Section 10. INPUT FILE — 0426 Publ 3373 (PDF)

Each agency must submit an input file to receive information from the IRS. The IRS will only accept state input files via IRS approved secure file transmission method. Note: The information for a tax year is available from July to June. The query of the same subject will produce the same results during that 12-month period. Therefore, it is not necessary to submit the entire database of clients every month since the information in the database will produce the same results. Accordingly, some state agencies submit the lists of new clients monthly and their entire database on an annual basis. Other agencies choose to submit their requests once per year. A record is considered unique when the entire row differs from all other rows in the agency file. Please take this into consideration when determining your submission schedule. If you have any questions, contact (763) 347-7394.

• Incoming request file name must be in the following format: AA123DIFSLAyyyycc.txt,¶

AA = state abbreviation, 123 = agency number, yyyy = tax processing year, and cc = cycle.

• See Section 11 for control file naming convention.¶

Shown below is the Record Layout for Input/Tickler Files. The file is 134 characters:

1-3	Agency Code – Three-digit number. See Attachment #3 REQUIRED. This identifies the agency that originated the request. The three-digit number is assigned by the IRS when a formal application is approved. Please see Attachment 3 for your agency code.	3
4	Filler REQUIRED. Blank fill this position.	1
5-7	Tax Year Code REQUIRED. Enter “F01” into these positions (numeric zero not an alpha 0).	3
8-17	Filler REQUIRED. Blank fill these positions.	10

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18	New Record Indicator REQUIRED. Enter “N” into this position.	1
19	Request Type REQUIRED. Enter “E” into this position	1
20-21	Document Type REQUIRED. Enter “99” into these positions	2
22	Primary TIN Validity Indicator REQUIRED. Enter “0” (zero) into this position.	1
23	Secondary TIN Validity Indicator REQUIRED. Enter “0” (zero) into this position.	1
24-32	Primary TIN REQUIRED. Enter the SSN of the requested individual. This field must be ALL NUMERICS.	9
33	Filler REQUIRED. Insert a blank into this position.	1
34-42	Secondary TIN REQUIRED. Enter the SSN of the individual’s spouse. This field must be ALL NUMERICS, if present. Otherwise, zero fill. IRS does not provide any matching data on this SSN.	9
43-49	Assistance Codes REQUIRED. Enter the code(s) for the assistance program(s) requesting information. Left justify and blank fill. This code represents the program(s) requesting return information. The field may contain up to seven codes. Federal agencies requesting information for quality control purposes should use code 9 plus the code representing the assistance program being monitored. 1 = a State program funded under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act 2 = Medicaid 3 = SSI Benefits 4 = Cash Assistance 5 = Unemployment Compensation 6 = Food Stamps 7 = State Supplementary Payments 8 = Veterans’ Benefits 9 = Federal Quality Control	7
50-53	Name Control 1 REQUIRED. Enter the first four letters of the last name. Left justify and blank fill if the name is less than four letters. Alpha characters/capital letters only, special characters are not accepted.	4

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Field Positions 54-57	Field Name/Description Name Control 2	Field Length 4
54-57	Name Control 2 REQUIRED. If the Secondary TIN is present (pos 29-37), Name Control 2 is REQUIRED. Enter the first four letters of the Secondary TIN’s last name. Left justify and blank fill. Alpha characters/ capital letters only, special characters are not accepted. IRS does not provide any matching data on Name Control 2. OPTIONAL. If the Secondary TIN is not present, blank fill.	4
58-78	Requesting Agency Information OPTIONAL. Provided for Requesting Agency use. It is an optional information field. If used, the information will be duplicated and returned on the IRS information document (positions 411-431)	21
79-88	Filler REQUIRED. Blank (alpha) fill these positions.	10
89	D3 File Indicator REQUIRED. Specify preference for D3 invalid file. Blank = create file S = suppress file	1
90-92	Agency Abbreviation Code REQUIRED. This identifies the IRS which originated the request. The 2 alpha state abbreviations or 2 alpha state abbreviations and 1 numeric code is assigned by the Service when a formal application is approved. Left justify and blank fill if the abbreviation is less than three characters. Federal agencies will have 3 alpha characters only. See Attachment 2, for appropriate agency’s abbreviation code.	3
93-96	Filler REQUIRED. Blank (alpha) fill these positions.	4
97	Requested Output (State Agencies via IRS approved secure file transmission method ONLY and Federal agencies via Connect Direct). Tape cartridges are no longer available. Please leave this field blank.	1
98-134	Filler REQUIRED. Blank fill these positions.	37

All records in the DIFSLA data file should be in the format that is specified in this handbook. Do not add the record count or other trailer information in the data file. Adding additional information will create errors in the file. Files that have an error rate greater than 5% will not process successfully.

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Exceptions & meaning →