Mapping Your Data to Metro 2®

Introduction

One of the most challenging aspects of credit reporting is mapping your existing data fields to the Metro 2® format. This guide will help you understand how to transform your internal data structures into the standardized Metro 2® format required by consumer reporting agencies.

Understanding Your Source Data

Before mapping to Metro 2®, it's important to identify and categorize your source data:

• Account Information: Details about the credit account itself (balances, dates, status)
• Consumer Information: Details about the primary account holder
• Associated Consumers: Details about any joint account holders or authorized users
• Special Conditions: Any special circumstances like bankruptcy, disputes, etc.

Core Mapping Strategy

Follow these steps to create an effective mapping strategy:

1. Create a Field Mapping Document

Document each field in your system and its corresponding Metro 2® field. This should include:

• Your internal field name
• Metro 2® field name and location (segment/field number)
• Data type and format requirements
• Any transformation logic needed
• Default values (if applicable)

2. Map Portfolio and Account Types

The Portfolio Type (Base/8) and Account Type (Base/9) fields are critical for proper reporting:

3. Map Account Status Codes

Account Status (Base/17A) is another critical field that requires careful mapping:

4. Handle Date Formats

Metro 2® requires all dates in MMDDYYYY format. Create conversion functions for any date fields:

// Example JavaScript date conversion function
function formatDateForMetro2(dateObj) {
  if (!dateObj) return '00000000'; // Default for optional dates

  const month = String(dateObj.getMonth() + 1).padStart(2, '0');
  const day = String(dateObj.getDate()).padStart(2, '0');
  const year = String(dateObj.getFullYear());

  return month + day + year;
}

5. Map Address Information

Consumer address information must be properly formatted:

• Convert all text to uppercase
• Remove special characters (except hyphens, periods, apostrophes, and spaces)
• Abbreviate as needed (ST for STREET, APT for APARTMENT)
• Split between street_address1 and street_address2 appropriately

// Example address formatting function
function formatAddressForMetro2(address) {
  // Convert to uppercase
  let formattedAddress = address.toUpperCase();

  // Replace common words with abbreviations
  formattedAddress = formattedAddress
    .replace('STREET', 'ST')
    .replace('AVENUE', 'AVE')
    .replace('APARTMENT', 'APT')
    .replace('BOULEVARD', 'BLVD');

  // Truncate if needed
  return formattedAddress.substring(0, 32);
}

Special Segment Mapping

Associated Consumers (J1/J2 Segments)

If your accounts can have joint holders or authorized users, map these to J1 or J2 segments:

• J1 Segment: Use when the associated consumer has the same address as primary
• J2 Segment: Use when the associated consumer has a different address

Original Creditor (K1 Segment)

For collection agencies and debt buyers, include K1 segment:

// Example K1 segment mapping
if (accountType === 'collection' || accountType === 'purchased_debt') {
  k1Segment = {
    segment_identifier: 'K1',
    original_creditor_name: originalCreditorName.toUpperCase(),
    creditor_classification: mapCreditorType(originalCreditorType)
  };
}

Payment History Profile (Base/18)

The Payment History Profile requires special attention:

• Contains up to 24 months of payment history (most recent to oldest)
• Each position represents one month using single-character codes
• Common values: 0 (current), 1 (30 days), 2 (60 days), 3 (90 days), etc.

// Example Payment History Profile generation
function generatePaymentHistoryProfile(monthlyStatuses) {
  // Ensure array is sorted most recent first
  const sortedStatuses = [...monthlyStatuses].slice(0, 24);

  // Map internal status codes to Metro 2 codes
  const mappedStatuses = sortedStatuses.map(status => {
    switch(status) {
      case 'CURRENT': return '0';
      case '30_DAYS_LATE': return '1';
      case '60_DAYS_LATE': return '2';
      case '90_DAYS_LATE': return '3';
      // Add other mappings as needed
      default: return '0';
    }
  });

  // Pad with zeros if less than 24 months
  while (mappedStatuses.length < 24) {
    mappedStatuses.push('0');
  }

  return mappedStatuses.join('');
}

Validation and Testing

After mapping your fields, test your implementation:

1. Use sample data to generate Metro 2® JSON
2. Validate against our API schema
3. Use our sandbox environment to test submissions
4. Review validation results and make adjustments

Common Mapping Challenges

Handling Missing Required Fields

For some required fields, you may need fallback strategies:

• Social Security Number: If unavailable, consider using a valid fill value (e.g., nine nines)
• Date of Birth: Required if SSN is missing; make sure to collect this
• Date of First Delinquency: Critical for delinquent accounts; ensure your systems track this properly

Special Condition Mapping

Some conditions require special handling:

• Bankruptcies: Use Consumer Information Indicator codes (Base/38) for bankruptcy status
• Disputes: Use Compliance Condition Code XB (Base/20) for accounts under dispute
• Fraud/Identity Theft: Use Special Comment Code XF (Base/19)

Conclusion

Mapping your data to Metro 2® format is a critical step in credit reporting. By following this guide and referring to the Metro 2® CRRG®, you can ensure your data is properly formatted for successful reporting through our API.