FAQs – Software Troubleshooting

I am an Interface Control Document Transfer (ITP) user and I get an error that I do not recognize when I attempt to submit a file. Is there a list of error codes available?

If any status code other than C00 is returned, the overall status should indicate “Not Done.”

If you receive the error in the response file, rejection and other reporting codes for query and report transactions are located on the Data Banks Querying and Reporting Codes page.

What options are there for using delimiters? 

It is preferable to use the tilde (~) character. For queries or reports, you can use either the tilde or the null character as delimiters to separate the fields. If the query is null delimited, then the response will contain null delimiters, whereas queries with tilde delimiters will have responses that have the tilde delimiters.

For the Continuous Query service (formerly know as PDS), all submissions and responses must be tilde-delimited.

Should we format our files in uppercase, lowercase or mixed case? 

Data can be formatted in uppercase, lowercase, or mixed case, but the system will always convert files to uppercase before processing. Note that the User ID and password fields in the Header (HDR) and Password (PWD) data records are case sensitive.

What is the difference between the Data Bank Control Number (DCN) in the Query Report Status Data Record (QRSD) and the DCN in the Query State Data Record (QSTA)? 

Both the QSTA and QRSD data records are returned in query responses. The difference between the QSTA and the QRSD is that the QSTA data record provides summary information about the query subject while the QRSD data record provides summary information about a report returned in response to the query. If the query did not match to any reports in the Data Bank, the QRSD data record will not be provided in the response. The DCN in the QSTA data record is a unique identifier for the specific query subject. The DCN in the QRSD data record uniquely identifies the report that the subject matched.

What is the difference between the Entity Internal Report Reference (ER) data record and the Customer Use (CUSE) data record? 

The difference between the ER data record and the CUSE data record is that the ER data record is required only for report submissions, not query submissions. The data within the ER data record is not mandatory, but if supplied, becomes a permanent part of the report and displays on the report output. It is not modified by the Data Bank. It is intended to be used as a reference to help the reporting entity identify the reported subject or report.

The CUSE data record is required for both query and report submissions. The data within the CUSE data record is not mandatory. It is returned within the response file unmodified by the Data Bank. For reports, it does not become a permanent part of the report and does not display on the report output. It is intended to be optionally used by queriers to identify a particular query.

When we send submission files on separate occasions, do we need to run Interface Control Document Transfer Program (ITP) in receive mode separately for each submission to download the response files? 

No, running ITP in receive mode once will download all existing response files.

If we have several submission files in the Upload directory, and the upload.lst lists all the submission files, what do we do if some files were sent and some were not? Is there just one itpstat.dat code for each time send mode is used? 

No, there is not just one itpstat.dat code for each time the send mode is used.

When multiple files are sent, they are bundled into a single file. If there is a problem in sending the file, it is likely that none of the files will go through. To avoid multiple transactions and fees, you should confirm that the files did not go through before resubmitting them. Please note: If you do not receive a confirmation, then the submission was not successful.

My query submission was rejected for an error in the query data record, but all the data in the record is correct. What should I do? 

An error message indicating that there is a problem in the Query (QRY) Record could mean that the entity’s Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) account has been deactivated temporarily. In order to resolve this problem, the entity can contact our Billing Department for assistance by calling the Customer Service Center.

My query submission was rejected for missing First Name and Last Name from the NAME Record when the first and last names are actually provided in the query. What should I do? 

This occurs when only the First Name (or only the Last Name) is available in the ALIAS Record. Insert both the first and last names in the ALIAS Record.

How can we test our Querying and Reporting XML Service (QRXS) eXtensible Markup Language (XML) files? 

The Data Bank QRXS test environment allows users to validate their XML submission files in real time. The test environment can be used to test your XML creation software, data validation, and connection issues before submitting to the Data Bank via the QRXS. The QRXS test environment specifications are available through the File Specifications Access page. Users must first set up an account and log in with their given Vendor ID.

The QRXS Client Program and QRXS Client Program User Guide are available on the Downloads and Documentation page.

How can we test our eXtensible Markup Language (XML) subject database import files before live submission? 

It is recommended that you use an XML validator to verify that your XML files conform to the XML Import Format Schema provided by the Data Bank. You may also e-mail your test import files to Customer Service, at help@npdb-hipdb.hrsa.gov. Your test files will be checked for validity and will be e-mailed back to you with any corrections.

Is there a particular validator that you recommend? 

The Data Bank neither recommends nor supports any particular validator; however there are many commercial and open-source eXtensible Markup Language (XML) brands available.

Can an imported Practitioner be marked as incomplete even after validation by an eXtensible Markup Language (XML) validator prior to import? 

Yes. An XML validator checks that your XML files are correctly formatted prior to importing them into the Integrated Querying and Reporting Service (IQRS). A validator will not reveal which practitioners are incomplete, since this is a function of the practitioner data rather than the file format.

 My QRXS transaction was rejected with an error of V1 (Missing or invalid Vendor ID). What does that mean?

A valid Vendor ID is required for QRXS transactions and may be obtained through the File Specifications Access page. To learn where to include the Vendor ID in a QRXS submission file, see the QRXS File Format Specifications by signing in to the File Specifications Access page using your Vendor ID.

How often will there be changes to the eXtensible Markup Language (XML) format, and will we be notified in advance of such changes? 

The Querying and Reporting XML Service (QRXS) and Integrated Querying and Reporting Service (IQRS) Subject Database Import format specifications are updated periodically by the Data Bank. The Data Bank will notify users at least one month in advance of an update to the code lists, which we expect to occur quarterly. Users will be notified six months in advance of other periodic updates to the format specifications. It is strongly recommended that users join the appropriate mailing list to receive notice of updates. Addresses must be kept current or you will not receive the notice.