Format ErrorsCritical

    E001Invalid Record Length

    The record length does not match the expected 426 or 366 characters

    Description

    Metro 2 format requires fixed-length records. The standard format uses 426 characters per record (with all segments), while the character format uses 366 characters. This error occurs when a record does not match either expected length, often due to missing or extra characters, incorrect line endings, or encoding issues.

    Common Causes

    • Incorrect line ending characters (should be no line endings within the file)
    • Missing padding characters at the end of records
    • Extra whitespace or hidden characters
    • Incorrect character encoding (should be ASCII)
    • Truncated records due to file transfer issues

    How to Fix

    1. 1Verify each record is exactly 426 or 366 characters
    2. 2Remove any line ending characters within the file
    3. 3Ensure proper padding with spaces for text fields
    4. 4Use ASCII encoding only
    5. 5Check file transfer mode (use binary, not text mode)

    Examples

    Invalid
    HEADER0721...(420 characters)
    Valid
    HEADER0721...(426 characters with proper padding)
    Records must be padded to exactly 426 characters with spaces

    Related Errors

    E002
    Invalid Record Identifier
    The record identifier in positions 1-4 is not valid
    E003
    Invalid Character Encoding
    The file contains non-ASCII or invalid characters

    More Format Errors

    E002
    Invalid Record Identifier
    E003
    Invalid Character Encoding

    Catch Errors Before Submission

    Metro2 software validates every field and catches errors like E001 before you submit to the credit bureaus.

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