BACS Payment file error: 'Legal entity address is missing required field'

This article covers why a payment file fails in iplicit with the error 'Legal entity address is missing required field city' (or another address field), including BACS file errors. There has been an update to SEPA and related payment file formats to meet the structured address requirements in ISO 20022 SEPA. iplicit now needs a complete address on the bank branch and on the registered address of the legal entity you are paying from.

The payment file error for a missing address

When you process a bulk payment using an affected payment file format, iplicit shows an error message if an address is incomplete, for example 'Legal entity address is missing required field city'. The message names the missing field and the legal entity.

Which payment file formats need a complete address

The change affects the following payment file formats:

• Bank Of Ireland – SEPA pain.001.001.03
• Bank Of Ireland – SEPA pain.001.001.09
• HSBC Cross-border USD pain.001.001.03
• HSBC SEPA Priority Payments UK HSBC_pain.001.001.02_TARGETandInternationalPayments_United Kingdom
• HSBC SEPA UK BACS ACH Credit HSBC_pain.001.001.02_LowValuePayment_UK BACS
• HSBC UK FPS pain.001.001.03
• Non SCT pain.001.001.09
• SEPA pain.001.001.02
• SEPA pain.001.001.03
• SEPA pain.001.001.09
• SWIFT PSET pain.001.001.03
• UK FPS pain.001.001.03.

Creating or editing the bank branch address on a bank account

Complete the branch address first, then the legal entity address. You create or edit the branch from the 'Branch' field on the bank account. If your bank doesn't have a branch yet, you need to create one.

1. Search for 'Bank accounts' and open the bank account you pay from
2. Select 'Edit' and open the 'Details' tab
3. Go to the 'Branch' field. If there is no branch for your bank yet, create a new one from the 'Branch' field
4. If a branch is already selected, hold Ctrl and click into it to open it for editing
5. Complete the full address: 'Address', 'Post code', 'City', 'Region' and 'Country'
6. Save the branch
7. Check the branch is selected in the 'Branch' field, then save the bank account.

Repeat these steps for every bank account that uses one of the payment file formats listed above.

Completing the registered address on the legal entity

The legal entity named in the error also needs a complete registered address.

1. Search for 'Legal Entities' and open the legal entity named in the error
2. Drill into the contact account and select 'Edit'
3. Complete every field of the registered address, including 'City'
4. Save the changes
5. Return to the bulk payment and process it again.

Repeat steps one to four for every legal entity you pay from.