Will any services not be provided in the future?

<div><div><div><p>Handelsbanken will not support paper-based payments in the P27 environment. The end-date for cash payments/payment slips is 31 January 2025.</p></div></div></div>

Which file formats are to be used in the future?

<div><div><div><p>The format standard which will be used in P27, which is becoming increasingly dominant internationally as well, is called ISO 20022. This standard will gradually replace the existing formats, and may be used for payments within Sweden, as well as for cross-border payments.</p></div></div></div>

For how long will I be able to send LB files to Handelsbanken?

<div><div><div><p>Handelsbanken stops receiving LB files on 31 March 2022. This format is replaced by ISO pain.001.</p></div></div></div>

For how long will I receive LB Åter files from Handelsbanken?

<div><div><div><p>When sending payment files in the format pain.001, performed payments are reported in the format camt.054 debit, not LB Åter.</p><p>Detailed payment information is also included in the camt.053 extended account statement.</p></div></div></div>

For how long will I be able to send KI files to Handelsbanken?

<div><div><div><p>Handelsbanken stops receiving KI files on 30 April 2022. This format is replaced by ISO pain.001.</p></div></div></div>

We are an accounting firm that receives deposit information for several companies from Bankgiro. How will this work in the future?

<div><div><div><p>You will need to establish communications with each bank, or go via a service agency, e.g. Pagero, which will collect the files and send them to the accounting firm (file communication with Bankgiro will not be fully replaced until 2024).</p></div></div></div>

Can I do the changeover to the new file format and file transfer channels now?

Can I include all cross-border payments in the same file as local payments, or only cross-border payments within the Nordic region?

<div><div><div><p>All types of payments, including cross-border payments outside the Nordic region, can be carried out in the pain.001. file format.</p></div></div></div>

Will all cross-border payments be included in one back-reporting file from the Bank, or only payments from the Nordic region?

<div><div><div><p>All incoming cross-border payments will be reported in the same file (camt.054 credit, camt.053, camt.053 extended).</p></div></div></div>

Can I keep the supplier’s Bankgiro number in the payment file, or do I need to change this to an IBAN number?

<div><div><div><p>You can still have the Bankgiro number as the beneficiary account.</p></div></div></div>

How will UTLI/SISU be replaced for payments to beneficiaries outside the Nordic countries?

<div><div><div><p>UTLI and SISU will be replaced by the pain.001 file format, which can be used for all payments, including all cross-border payments.</p></div></div></div>

As a corporate customer, do I have to add a new service to be able to send payments in the new file format?

<div><div><div><p>No, no new agreements/mandates will be required. All you have to do is to test the new file format.</p></div></div></div>

How do I start sending payments in the pain.001 format in Online Banking?

<div><div><div><p>No new agreements or mandates will be required. Before you can open up the Payments/Salaries [pain.001] alternative, a test file must be approved. To do this, go to File management and Administrate/Test file, and send a file. The received file will be checked, and the results can be found in Search for files/Files sent. A test report will show possible errors regarding the format or included payments. Once the errors have been corrected at source, you can redo the test an unlimited number of times. When your test file has been approved, you can start sending payment files in the new format.</p></div></div></div>

What do I need to do to be able to make salary payments?

<div><div><div><p>You will need the employee's account number, and any file payments must be sent using the pain.001 file format. The account number can be in either Swedish or IBAN account format.</p><p>The pain.001 file includes the name of the recipient. The mandates controlling access to this information might need to be revised.</p></div></div></div>

How do I offset credit invoices against debit invoices, and how will this netting information reach the beneficiary?

<div><div><div><p>The monitoring and netting of credit invoices must be handled by the business system before the payment is created. You can only offset to the extent that the payment states a positive amount. The references for the incoming debit and credit invoices can be sent together with the payment.</p></div></div></div>

How are credit invoices treated after implementation of pain.001 files?

<div><div><div><p>When using the file format pain.001, it is not possible to send individual credit invoices to the bank. To facilitate the client’s processes, we recommend that the client takes over the management of credit invoices in conjunction with the implementation of pain.001, including credit invoices already sent to the bank. </p><p>Credit invoices can be removed in the Search payment function. However, the bank will continue to monitor and apply credit invoices sent in the LB format until 30 October 2022.</p></div></div></div>

How do I know that my pain.001 file is correct?

<div><div><div><p>Before you send the file, you should check that it is correct in terms of format, i.e. ‘schema validation’. This is done via an XML validator (separate software). To support this check, the Bank provides XSD schemas on our web pages about schema: <a href="https://www.handelsbanken.se/en/corporate/accounts-payments/file-services/validation-against-schema">Validation against schema</a>. If the file passes this test, you can also check that the content complies with the rules by testing the file in Online Banking under File management/Administrate/Test file.</p></div></div></div>

Will all banks have the same rules for the ISO files?

<div><div><div><div>All implementation guides will follow the NPC regulations, but there are likely to be some differences. Handelsbanken’s implementation guides for ISO 20022 can be found via the <a href="https://www.handelsbanken.se/en/corporate/accounts-payments/file-services/file-formats">Corporate file formats</a>.</div></div></div></div>

For how long can files be sent to and from Bankgiro, for example via BG-Link?

<div><div><div><p>The current plan is that this will no longer be possible after Q3 2025. From then on, all file communication will be managed by the banks themselves. In conjunction with the changeover to another communication path, you may also need to change the file format to ISO.</p></div></div></div>

I send one file which concerns several banks to Bankgiro. How will this be affected?

<div><div><div><p>You will need to establish separate file communications with each bank. Some system providers/service agencies may be able to offer a multi-bank solution.</p></div></div></div>

Which communication solutions does Handelsbanken offer?

<div><div><div><p>The easiest solution is to use the Inbox and Outbox in Online Banking. If you wish to automate transfers, direct communication between your company and the Bank’s computers can be set up, i.e. a host-to-host solution. The easiest way of ensuring a P27-enabled file management system is to select a business system that communicates with Handelsbanken via the Bankintegration service. This solution is easy to link up to, and this will automate your payment procedures.</p><p><a href="pagenotfound" title="Bankintegration - view">Bankintegration</a> (Bank integration, in Swedish only)</p></div></div></div>

Which systems are P27-enabled?

<div><div><div>If the system can communicate with the Bank in accordance with the ISO 20022 standard, the conditions are good. Systems that support Handelsbanken’s Bankintegration and Affärstjänster services have these characteristics. In order to achieve full compatibility, the system must also be able to handle credit notes and references in accordance with the P27 regulations.</div><div><a href="pagenotfound" title="Bankintegration - view"><br /></a></div><div><a href="pagenotfound" title="Bankintegration - view">Bankintegration</a> (Bank integration, in Swedish only)</div><div><a href="pagenotfound" title="Affärstjänster - view">Affärstjänster</a> (Business services, in Swedish only)</div></div></div>

Will OCR continue to work with P27?

<div><div><div><p>Yes, OCR is an approved structured reference. However, if OCR is used, it is important that the sender enters the correct reference, otherwise the payment will be rejected. </p></div></div></div>

What can I do if my ERP system can’t manage the ISO formats in time?

<div><div><div><p>There are players in the market that can provide file conversion services between the old formats and the ISO formats. One of them is, for example, <a href="http://www.pagero.com">Pagero</a>.</p></div></div></div>

What do I do if I can’t find the answers to my questions here?

<div><div><div><p>Please send your question to <a href="mailto:p27@handelsbanken.se">p27@handelsbanken.se</a></p></div></div></div>

P27 – New Nordic payments platform

Q: Can I do the changeover to the new file format and file transfer channels now?

The P27 project is a shared, modern platform for payments within the Nordic region.

What does it involve?

A Nordic initiative

The P27 Nordic Payments Platform is a Nordic initiative, through which the goal is to create shared, modern and future-proof infrastructure for payments in the Nordic region. This is a collaborative project involving the banking industry, with the objective of promoting trade between the Nordic countries by facilitating real-time, cross-border payments. For Handelsbanken, this represents a major initiative, and preparatory measures for the transformation that P27 will entail are currently a major focus area.

The existing infrastructure for payments is outdated, and a more flexible, modern platform is needed. As a customer, you will notice, and be able to benefit from, the changes that the P27 project will bring in the next few years.

Further down the page, you can find information about how P27 will affect you as a customer, the time schedule, and what you will need to do.

At present, the P27 Nordic Payments platform is awaiting the necessary licences from public authorities in order for its operations to start up. The information on this page is conditional upon the company being granted these licences.

You will find answers to the most common questions regarding P27 at the bottom of this page.

Advantages of the new platform

A stable system with a high operational reliability
Improved existing payment services
Enables new payment types
New services can be introduced faster

What can I do if I don’t find the answer to my question here?

Send your question to us

The transition to ISO - The international format standard

On 1 April 2022, Handelsbanken will switch over to the ISO formats and in this video you will learn what file changes you might need to do. Also the system vendor Pagero describes their conversion services.

What changes are coming within payment messaging?

Learn about the international file standard that will be used by P27 from experts from Handelsbanken and the system vendor Fortnox. What is ISO 20022 and what benefits does the ISO standard bring?

How will the new payments platform affect me as a customer?

Initially, the transition to the new payments platform will not involve any major changes for our private customers. You will be able to carry out your invoice/supplier payments to both Bankgiro and Plusgiro as usual. Swish will also work as usual, as will payments for salaries, pensions and benefits. However, you may notice a number of improvements to these services. You will be able to include a longer text in the reference field, for example, and payments will be carried out faster.

For corporate customers, the new payments platform will lead to certain changes. Further down the page you will find information about how these changes will affect your company.

In the long run, the new payments platform will mean that new services can be introduced. Several are already in the pipeline, and others will be developed by the banks and other creative players on the market.

Among the services already planned are improved possibilities for carrying out real-time payments (instant), and a new service which involves the presentation and payment of invoices, which will eventually replace the Bankgiro direct debit and e-invoice services.

Once the P27 project has been introduced in all the Nordic countries, these payment services will run smoothly across national borders, irrespective of the currency you wish to use.

Time schedule

The P27 project will be ongoing for several years, in many different stages. The first part of the migration relates to payments in SEK within Sweden, and will run between 2022 and 2025. The migration from the payments platform used by Swedish banks to P27 is led by a transformation committee within the Swedish Bankers’ Association. You can read more about the new payments platform and the migration at

P27 Nordic PaymentsOpens in a new window and Svenska BankföreningenOpens in a new window

What do you need to do?

For private individuals, the introduction of P27 will not result in any major changes. Corporate customers that use file communication with the Bank will notice the changes the most, as a new file format may be required. An important part of the planned transition is that file communication must take place using the ISO 20022 format standard. Older formats will thus be phased out. Our recommendation is that you contact your system provider to ensure that your business system can be adapted to the planned changes in payments infrastructure (P27-compatible)

If your business system is linked to Handelsbanken via Bankintegration or Affärstjänster, you don’t have to do anything. We will make sure that your automated procedures continue to work during the transition. If the system doesn’t meet the new requirements, it must be further developed. If this is not possible, the system must be replaced. In this case, we can recommend one of the systems that are integrated with Handelsbanken via Bankintegration or Affärstjänster.

Bankintegration (Bank integration, in Swedish only)
Affärstjänster (Business services, in Swedish only)

Corporates

Direct file communication with Bankgiro will be closed down

If you use direct file communication with Bankgiro (usually BGLink), you will need to change this solution, as Bankgiro will be replaced by P27. In the future, all communication is to go through the banks. If you don’t already have a communications solution with your bank, you will need to arrange this.

New file formats in accordance with ISO standard

In conjunction with the transition to P27, the modern, internationally established ISO 20022 format standard is to be used for payment files. This will replace the main local file formats used for domestic payments/payment information in Sweden, for example, LB, KI, and BGMax.

The first old file formats to be phased out will be LB, KI, and UTLI/SISU. This will take place in Q1 2022. More information is available under the section for System providers.

Management of credit notes

Following the transition to ISO 20022 and the Nordic Payments Council (NPC) regulations, the management of credit notes will change. Payment orders must state a positive amount. This means that single credit notes cannot be entered into the banking system. A credit note can still be part of a payment, but the monitoring and settlement must be handled by your own system. Hence, if credit notes are part of a payment, this must not result in the payment amount being zero, or negative.

More detailed references

With the new standard, more detailed, structured references can be included. This may be useful for the sender, as well as the beneficiary. As a result of the changes, beneficiaries may need to review their systems and procedures for reconciliation of ledgers and bank accounts.

Business systems compatible with P27

The majority of the above changes fall within areas which are normally managed by, and therefore, affect, your business system or accounting system. This is why it’s important to check your system’s compatibility with P27 as soon as possible.

If the system already handles communication in accordance with the ISO 20022 standard, few adaptations are likely to be needed. If the supplier is not able to ensure that the system can be adapted, or the current system was developed internally, you should consider changing to another system. In this case, the best alternative is to select a suitable system which has established communications with Handelsbanken via Bankintegration or Affärstjänster.

AffärstjänsterOpens in a new window (in Swedish only)
BankintegrationOpens in a new window (in Swedish only)

Irrespective of the solution you choose, Handelsbanken will assist you and your system provider to carry out the adaptations that may be needed.

System providers

File communication

The Bankgiro file format will be replaced by the ISO 20022 file format standard.

Files to the Bank

Once P27 has been implemented, the ISO 20022 file format should be used for payment files. It is already possible to change to this new format standard to allow for a smooth migration. The advantage with the ISO 20022 file format is that it can be used for all types of payments, such as payments within Sweden, cross-border payments – even salaries.

The first step of the transition will take place on 31 March 2022. After this date, it will no longer be possible to send files to Handelsbanken in the LB, KI, UTLI and SISU formats. Instead, payments must be sent in the pain.001 format.

Files from the Bank

For payment files sent in the pain.001 format, status reports in the pain.002 format may be obtained.

As the Bank will cease to accept LB files, LB Åter will also be removed from the Bank’s offering. Thereafter, debit advice for executed payments will mainly be sent in the camt.054 debit format. Payment details will also be included in the camt.053 Extended account statement.

You will need to decide whether you wish to receive status files and/or debit advice in the new formats.

Reporting of incoming payments in the BGMax format will be replaced by the camt.054 credit format (or camt.053 Extended). Notifications of incoming giro transfers via P27 will be sent in the camt.054. format. It is recommended that adaptations are made early, as, for a limited period, payments will be carried out both via the Bankgiro and the P27 system. The Bank will then be able to convert BGMax files (Bankgiro) to the camt.054 credit format, and deliver information from both systems in the same file.

It is already possible to change to reporting in the ISO 20022 format standard to allow for a smooth migration. One advantage with reporting in this format is that it can be used for both domestic and cross-border payments.

Support in relation to adaptations

Handelsbanken will assist you in your role as system supplier, and will help you carry out any necessary changes related to file communication. We also offer the Bankintegration service – an automated solution to which you can connect. More information is available on our web pages for development support.

Development supportOpens in a new window (in Swedish only)

If you have any questions or need assistance, you can also contact programlev@handelsbanken.se.

Credit note processing

One of the NPC requirements in the regulations for Nordic Credit Transfers is that payments must state a positive amount. Hence, it’s not possible to submit a credit note which states a negative amount.

There is support for the use of Extended Remittance Information (ERI), through which you are able specify a number of underlying information records in the payment – usually invoices – which, together, amount to the full payment amount. All underlying records must state an amount, and these must add up to the stated payment amount. Credit notes may constitute such underlying records, as long as this does not result in the payment amount being zero, or negative.

The monitoring of received credit notes, and settlement in conjunction with payments, must be managed by your system.

Reference information

The reference information that may be included with payments will be changed, and improved. Once the implementation of the new regulations has been established, Handelsbanken’s recommendations will be available.

Reconciliation

Payments to Bankgiro/Postgiro numbers are carried out as account-to-account payments, and reported back per account with the Bankgiro/Postgiro number (alias) as reference. This means that reconciliation functions in systems may need to be adjusted, as previous back-reporting often was based on the Bankgiro number.

This will result in the reference information accompanying payments being more detailed, and of higher quality. The sender is able to enter additional reference information, and all the information will be available to the recipient. Procedures, as well as systems, may need to be adapted to make full use of this.

Service agencies

If you have communicated directly with Bankgiro, this communication will need to be redirected to the Bank. It is recommended that a dialogue with the Bank is initiated as soon as possible in order to decide on the best communication method, and to plan for a smooth transition. In the majority of cases, a host-to-host connection, usually SFTP, will be the most suitable alternative.

If you are a service agency, it is recommended that you start checking your business system as soon as possible to assess the level of compatibility with P27. If the system already processes communication in accordance with the ISO 20022 standard, few adaptations are likely to be needed. If adaptations aren’t possible, or if you use a system developed internally, you should consider changing systems. The best alternative will then be to select a suitable system which has established communications with Handelsbanken via Bankintegration or Affärstjänster.

AffärstjänsterOpens in a new window (Business services, in Swedish only)
BankintegrationOpens in a new window (Bank integration, in Swedish only)

Questions and answers about P27

Will any services not be provided in the future?

Handelsbanken will not support paper-based payments in the P27 environment. The end-date for cash payments/payment slips is 31 January 2025.
Which file formats are to be used in the future?

The format standard which will be used in P27, which is becoming increasingly dominant internationally as well, is called ISO 20022. This standard will gradually replace the existing formats, and may be used for payments within Sweden, as well as for cross-border payments.
For how long will I be able to send LB files to Handelsbanken?

Handelsbanken stops receiving LB files on 31 March 2022. This format is replaced by ISO pain.001.
For how long will I receive LB Åter files from Handelsbanken?

When sending payment files in the format pain.001, performed payments are reported in the format camt.054 debit, not LB Åter.

Detailed payment information is also included in the camt.053 extended account statement.
For how long will I be able to send KI files to Handelsbanken?

Handelsbanken stops receiving KI files on 30 April 2022. This format is replaced by ISO pain.001.
We are an accounting firm that receives deposit information for several companies from Bankgiro. How will this work in the future?

You will need to establish communications with each bank, or go via a service agency, e.g. Pagero, which will collect the files and send them to the accounting firm (file communication with Bankgiro will not be fully replaced until 2024).
Can I do the changeover to the new file format and file transfer channels now?

Yes, you can.
Can I include all cross-border payments in the same file as local payments, or only cross-border payments within the Nordic region?

All types of payments, including cross-border payments outside the Nordic region, can be carried out in the pain.001. file format.

Will all cross-border payments be included in one back-reporting file from the Bank, or only payments from the Nordic region?

All incoming cross-border payments will be reported in the same file (camt.054 credit, camt.053, camt.053 extended).
Can I keep the supplier’s Bankgiro number in the payment file, or do I need to change this to an IBAN number?

You can still have the Bankgiro number as the beneficiary account.
How will UTLI/SISU be replaced for payments to beneficiaries outside the Nordic countries?

UTLI and SISU will be replaced by the pain.001 file format, which can be used for all payments, including all cross-border payments.
As a corporate customer, do I have to add a new service to be able to send payments in the new file format?

No, no new agreements/mandates will be required. All you have to do is to test the new file format.
How do I start sending payments in the pain.001 format in Online Banking?

No new agreements or mandates will be required. Before you can open up the Payments/Salaries [pain.001] alternative, a test file must be approved. To do this, go to File management and Administrate/Test file, and send a file. The received file will be checked, and the results can be found in Search for files/Files sent. A test report will show possible errors regarding the format or included payments. Once the errors have been corrected at source, you can redo the test an unlimited number of times. When your test file has been approved, you can start sending payment files in the new format.
What do I need to do to be able to make salary payments?

You will need the employee's account number, and any file payments must be sent using the pain.001 file format. The account number can be in either Swedish or IBAN account format.

The pain.001 file includes the name of the recipient. The mandates controlling access to this information might need to be revised.
How do I offset credit invoices against debit invoices, and how will this netting information reach the beneficiary?

The monitoring and netting of credit invoices must be handled by the business system before the payment is created. You can only offset to the extent that the payment states a positive amount. The references for the incoming debit and credit invoices can be sent together with the payment.
How are credit invoices treated after implementation of pain.001 files?

When using the file format pain.001, it is not possible to send individual credit invoices to the bank. To facilitate the client’s processes, we recommend that the client takes over the management of credit invoices in conjunction with the implementation of pain.001, including credit invoices already sent to the bank.

Credit invoices can be removed in the Search payment function. However, the bank will continue to monitor and apply credit invoices sent in the LB format until 30 October 2022.
How do I know that my pain.001 file is correct?

Before you send the file, you should check that it is correct in terms of format, i.e. ‘schema validation’. This is done via an XML validator (separate software). To support this check, the Bank provides XSD schemas on our web pages about schema: Validation against schemaOpens in a new window. If the file passes this test, you can also check that the content complies with the rules by testing the file in Online Banking under File management/Administrate/Test file.
For how long will I receive BGMax files from Handelsbanken?

You will receive them for as long as Bankgiro produces them. This format will be replaced by ISO camt.054 credit. Extended payment details will also be included in the camt.053 extended account statement. Notifications of incoming giro transfers via P27 will be sent in the new formats.

It may be a good idea to change to the new format as soon as possible, to avoid having to process two different types of formats during the period that Bankgiro and P27 work in parallel.
Will all banks have the same rules for the ISO files?

All implementation guides will follow the NPC regulations, but there are likely to be some differences. Handelsbanken’s implementation guides for ISO 20022 can be found via the Corporate file formatsOpens in a new window.
For how long can files be sent to and from Bankgiro, for example via BG-Link?

The current plan is that this will no longer be possible after Q3 2025. From then on, all file communication will be managed by the banks themselves. In conjunction with the changeover to another communication path, you may also need to change the file format to ISO.
I send one file which concerns several banks to Bankgiro. How will this be affected?

You will need to establish separate file communications with each bank. Some system providers/service agencies may be able to offer a multi-bank solution.
Which communication solutions does Handelsbanken offer?

The easiest solution is to use the Inbox and Outbox in Online Banking. If you wish to automate transfers, direct communication between your company and the Bank’s computers can be set up, i.e. a host-to-host solution. The easiest way of ensuring a P27-enabled file management system is to select a business system that communicates with Handelsbanken via the Bankintegration service. This solution is easy to link up to, and this will automate your payment procedures.

Bankintegration (Bank integration, in Swedish only)
How do I know whether my business system meets the new requirements?

Contact your system provider to check that the system is P27-enabled. If the system doesn’t meet the new requirements, it must be further developed. If this is not possible, the system must be replaced. In this case, we can recommend one of the systems that are integrated with Handelsbanken via Bankintegration or Affärstjänster.

Bankintegration (Bank integration, in Swedish only)
Affärstjänster (Business services, in Swedish only)
Which systems are P27-enabled?

If the system can communicate with the Bank in accordance with the ISO 20022 standard, the conditions are good. Systems that support Handelsbanken’s Bankintegration and Affärstjänster services have these characteristics. In order to achieve full compatibility, the system must also be able to handle credit notes and references in accordance with the P27 regulations.

Bankintegration (Bank integration, in Swedish only)

Affärstjänster (Business services, in Swedish only)
Will OCR continue to work with P27?

Yes, OCR is an approved structured reference. However, if OCR is used, it is important that the sender enters the correct reference, otherwise the payment will be rejected.
What can I do if my ERP system can’t manage the ISO formats in time?

There are players in the market that can provide file conversion services between the old formats and the ISO formats. One of them is, for example, PageroOpens in a new window.
What do I do if I can’t find the answers to my questions here?

Please send your question to p27@handelsbanken.se