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Technical Specifications

Electronic Filing of Campaign Expense Reports


Changes from Previous Specifications

There have been several changes to the technical specifications for electronic filing of campaign expense reports. There have been changes to the layout for all five data files. These changes were necessitated by the changes to the paper campaign expense reporting form. Highlights of the changes are listed below: In all five files, (filer.txt, contrib.txt, expense.txt, debt.txt and receipt.txt) the year has been added. >In the filer.txt file, the separate fields for candidate name (last, first, middle and suffix) have been removed. If the report is filed by a candidate, the name should be concatenated into the filer name field. In the filer.txt file, the treasurer name, address and phone number has been removed. The only address that is to be provided now is the address from the expense report cover sheet. In the filer.txt file, the office codes have changed from numeric to more intuitive 3-letter codes. Refer to the office code table below. In the filer.txt file, the party codes have been changed from numeric to more intuitive 3-letter codes. Refer to the party code table below. In the contrib.txt file , a new section code field has been added. This is to identify which section of the report the contribution record is to appear. In the contrib.txt file, the contributing committee number has been removed. In the contrib.txt file, there are now three separate date and amount fields to indicate if a particular contributor has given multiple contributions to the filer during the reporting period. In the contrib.txt file, the payment method has been removed. In the expense.txt file , the recipient identification number has been removed. In the expense.txt file, the expenditure code has been removed. In county code table , Forest county should be number 27, and Franklin county should be number 28. This is to correct an oversight in the original specifications.

The Department will support these new specifications immediately. It is our hope that the certified vendors will have their applications modified, and distributed to their customers by December 31, 1999. The Department will stop supporting the original specifications at some point past that date.


General Requirements for All Files

All data files provided to the Department of State must be ASCII text files. All data files must be comma (,) delimited; that is, a comma must separate all fields in the file. All data files must be text qualified with double quotation marks ("); that is, any field defined as alphanumeric must be enclosed by double quotation marks. A sample of this type of file is provided below:

1234,"Mary Jones",150.00,"123 East Main Street","Anytown","PA","171021234"

5678,"William A. Smith",,"123 West Main Street","Anytown","PA",""

In this sample, there are seven fields. The first field is a numeric field, followed by an alphanumeric name field, a numeric dollar amount field, an alphanumeric address field, and alphanumeric city field, an alphanumeric state code field and finally, an alphanumeric zip code field. In the case where no value is available for a numeric field, only a comma should be placed in the file. For alphanumeric fields that are not available, a set of empty double quotation marks should be placed in the file. These cases are both illustrated in the second record above. Note : This sample is for illustration purposes only.


Files to Be Provided

There are five basic types of information that are to be data entered: basic filer information, contributions, other receipts, expenditures and debts. This information will be provided to the Department of State in five files: filer.txt, contrib.txt, receipt.txt, expense.txt and debt.txt, respectively.

Filer.txt will contain the information about each filer. This information is found primarily on the first page of the expense report. Contrib.txt will contain contribution information from Schedule I, Parts A, B, C and D as well as in-kind contributions from Schedule II, Parts F and G. Receipt.txt will contain information from Schedule I, Part E. Expense.txt will contain information from Schedule III. Debt.txt will contain information from schedule IV.


 
Filer.txt
This file is to contain basic filer information. This information is found primarily on the report cover sheet.
Field Data Type Source and Comments
Filer Identification Number Numeric, 7 Cover sheet
Year Numeric, 4 Cover sheet
Report Type/Cycle Code Numeric, 2 Cover sheet, Must be 1-7. See cycle code table.
Amendment Alphanumeric, 1 Cover sheet, Y if report is an amendment, N otherwise.
Termination Alphanumeric, 1 Cover sheet, Y if report is a termination, N otherwise.
Filer Type Code (1,2 or 3) Alphanumeric, 1 Cover sheet, 1 Candidate, 2 Committee or 3 Lobbyist.
Filer Name Alphanumeric, 255 Cover sheet
Filer Office Alphanumeric, 3 Cover sheet, See office code table.
Filer District Alphanumeric, 3 Cover sheet
Filer Party Alphanumeric, 3 Cover sheet, See party code table.
Filer Address 1 Alphanumeric, 50 Cover sheet
Filer Address 2 Alphanumeric, 50 Cover sheet
Filer City Alphanumeric, 25 Cover sheet
Filer State Alphanumeric, 2 Cover sheet
Filer Zip Code Alphanumeric, 9 Cover sheet, 5 plus 4. No separator
Filer County Alphanumeric, 2 Cover sheet, See county code table.
Filer Phone Alphanumeric, 10 Cover sheet, Area code and phone, no parentheses or dashes.
Beginning Cash Balance Numeric, 9.2 Cover sheet, (999999999.99) Include decimal
Unitemized Monetary Contributions Numeric, 9.2 Sch. I Detailed Summary (999999999.99)Include decimal
Unitemized In-Kind Contributions Numeric, 9.2 Sch. II Detailed Summary (999999999.99)Include decimal


Contrib.txt
This file is to contain contributions from Schedule I, Parts A, B, C and D and Schedule II, Parts F and G.
Field Data Type Source and Comments
Filer Identification Number Numeric, 7 Cover sheet
Year Numeric, 4 Cover sheet
Report Cycle Code Numeric, 1 Cover sheet
Section Code Alphanumeric, 3 Identifies section of report,IA, IB, IC, ID, IIF or IIG
Contributor Name Alphanumeric, 255 Schedule I or II
Contributor Address 1 Alphanumeric, 50 Schedule I or II
Contributor Address 2 Alphanumeric, 50 Schedule I or II
Contributor City Alphanumeric, 25 Schedule I or II
Contributor State Alphanumeric, 2 Schedule I or II
Contributor Zip Code Alphanumeric, 9 Schedule I or II , 5 plus 4. No separator in field.
Contributor Occupation Alphanumeric, 25 Schedule I or II
Employer Name Alphanumeric, 255 Schedule I Part D or II Part G
Employer Address 1 Alphanumeric, 50 Schedule I Part D or II Part G
Employer Address 2 Alphanumeric, 50 Schedule I Part D or II Part G
Employer City Alphanumeric, 25 Schedule I Part D or II Part G
Employer State Alphanumeric, 2 Schedule I Part D or II Part G
Employer Zip Code Alphanumeric, 9 Schedule I Part D or II Part G, 5 plus 4. No separator
Contribution Date 1 Alphanumeric, 8 Schedule I or II, (YYYYMMDD), No separators.
Contribution Amount 1 Numeric, 9.2 Schedule I or II, (999999999.99), Include decimal.
Contribution Date 2 Alphanumeric, 8 Schedule I or II (YYYYMMDD) No separators, I.
Contribution Amount 2 Numeric, 9.2 Schedule I or II, (999999999.99), Include decimal.
Contribution Date 3 Alphanumeric, 8 Schedule I or II (YYYYMMDD) No separators, I.
Contribution Amount 3 Numeric, 9.2 Schedule I or II, (999999999.99),Include decimal.
Contribution Description Alphanumeric, 255 Schedule II Part F or G


Receipt.txt
This file is to contain other receipt information from Schedule I Part E of the expense report.
Field Data Type Source and Comments
Filer Identification Number Numeric, 7 Cover sheet
Year Numeric, 4 Cover sheet
Report Cycle Code Numeric, 1 Cover sheet
Source of Receipt (Name) Alphanumeric, 255 Schedule I Part E
Source of Receipt (Address 1) Alphanumeric, 50 Schedule I Part E
Source of Receipt (Address 2) Alphanumeric, 50 Schedule I Part E
Source of Receipt (City) Alphanumeric, 25 Schedule I Part E
Source of Receipt (State) Alphanumeric, 2 Schedule I Part E
Source of Receipt (Zip Code) Alphanumeric, 9 Schedule I Part E , 5 plus 4. No separator
Receipt Description Alphanumeric, 255 Schedule I Part E
Receipt Date Alphanumeric, 8 Schedule I Part E, (YYYYMMDD), No separators.
Receipt Amount Number, 9.2 Schedule I Part E, (999999999.99), Include decimal.


Expense.txt
This file is to contain expenditure information from Schedule III of the expense report.
Field Data Type Source and Comments
Filer Identification Number Numeric, 7 Cover sheet
Year Numeric, 4 Cover sheet
Report Cycle Code Numeric, 1 Cover sheet
Recipient Name Alphanumeric, 255 Schedule III
Recipient Address 1 Alphanumeric, 50 Schedule III
Recipient Address 2 Alphanumeric, 50 Schedule III
Recipient City Alphanumeric, 25 Schedule III
Recipient State Alphanumeric, 2 Schedule III
Recipient Zip Code Alphanumeric, 9 Schedule III, 5 plus 4. No separator
Expenditure Date Alphanumeric, 8 Schedule III, (YYYYMMDD), No separators.
Expenditure Amount Numeric, 9.2 Schedule III, (999999999.99), Include decimal.
Expenditure Description Alphanumeric, 255 Schedule III


Debt.txt
This file is to contain debt information from Schedule IV of the expense report.
Field Data Type Source and Comments
Filer Identification Number Numeric, 7 Cover sheet
Year Numeric, 4 Cover sheet
Report Cycle Code Numeric, 1 Cover sheet
Creditor Name Alphanumeric, 255 Schedule IV
Creditor Address 1 Alphanumeric, 50 Schedule IV
Creditor Address 2 Alphanumeric, 50 Schedule IV
Creditor City Alphanumeric, 25 Schedule IV
Creditor State Alphanumeric, 2 Schedule IV
Creditor Zip Code Alphanumeric, 9 Schedule IV, 5 plus 4. No separator
Date Debt Incurred Alphanumeric, 8 Schedule IV, (YYYYMMDD), No separators.
Amount of Debt Numeric, 9.2 Schedule IV, (999999999.99), Include decimal.
Description of Debt Alphanumeric, 255 Schedule IV


Pennsylvania County Code Table:
01 - Adams 24 - Elk 47 - Montour
02 - Allegheny 25 - Erie 48 - Northampton
03 - Armstrong 26 - Fayette 49 - Northumberland
04 - Beaver 27 - Forest 50 - Perry
05 - Bedford 28 - Franklin 51 - Philadelphia
06 - Berks 29 - Fulton 52 - Pike
07 - Blair 30 - Greene 53 - Potter
08 - Bradford 31 - Huntingdon 54 - Schuylkill
09 - Bucks 32 - Indiana 55 - Snyder
10 - Butler 33 - Jefferson 56 - Somerset
11 - Cambria 34 - Juniata 57 - Sullivan
12 - Cameron 33 - Lackawanna 58 - Susquehanna
13 - Carbon 36 - Lancaster 59 - Tioga
14 - Centre 37 - Lawrence 60 - Union
15 - Chester 38 - Lebanon 61 - Venango
16 - Clarion 39 - Lehigh 62 - Warren
17 - Clearfield 40 - Luzerne 63 - Washington
18 - Clinton 41 - Lycoming 64 - Wayne
19 - Columbia 42 - McKean 65 - Westmoreland
20 - Crawford 43 - Mercer 66 - Wyoming
21 - Cumberland 44 - Mifflin 67 - York
22 - Dauphin 45 - Monroe  
23 - Delaware 46 - Montgomery  


Report Type/Cycle Code Table
01 6 th Tuesday Pre Primary Election
02 2 nd Friday Pre Primary Election
03 30 Day Post Primary Election
04 6 th Tuesday Pre General/Municipal Election
05 2 nd Friday Pre General/Municipal Election
06 30 Day Post General/Municipal Election
07 Annual Report
08 2nd Friday Pre-Special Election
09 30-Day Post Special Election


Office Code Table
GOV Governor
LTG Lieutenant Governor
ATT Attorney General
AUD Auditor General
TRE State Treasurer
SPM Justice of the Supreme Court
SPR Judge of the Superior Court
CCJ Judge of the Commonwealth Court
STS Senator in the General Assembly
STH Representative in the General Assembly
CPJ Judge of the Court of Common Pleas
MCJ Judge of the Municipal Court
TCJ Judge of the Traffic Court
PH1 Mayor, City of Philadelphia
PH2 District Attorney, City of Philadelphia
PH3 City Controller, City of Philadelphia
PH4 City Council Member, City of Philadelphia
PH5 City Commissioner, City of Philadelphia
PH6 Register of Wills, City of Philadelphia
PH7 Clerk of Quarter Sessions, City of Philadelphia


Party Code Table
DEM Democratic Party
REP Republican Party
CST Constitutional Party
LIB Libertarian Party
REF Reform Party
OTH Other