Guide · Files

Audit address files for ISO 20022 without breaking the working file

In real files, addresses rarely sit cleanly in one column. They are split across fields, use uneven headers and live beside supplier or payment data. A useful review keeps that context.

Written by Struct20022 · updated August 29, 2026

Work with the real structure

First identify sheets, delimiters, header rows and the columns that make up an address. Some files have one full-address column; others split street, postcode and town.

Business identifiers such as supplier number or payment reference should remain so every correction can be traced.

Separate review from correction

A review counts complete, hybrid, incomplete and incorrect rows without changing the source. Only then should the team choose the right treatment for each group.

This avoids unnecessary external checks and gives a clear estimate of volume, cost and remaining work.

Deliver a checkable output

The output should keep original columns and add structured address fields, status and warnings alongside them.

Finance and master-data owners can then filter, correct and sample-check results without relying on a black box.

Before upload

  1. 1Keep an untouched copy of the source file.
  2. 2Identify the sheet, header row and address columns.
  3. 3Retain supplier or customer identifiers.
  4. 4Choose a representative sample with difficult cases.
  5. 5Require output with original data, status and warnings.

FAQ

Should the file be cleaned before the review?

No. The review should show the starting point. Remove only data that is not needed for the assessment.

Should the output replace original columns?

For control, an enriched output is usually better: original columns remain and ISO fields are added alongside them.

Official sources

Related guides

Test a representative file

Struct20022 detects address columns, keeps your rows and shows the corrections needed.