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EDIFACT message guide · Finance

DOCINF Documentary credit issuance information

The UN/EDIFACT message an issuing bank uses to give the applicant the terms and conditions of a documentary credit it has issued.

Sent by
Issuing bank
Received by
Applicant or applicant's bank
Standard
UN/EDIFACT · Batch message
X12 equivalent
No direct equivalent

What is the EDIFACT DOCINF message?

DOCINF is the UN/EDIFACT documentary credit issuance information message. The directory defines it as a message indicating the terms and conditions of an issued documentary credit, sent from the issuing bank to the applicant or the applicant's bank.

It confirms to the importer exactly what the bank has issued, so the importer can check it against the application and the contract. Any difference must be corrected through an amendment before the exporter ships, since the exporter will prepare documents to the issued terms.

How the EDIFACT DOCINF message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT DOCINF Documentary credit issuance information message. Issuing bank sends it to applicant or applicant's bank. 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) and DTM (Date/time/period) and body and segment groups: the required SG1 loop with FII (Financial institution information) and the required SG4 loop with MOA (Monetary amount). 12 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT DOCINF message worksDocumentary credit issuance information: who sends it, where it fits and what the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSDOCAPPDocumentary creditapplicationDOCINFSENDERIssuing bankRECEIVERApplicant orapplicant's bankCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYDOCAMRRequest for anamendment of adocumentary credit2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDsUNB … UNZMessage DOCINFUNH … UNTSTART OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageRFFReferenceDTMDate/time/periodBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPSMandatory group SG1 · repeats up to 9FIIFinancial institution informationMandatory group SG4 · repeats up to 5MOAMonetary amount+ 12 conditional groups, starting with:NADDTMALCLOCPAIPYTTODTSRINPRFFDOCAUTBlue 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 DOCINF. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.
How the EDIFACT DOCINF message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT DOCINF Documentary credit issuance information message. Issuing bank sends it to applicant or applicant's bank. 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) and DTM (Date/time/period) and body and segment groups: the required SG1 loop with FII (Financial institution information) and the required SG4 loop with MOA (Monetary amount). 12 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT DOCINFmessage worksDocumentary credit issuance information: whosends it, where it fits and what the directorymarks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSDOCAPPDocumentary credit applicationDOCINFSENDERIssuing bankRECEIVERApplicant orapplicant's bankCONTRL 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 DOCINF (UNH … UNT)START OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageRFFReferenceDTMDate/time/periodBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPSMandatory group SG1 · repeats upto 9FIIFinancial institutioninformationMandatory group SG4 · repeats upto 5MOAMonetary amount+ 12 conditional groups, starting with:NADDTMALCLOCPAIPYTTODTSRINPRFFDOCAUTBlue 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 DOCINF.Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.

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

  • Confirming the terms of an issued letter of credit
  • Giving the applicant the credit reference
  • Supporting checks against the application

Where it fits in the message flow

Usually follows DOCAPP Documentary credit application
This message DOCINF Documentary credit issuance information
Usually followed by DOCAMR Request for an amendment of a documentary credit

Structure

Mandatory segments in DOCINF (directory D.21A)

In UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A, the DOCINF 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
  • DTM
  • SG1 (FII)
  • SG4 (MOA)
  • UNT

Practical example

DOCINF in practice

After issuing a letter of credit, the bank sends the importer a DOCINF with the credit number and its full terms. The importer's trade finance team compares it with the application and notices the latest shipment date is a week earlier than agreed. It requests a correction through a DOCAMR.

Implementation

Implementation considerations for DOCINF

  • Compare issued terms with the application automatically where possible.
  • Store the credit reference for later amendments and payments.
  • Raise corrections quickly, before the exporter ships.
  • Follow the bank's subset and the applicable ICC rules.

How ECOM helps

Automate DOCINF with ECOM

Industry

Financial Services

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

Solution

Financial Document Automation

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

Industry

Trucking and Transportation

Load tenders, responses, status and freight invoices for carriers, brokers and shippers, integrated with the TMS.

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

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