File Format (the whole document is available in Word)
1. Introduction
The formatting guidelines described in the previous section should be followed by all states and territories when creating the data file for electronic submission to the Administration for Children and Families (ACF). This section has been revised to provide additional guidance to states unable to submit data in a variable record length format.
The ACF-801 data submission contains information required on the ACF-801 Child Care Case Record Form. States have the option to submit either a sample or the complete population of the children receiving federal child care subsidies. States also have the option to submit data for either one month or quarterly (3 months at once). However, regardless of which method is chosen, the following guidelines apply:
The file format portion of this document is organized into the following sections:
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Contents of ACF-801 Data Submission: Lists the types of records that are included in the data file.
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Order of Records in the ACF-801 Data Submission: Gives the order of records in the data file.
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The Monthly Summary Record: Describes the format of the monthly summary record.
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Records on families and children receiving subsidized child care: Describes the format of the records containing information on families and children receiving federal child care subsidies.
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Missing and Numeric Data Elements in Family and Child Records: Explains how missing data elements should be handled in the records on families and children receiving subsidized child care.
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Footnotes: Describes the format of optional explanatory footnotes.
- Summary of Record and File Delimiters: Lists all delimiters to be included in the file and
explains their use.
2. Contents of ACF-801 Data Submission
The data file submission is made up of two, or at the states option, three types of records:
- The monthly summary record. This is required.
- Records on families and children receiving subsidized child care. These are required.
- Footnotes. These are optional.
The data is submitted in a flat file with variable length records. Each record has a minimum number of characters allowed (94), so each data element has a set field size explained in the Data Elements section.
3. Summary of Record and File Delimiters
As the records in the ACF-801 data submission can be of varying lengths, delimiters are used to:
- Identify related groups of data or individual data elements,
- Mark the end of records, and
- Determine the length of the file and verify that all data the state intended to transmit was
received.
The following table describes all the delimiters that are used in the ACF-801 data submission:
| Delimiter | Use |
|---|---|
M |
This is the first character in the file. It signals that a monthly summary record follows. |
# |
Identifies a State contact data element in the monthly summary record. |
F |
Identifies the ACF-801 family data (elements 1-16) for one family. |
C |
Identifies the ACF-801 child data (elements 17-25) for one child. |
S |
Identifies the ACF-801 setting data (elements 26-28) for one setting. |
$ |
Marks the end of either a monthly summary record or the complete family, child(ren) and setting(s) record for one family. |
N |
Marks the beginning of a footnote. |
% % |
Marks the end of a footnote. |
& |
Marks the end of the data submission file. Only one & is included with each submission, even if the submission includes three months of data. |
4. Order of Records in the ACF-801 Data Submission
Records should be ordered as listed below. For example, if the state chooses to submit the data only for July 2001, the order of records in the file would be:
1. July's monthly summary record
2. Records on families and children receiving subsidized child care during July 2001
3. Footnotes commenting on July's data elements
4. The "&" file delimiter indicating the end of the data file
The record order is repeated if the state submits data quarterly. For example, if the state submits data for July, August, and September 2001 at one time, the record order would be:
- July's monthly summary record
- Records on families and children receiving subsidized child care during July 2001
- Footnotes commenting on July's data elements
- August's monthly summary record
- Records on families and children receiving subsidized child care during August 2001
- September's monthly summary record
- Records on families and children receiving subsidized child care during September 2001
- Footnotes commenting on September's data elements
- The "&" file delimiter indicating the end of the data file
Please note that the above example does not include footnotes for August, as footnotes are optional. If the state had elected to submit footnotes with the August data, the footnote records would immediately follow #5 Records on families and children receiving subsidized child care during August 2001 and precede #6 September's monthly summary record.
Also note that only one "&" file delimiter is included in either example.
The following sections describe the formats of the three types of records, including delimiter placement.
5. The Monthly Summary Record
An "M" delimiter is placed at the beginning of each month to identify the record as a monthly summary record. Each month's data begins with a record containing the following data:
| Data Element Description |
Format |
Length |
Contents |
|---|---|---|---|
Delimiter |
M |
1 |
This delimiter identifies the following record as a monthly summary record. |
Report Period |
YYYYMM |
6 |
This data element identifies the month being reported. For example, if the report covers April 2001, this element would be "200104". |
Families Receiving Subsidized Child Care |
Number |
7 |
The number of families receiving subsidized child care in your state for the reported month. The number should be right-justified within the field and padded with zeros. For example, 25,387 would be formatted as "0025387". |
Number of Children in Pre-K Child Care |
Number |
7 |
The number of children (or estimated number if actual count is unavailable) receiving subsidized pre-K child care services in your state for the report month. The number should be right-justified within the field and padded with zeros. For example, 5,247 would be formatted as "0005247". |
Delimiter |
# |
1 |
Identifies the following data as contact information. |
State Contact Name |
Character |
No limit |
The name of the state child care contact who is designated to receive the data reports. |
Delimiter |
# |
1 |
Identifies the following data as contact information. |
State Contact Telephone Number |
Character |
No limit |
The telephone number of the state child care contact. |
Delimiter |
# |
1 |
Identifies the following data as contact information who is designated to receive the data reports. |
State Contact Fax Number |
Character |
No limit |
The fax number of the state child care contact who is designated to receive the data reports. |
Delimiter |
# |
1 |
Identifies the following data as contact information who is designated to receive the data reports. |
State Contact E-mail Address |
Character | No limit |
The e-mail address of the state child care contact who is designated to receive the data reports. |
Record Delimiter |
$ |
1 |
This delimiter indicates the end of the record. |
The delimiters, report period, subsidized child care population, and contact information is required. However, if the state does not have certain contact information, such as e-mail addresses, the field may be skipped, although all delimiters should be included.
For example, following is a monthly summary record containing the following data:
| Report Period: | April 2000 |
| Population: | 72,384 |
| Pre-K: | 4,629 |
| Contact name: | Jane Smith |
| Contact Telephone: | (703) 555-1234 ext. 684 |
| Contact Fax: | (703) 555-9876 |
| Contact E-mail: | jsmith@dhr.anystate.us |
The monthly summary record would be formatted as follows (delimiters are in bold):
M20000400723840004629#Jane Smith#(703) 555-1234 ext. 684#(703) 555-9876#jsmith@dhr.anystate.us$
However, if the state did not have a fax number available, the formatted record would look like this (note the two # delimiters together, indicating that no fax number was included):
M20000400723840004629#Jane Smith#(703) 555-1234 ext. 684##jsmith@dhr.anystate.us$
The monthly summary record is immediately followed by the records on families and children receiving subsidized child care.
6. Records on families and children receiving subsidized child care
One record is included for each family. Each record contains:
- Family data information, which applies to the family as a whole
- Information on each child receiving child care assistance, and all subsidized child care settings for that child. (Dependent children receiving child care data should be included here)
The format for family data will be the same for each record. An "F" delimiter is placed before each family's data to identify the information. A record has a minimum length of 94 characters. Record positions 1 through 61 will always contain family data as detailed in the following table:
| Data Element Number/Description |
Data Format |
Length |
|---|---|---|
| Delimiter identifying family data | F |
1 |
01: Sample Month/Year of Report Period |
YYYYMM |
6 |
| 02: Unique State Identifier (optional) | Character |
15 |
| 03: Social Security Number(optional) | Number |
9 |
| 04: FIPS Code | Number |
5 |
| 05: Single Parent? | Number |
1 |
| 06: Reason For Receiving Subsidize Child Care | Number |
1 |
| 07: Total Monthly Child Care Co-payment by Family | Number |
4 |
| 08: Month/Year Child Care Assistance Started | YYYYMM |
6 |
| 09: Total Monthly Income for Determining Eligibility | Number |
5 |
| 10: Employment Income, Including Self-Employment | Number |
1 |
| 11: Title IV of the Social Security Act (TANF) | Number |
1 |
| 12: State Program for Which State Spending is Counted Towards TANF MOE | Number |
1 |
| 13: Housing Voucher or Cash Assistance | Number |
1 |
| 14: Assistance Under the Food Stamps Act of 1977 | Number |
1 |
| 15: Other Federal Cash Income | Number |
1 |
| 16: Number in Eligible Family | Number |
2 |
The child information follows the family data. The format for dependent children receiving child care will differ from record to record depending on the number of children receiving assistance per family, and the number of child care settings per child. This data always begins at record position 62 and continues until all of the information for each child receiving child care assistance is recorded.
Delimiters are used to identify children and settings. "C" precedes each child's data and "S" precedes setting data. Additional settings for the same child follow the same format; they start with an "S". The child and setting format is repeated for each child receiving assistance in the family. Finally, a "$" delimiter is placed after the last child's final setting to mark the end of the family's record. Each child data is 23 characters long, including the delimiter "C", and each setting data is 10 characters long, including the delimiter "S". The following table gives the details of this format:
| Data Element Number/Description |
Data Format |
Length |
|---|---|---|
Delimiter identifying child data |
C |
1 |
17: Child #1 SSN (optional) |
Character |
9 |
18: Is Child #1 Hispanic or Latino? |
Number |
1 |
19: Is Child #1 American Indian or Alaskan Native? |
Number |
1 |
20: Is Child #1 Asian? |
Number |
1 |
21: Is Child #1 Black or African American? |
Number |
1 |
22: Is Child #1 Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander? |
Number |
1 |
23: Is Child #1 White? |
Number |
1 |
24: Gender of Child #1 |
Number |
1 |
25: Month/Year of Birth of Child #1 |
YYYYMM |
6 |
Add first child care setting. |
||
Delimiter identifying setting data |
S |
1 |
26: Type of Child Care (Setting #1) for Child #1 |
Number |
2 |
27: Total Monthly Amount Paid to Provider (Setting #1) for Child #1 |
Number |
4 |
28: Total hours of Child Care per Month (Setting #1) for Child #1 |
Number |
3 |
If second child care setting exists, add record. |
||
Delimiter identifying setting data |
S |
1 |
26: Type of Child Care (Setting #2) for Child #1 |
Number |
2 |
27: Total Monthly Amount Paid to Provider (Setting #2) for Child #1 |
Number |
4 |
28: Total hours of Child Care per Month (Setting #2) for Child #1 |
Number |
3 |
If third child care setting exists, add record. |
||
Delimiter identifying setting data |
S |
1 |
26: Type of Child Care (Setting #3) for Child #1 |
Number |
2 |
27: Total Monthly Amount Paid to Provider (Setting #3) for Child #1 |
Number |
4 |
28: Total hours of Child Care per Month (Setting #3) for Child #1 |
Number |
3 |
If fourth child care setting exists, add record. |
||
Delimiter identifying setting data |
S |
1 |
26: Type of Child Care (Setting #4) for Child #1 |
Number |
2 |
27: Total Monthly Amount Paid to Provider (Setting #4) for Child #1 |
Number |
4 |
28: Total hours of Child Care per Month (Setting #4) for Child #1 |
Number |
3 |
Repeat for each additional child care setting for this child. |
||
If second child is receiving child care assistance, add record. |
||
Delimiter identifying child data |
C |
1 |
17: Child #2 SSN (Optional) |
Character |
9 |
18: Is Child #2 Hispanic or Latino? |
Number |
1 |
19: Is Child #2 American Indian or Alaskan Native? |
Number |
1 |
20: Is Child #2 Asian? |
Number |
1 |
21: Is Child #2 Black or African American? |
Number |
1 |
22: Is Child #2 Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander? |
Number |
1 |
23: Is Child #2 White? |
Number |
1 |
24: Gender of Child #2 |
1 |
|
25: Month/Year of Birth of Child #2 |
YYYYMM |
6 |
Add first child care setting. |
||
Delimiter identifying setting data |
S |
1 |
26: Type of Child Care (Setting #1) for Child #2 |
Number |
2 |
27: Total Monthly Amount Paid to Provider (Setting #1) for Child #2 |
Number |
4 |
28: Total hours of Child Care per Month (Setting #1) for Child #2 |
Number |
3 |
If second child care setting exists, add record. |
||
Delimiter identifying setting data |
S |
1 |
26: Type of Child Care (Setting #2) for Child #2 |
Number |
2 |
27: Total Monthly Amount Paid to Provider (Setting #2) for Child #2 |
Number |
4 |
28: Total hours of Child Care per Month (Setting #2) for Child #2 |
Number |
3 |
If third child care setting exists, add record. |
||
Delimiter identifying setting data |
S |
1 |
26: Type of Child Care (Setting #3) for Child #2 |
Number |
2 |
27: Total Monthly Amount Paid to Provider (Setting #3) for Child #2 |
Number |
4 |
28: Total hours of Child Care per Month (Setting #3) for Child #2 |
Number |
3 |
If fourth child care setting exists, add record. |
||
Delimiter identifying setting data |
S |
1 |
26: Type of Child Care (Setting #4) for Child #2 |
Number |
2 |
27: Total Monthly Amount Paid to Provider (Setting #4) for Child #2 |
Number |
4 |
28: Total hours of Child Care per Month (Setting #4) for Child #2 |
Number |
3 |
Repeat for each additional child care setting for this child. |
||
Repeat until all of the children receiving assistance are included. |
||
Delimiter indicating the end of family's entire data record |
$ |
1 |
This format is repeated for each family included in the data submission. On the following page are two examples of family, children, and setting data:
File Format - Next Page
Related Items:
Go to:
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ACF-801 help with data submissions, contact CCARC
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ACF-801 help with submission deadlines, contact your Regional Office