The Data Reference Guide (DRG) contains XML specifications for all data items submitted to us online as part of Mandatory Electronic Reporting (MER). These items are set out in our Handbook.
The specifications only apply to FCA data items - read more about CRD IV or CRR Common Reporting (COREP) & Financial Reporting (FINREP) returns.
View the individual data item guides from the links on the right.
Each data item specification contains (subject to change):
- an Excel spreadsheet - the latest and previous versions of the data definition plus the Handbook layout with sample data
- an XML schema - the latest (and where possible) previous versions, each with one or two sample XML files
- a schema structure diagram - a PDF and a JPEG file showing the logical diagram (message map)
- an Excel template - you can import the raw data from a submitted data item here to give you an Excel version
The DRG change log (latest version is 35) explains the ongoing changes we have made since the first components were published on 23 March 2007.
See the most recent updates to the DRG.
The following tables give access to the components of the DRG. If the guide is new to you, then please read our DRG Introduction first. This explains in detail how all the material fits together.
General MER documentation
| Document (PDF file) | Description |
|---|---|
| DRG Introduction v4 [PDF] (7 October 2009) | This provides an overview of Mandatory Electronic Reporting and the Data Reference Guide (DRG) and includes a description of all the other material that makes up the DRG. You should read this before looking at the other material |
| Cross Validation Rules v12 [PDF] (12 July 2016) | A list of all the cross Data Item validation rules that must be met. |
| DRG Profile Switch Rules v2 [PDF] (1 June 2010) | A description of the rules that switch on or off some sections of some of the RMA data items. |
General schemas
| View individual files (new web page) |
Download full specification (ZIP file) |
|---|---|
| Common Types (Common data types schema referenced by all data items. All data item definitions are valid with the latest version of the Common Types schema and it is recommended that only this latest version is used. Some published data item schemas will still refer to older versions of the Common Types schema. This is to avoid publishing new versions of data items if nothing has changed in the data item and the changes to Common Types has no impact on that data item) | version 9.0 (30 June 2015) |
| PSD Common Types (Common data types schema referenced by PSD data items. All data item definitions are valid with the latest version of the PSD CommonTypes schema and it is recommended that only this latest version is used.) | version 1.2 (1 June 2012) |
| SDS001 (Shared definition schema referenced by FSA031, FSA032 and RMA-E) | version 8 (1 December 2011) |
| SDS002 (Shared definition schema referenced by MLA-F and MLA-H) | version 2 (25 January 2008) |
| SDS003 (Shared definition schema referenced by data items that can be reported on a consolidated basis) | version 4 (7 October 2009) |
| SDS004 (Shared definition schema referenced by data items RMA-D1 and RMA-D1-D2) | version 1 (5 June 2008) |
| MetaData (Meta data referenced by all data items, but not necessary for submission of data to the FCA) | version 1.0 (23 March 2007) |
Data items
| View individual files (new web page) |
Download full specification (ZIP file) |
|---|---|
| Complaints-FOL This is the version of the Complaints data item as presented in the Firms OnLine (FOL) system and set out in Legal Instrument 2005/11. It applied to return periods ending between 30 September 2008 and 31 July 2009. | version 1 (16 November 2007) |
| CQ Quarterly return for credit unions | version 2 (25 January 2008) |
| CY Annual return for credit unions | version 2.1 (29 January 2009) |
| FSA002 Income statement | version 3.2 (20 December 2010) |
| FSA004 Further breakdown of certain credit risk data | version 5.1 (30 June 2011) |
| FSA005 Market risk | version 7.1 (4 November 2011) |
| FSA006 Market risk - Supplementary data | FSA006 cannot be submitted in XML format |
| FSA007 Operational risk | version 2.1 (29 January 2009) |
| FSA009 Key data during 2007 | FSA009 cannot be submitted in XML format |
| FSA010 Mismatch liquidity | version 4.1 (6 February 2009) |
| FSA011 Building society liquidity | version 4 (7 October 2009) |
| FSA012 Non-deposit-taking EEA bank liquidity | version 2 (25 January 2008) |
| FSA013 Stock liquidity | version 3 (25 January 2008) |
| FSA014 Forecast data from firms | version 2 (16 November 2007) |
| FSA015 Sectoral information, including arrears and impairment | version 4.4 (1 March 2011) |
| FSA016 Solo consolidated data | version 2 (16 November 2007) |
| FSA017 Interest rate gap report | version 4 (13 November 2009) |
| FSA019 Pillar 2 information | version 6 (20 December 2010) |
| FSA020 ELMIs balance sheet | version 2 (25 January 2008) |
| FSA021 Income statement ELMIs | version 1 (31 August 2007) |
| FSA022 ELMIs capital requirements | version 2 (25 January 2008) |
| FSA023 Foreign exchange risk (electronic money institutions) | version 2 (16 November 2007) |
| FSA024 Large exposures (electronic money institutions) | version 2 (25 January 2008) |
| FSA025 Liquidity (electronic money institutions) | version 3 (25 January 2008) |
| FSA026 ELMI questions | version 1 (31 August 2007) |
| FSA027 Small e-money issuer | version 1 (31 August 2007) |
| FSA028 Non-EEA sub-group | version 4 (30 September 2011) |
| FSA033 Capital adequacy for firms subject to IPRU (INV) Ch 3 | version 1 (12 October 2007) |
| FSA034 Capital adequacy for firms subject to IPRU (INV) Ch 5 not subject to exemption in IPRU (INV) 5.2.3(2)R | version 2.1 (5 June 2008) |
| FSA035 Capital adequacy for firms subject to IPRU (INV) Ch 5 subject to exemption in IPRU (INV) 5.2.3(2)R | version 1.4 (1 June 2010) |
| FSA036 Capital adequacy for UCITS firms subject to UPRU | version 2 (1 December 2009) |
| FSA037 | This data item no longer applies |
| FSA038 Volumes and type of business | version 1 (12 October 2007) |
| FSA039 Client money and client assets | version 1 (12 October 2007) |
| FSA040 CFTC data: Specialist data for firms subject to CFTC part 30 exemption order in respect of open positions for LME transactions of US customers | version 2 (5 June 2008) |
| FSA041 Asset managers that use hedge fund techniques report | version 1 (12 October 2007) |
| FSA042 UCITS | version 1 (12 October 2007) |
| FSA043 | This data item no longer applies |
| FSA044 Analysis of assets and deposits by maturity | version 5 (13 November) |
| FSA045 IRB portfolio risk | version 6 (4 March 2011) |
| FSA046 Securitisation: Non-Trading Book | version 8 (4 November 2011) |
| FSA057 Payment Services Directive Transactions | version 1.2 (26 November 2012) |
| FSA058 Securitisation: Trading Book | version 3 (4 November 2011) |
| MLA-A1-A2 Balance sheet | version 1.1 (1 June 2010) |
| MLA-A3 Analysis of loans to customers | version 1 (12 October 2007) |
| MLA-B1 Income statement | version 1 (12 October 2007) |
| MLA-B2 Provisions analysis | version 1 (12 October 2007) |
| MLA-E Residential lending to individuals - new business profile | version 2 (25 January 2008) |
| MLA-F Lending - arrears analysis | version 2 (25 January 2008) |
| MLA-H Mortgage administration - arrears analysis | version 2 (25 January 2008) |
| RMA-G Training and competence | version 3 (1 June 2012) |
| RMA-I Supplementary product sales data | version 3 (16 August 2010) |