ABA Format File Overview

An ABA file format is also known as a Direct Entry file, a Cemtext file format or simply as an ABA file.

What is the ABA file format?

Issued by the Australian Bankers Association (ABA) the ABA or Cemtext file format is a format used by banks to allow for batch transactions.

Whilst not a “standard” most Australian Banks have adopted this format by default. The guys behind CemtexABA.com, 101010 Pty Ltd have built ABA exports for clients who use banks such as Bank of Queensland, NAB and Westpac and have rolled this technology into a standalone web application CemtexABA

An ABA file format is also known as a Direct Entry file, a Cemtext file format or simply as an ABA file. An ABA file has the extension “.aba” and is (usually) a standard ASCII format with Windows style new line characters.

ABA file example

The following is an ABA file example. To create a live ABA file from your data, visit our ABA file generator. (Note all account numbers shown are ficticious)

0                 01BQL       MY NAME                   1111111004231633  230410
1000-000157108231 530000001234S R SMITH                       TEST BATCH        062-000 12223123MY ACCOUNT      00001200
1000-000 12312312 530000002200J K MATTHEWS                    TEST BATCH        062-000 12223123MY ACCOUNT      00000030
1000-000   125123 530003123513P R JONES                       TEST BATCH        062-000 12223123MY ACCOUNT      00000000
1000-000    11422 530000002300S MASLIN                        TEST BATCH        062-000 12223123MY ACCOUNT      00000000
7999-999            000312924700031292470000000000                        000004

File History

Originally ABA files were encoded in the Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange (EBCDIC) character set on 120 column wide punch cards. Each record was encoded on a single punch card, with a seperate descriptive record card and file total record card at the start and end of a batch. Therefore a batch of transactions was encoded as a collection of cards.

We no longer use punch cards, but the flat file format established in this era survies as 120 character (now ASCII) wide instructions with each record now occupying a new line in a file.

Example of an 80 column punch card, Gift of Robert A. McConnell, Smithsonian

Why would you use an ABA file?

The ABA file format is generally used to process “batches” of transactions. If you have a payroll system, you can upload a “batch” of all your transactions to be processed in one hit.

You would therefore use an ABA file if you want to save time and remove data entry errors doing groups of transactions.

ABA file technical details

For the authoritative technical details of the Cemtext ABA / Direct Entry file format, visit ABA file format technical details for a full transcript of this format.

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