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Testing XML files

XML (Extensible Markup Language) files are used in multiple ways in banks.

For example:

  • pain.001 (payment initiation files)
  • SEPA/Instant messages between banks - for example pacs.008 files
  • TARGET2 messages between banks - for example pacs.008 files
  • customer xml statements
  • internal integration message/data transfer

XSD (XML schema definition) files are used to validate the content of XML files.
XML files contain an attribute that describes what XSD file it depends on. This means that if we take any XML file, we can use a tool (for example Notepad++ with XMLTools plugin) to validate if the content of the XML file is schema valid.

Such validations are often done in internal as well as external banking systems - so it is important to know how to check that a XML file is valid.

For example this XSD file from Latvia Central Bank examples: Pacs.008.001.08.xsd

Can be used to check that this XML file from Latvia Central Bank examples is valid: pacs008 - Instant payment message example.xml