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Create a Batch File

This topic shows how to create a transaction batch file by using a provided template or a custom template. A transaction batch file specifies a set, or
batch
, of payment transactions that you can upload to
Cybersource
 for offline processing.
Before you begin to create a batch file, be aware of these requirements, limitations, and recommendations:
  • File format
    —A batch file must be in CSV format. Use a template downloaded from the
    Business Center
     or a properly formatted custom template. See Download a Batch File Template and Create a Custom Batch File Template.
  • File size
    —A batch file must not be larger than 75 MB.
  • Number of transaction requests
    —
    Cybersource
     recommends that a batch file contains no more than 50,000 transaction requests.
  • Number of transaction types
    —
    Although a batch file can specify more than one type of transaction request,
    Cybersource
     recommends that you limit batch files to only one transaction request type. Doing so helps to maximize batch processing throughput.
  1. Follow these steps to create a batch file using a template:
  2. Begin to create your batch file by making a copy of a batch file template.

    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

    • Filename format:
      <merchant-id>.<batch-id>
      .
    • Filename length: 255 characters or less
    • Valid characters: alphanumeric characters, non-ASCII characters, space characters, dashes, periods, and underscores only.
  3. Open the new batch file using Excel or a similar application.

    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

    If you use Excel, make sure to
    import
     the file. If you
    open
     the file instead, Excel does not process the CSV formatting correctly.
  4. Specify up to 10 elements in the batch file header:

    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

    Required fields are indicated in the template with an asterisk next to the name. Remove any asterisks from your batch file before you upload it, otherwise
    Cybersource
     will not process any transactions in your batch file.
  5. Load your transaction data into the batch file, beginning in row 4.

    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

    The information that you provide for each request in the batch file is the same information that you would provide for an individual service request. The templates specify the required and optional fields for each transaction type included in the batch file template. For descriptions of the fields in a batch file data record, see the tables in Reference: Request Fields for Batch Files.
  6. You can enter the data in one of three ways:
    • Manually enter the information into the batch file.
    • Copy and paste the information into the batch file.
    • Write a script that loads the information into the batch file.

    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

    Files that include non-ISO-8859-1 characters (letters with diacritical markings) are processed, but the characters appear as question marks when the transaction details are viewed in the
    Business Center
     and in the reports.
  7. Change the value of the file header field
    recordCount
     from 0 to the number of data records (transactions) in the file.
  8. Save the file.
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