
Received by
Beneficiary (usually the exporter)
Standard
UN/EDIFACT · Batch message
X12 equivalent
No direct equivalent

What is the EDIFACT DOCADV message?

DOCADV is the UN/EDIFACT documentary credit advice. The directory defines it as a message indicating to the beneficiary the terms and conditions of a documentary credit originated by the issuing bank and received by the advising bank, or an intermediary advising bank.

For the exporter, the advice is the starting point for shipment: it sets the deadlines, the shipment terms and the exact documents to present. Exporters check the advice against the sales contract and request amendments where it cannot be met.

How the EDIFACT DOCADV message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT DOCADV Documentary credit advice message. Advising bank or intermediary advising bank sends it to beneficiary (usually the exporter). It usually follows DOCAPP. It is usually followed by DOCAMR. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message), RFF (Reference), BUS (Business function), INP (Parties and instruction), FCA (Financial charges allocation) and DTM (Date/time/period) and body and segment groups: the required SG1 loop with FII (Financial institution information), the required SG2 loop with NAD (Name and address), the required SG3 loop with DTM (Date/time/period) and LOC (Place/location identification), the required SG4 loop with MOA (Monetary amount), the required SG6 loop with LOC (Place/location identification), the required SG7 loop with PAI (Payment instructions), the required SG8 loop with PYT (Payment terms), the required SG12 loop with RFF (Reference) and the required SG13 loop with DOC (Document/message details). 7 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT DOCADV message worksDocumentary credit advice: who sends it, where it fits and what the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSDOCAPPDocumentary creditapplicationDOCADVSENDERAdvising bank orintermediary advisingbankRECEIVERBeneficiary (usuallythe exporter)CONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYDOCAMRRequest for anamendment of adocumentary credit2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDsUNB … UNZMessage DOCADVUNH … UNTSTART OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageRFFReferenceBUSBusiness functionINPParties and instructionFCAFinancial charges allocationDTMDate/time/periodBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPSMandatory group SG1 · repeats up to 9FIIFinancial institution informationMandatory group SG2 · repeats up to 9NADName and addressMandatory group SG3 · repeats up to 1DTMDate/time/periodLOCPlace/location identificationMandatory group SG4 · repeats up to 5MOAMonetary amount+ required SG6 (LOC), SG7 (PAI), SG8 (PYT), SG12 (RFF), SG13(DOC) and 7 conditional groups, starting with:ALCTODTSRINPICDALIAUTBlue box: mandatory segment group. Conditional groups are listed by the trigger segment that starts them; a group is sent only when its data applies.Conditional segments outside groups are not drawn.Structure: mandatory segments and groups in the UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A listing for DOCADV. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.
How the EDIFACT DOCADV message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT DOCADV Documentary credit advice message. Advising bank or intermediary advising bank sends it to beneficiary (usually the exporter). It usually follows DOCAPP. It is usually followed by DOCAMR. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message), RFF (Reference), BUS (Business function), INP (Parties and instruction), FCA (Financial charges allocation) and DTM (Date/time/period) and body and segment groups: the required SG1 loop with FII (Financial institution information), the required SG2 loop with NAD (Name and address), the required SG3 loop with DTM (Date/time/period) and LOC (Place/location identification), the required SG4 loop with MOA (Monetary amount), the required SG6 loop with LOC (Place/location identification), the required SG7 loop with PAI (Payment instructions), the required SG8 loop with PYT (Payment terms), the required SG12 loop with RFF (Reference) and the required SG13 loop with DOC (Document/message details). 7 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT DOCADVmessage worksDocumentary credit advice: who sends it, whereit fits and what the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSDOCAPPDocumentary credit applicationDOCADVSENDERAdvising bank orintermediaryadvising bankRECEIVERBeneficiary(usually theexporter)CONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYDOCAMRRequest for an amendment of adocumentary credit2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDs(UNB … UNZ)Message DOCADV (UNH … UNT)START OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageRFFReferenceBUSBusiness functionINPParties and instructionFCAFinancial charges allocationDTMDate/time/periodBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPSMandatory group SG1 · repeats upto 9FIIFinancial institutioninformationMandatory group SG2 · repeats upto 9NADName and addressMandatory group SG3 · repeats upto 1DTMDate/time/periodLOCPlace/location identification+ required SG4 (MOA), SG6 (LOC), SG7(PAI), SG8 (PYT), SG12 (RFF), SG13(DOC) and 7 conditional groups, startingwith:ALCTODTSRINPICDALIAUTBlue box: mandatory segment group. Conditionalgroups are listed by the trigger segment thatstarts them; a group is sent only when its dataapplies. Conditional segments outside groups arenot drawn.Structure: mandatory segments and groups in theUN/EDIFACT directory D.21A listing for DOCADV.Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.

How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends DOCADV, 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 DOCADV 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.

Expand diagram Download SVG

When it is used

  • Advising an exporter of a new letter of credit
  • Giving the terms for document preparation
  • Starting the exporter's compliance checks

Where it fits in the message flow

Usually follows DOCAPP Documentary credit application
This message DOCADV Documentary credit advice
Usually followed by DOCAMR Request for an amendment of a documentary credit

Structure

Mandatory segments in DOCADV (directory D.21A)

In UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A, the DOCADV message has 57 segment positions arranged in 17 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
  • RFF
  • BUS
  • INP
  • FCA
  • DTM
  • SG1 (FII)
  • SG2 (NAD)
  • SG3 (DTM)
  • SG4 (MOA)
  • SG6 (LOC)
  • SG7 (PAI)
  • SG8 (PYT)
  • SG12 (RFF)
  • SG13 (DOC)
  • UNT

Practical example

DOCADV in practice

A German machinery exporter's bank receives a letter of credit issued in Kenya. It sends the exporter a DOCADV with the credit's terms: the amount, expiry, latest shipment date, ports and required documents. The exporter's documentation team checks it against the contract and plans the shipment and documents to comply.

Implementation

Implementation considerations for DOCADV

  • Check terms against the sales contract on receipt.
  • Plan documents to match the credit exactly.
  • Request amendments early if terms cannot be met.
  • Track expiry and presentation deadlines.

How ECOM helps

Automate DOCADV with ECOM

Industry

Financial Services

Secure file transfer and B2B integration for banks and financial institutions.

Industry

Industrial Manufacturing

Distributor, OEM customer and supplier integration for industrial manufacturers.

Solution

Financial Document Automation

Automate invoices, remittances, payment files and bank statements from capture to posting.

Compare X12 and EDIFACT, or see answers to general questions in the EDI FAQ.

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