Skip Navigation
Official website of the United States Government We can do this. Find COVID-19 vaccines near you. Visit Vaccines.gov. U.S. Department of the Treasury
Bureau of the Fiscal Service Home
CARS
Central Accounting Reporting System

Application Program Interface (API)

Fiscal Service plans to replace the current bulk transaction upload process in the Classification Transactions and Accountability (CTA) module with an Application Program Interface (API). An API is a connection between two computers, computer systems, or computer programs. As part of the process, Fiscal Service will develop an API specification for distribution to entity partners. This specification will outline how to establish a connection with the new API and what specific data elements will be needed to support the new reclassification process.

API Requirements

The new API for CARS reclassifications is intended to support agencies with high volume of source and reclassification transactions, offering a system-to-system interface to allow agencies to automate their reclassification process. Only one connection will be needed to support bulk transaction upload. Both TanC and Reclassification transaction will be processed through the same interface.

Soon, Fiscal Service will be releasing a connection guide on how to set up and interact with the Reclass and TanC API. Refer to the CARS Reclass Modernization project website Key Target Dates for updates when the guide will be available. There will be separate message types needed to support each transaction type.

Subject to Change:

The data elements for the API are subject to change as result of development work and change in requirements. Fiscal Service has not begun the development for the new API for CARS reclassifications and TanC activity, so changes most likely will occur. Fiscal Service wanted to share with the CARS reclassification users what is documented to provide some insight about what the API will most likely look like and allow users to provide feedback.

Data elements needed to support TanC include the following:

TanC Data Elements Example Required?
type     tanc Yes
originating_alc     95850000 Yes
unique_tanc_code     1 Yes
transaction_date     09032020 Yes
effective_date     08132020 No
agency_reference     Entry 1234 No
comments     End of month transfer. No
  from_alc   95850000 Yes
    from_tas_sub_prefix 001 No
    from_tas_xfer 011 No
    from_tas_aid 581 Yes
    from_tas_bpoa 2019 No
    from_tas_epoa 2020 No
    from_availability_type X No
    from_tas_main 5770 Yes
    from_tas_sub 001 Yes
    from_betc fhotxc Yes
    From_amount 405,872,874.76 Yes
  to_alc   95850000 Yes
    to_tas_sub_prefix 001 No
    to_tas_xfer 011 No
    to_tas_aid 581 Yes
    to_tas_bpoa 2019 No
    to_tas_epoa 2020 No
    from_availability_type X No
    to_tas_main 5770 Yes
    to_tas_sub 001 Yes
    to_betc invtsec Yes
    to_amount 408,100,000.00 Yes
         
    to_tas_sub_prefix 001 No
    to_tas_xfer 011 No
    to_tas_aid 581 Yes
    to_tas_bpoa 2019 No
    to_tas_epoa 2020 No
    to_availability_type X No
    to_tas_main 5770 Yes
    to_tas_sub 001 Yes
    to_betc unrldisc Yes
    to_amount 2,227,125.24 Yes
         

Note 1: Please contact Fiscal Service for the “TanC Unique Code” mapping to group, scenario, and description information for your ALC.

Note 2: Several “from” and “to” TAS/BETC entries can be sent in the same transaction message.

Sample TanC entries can be provided on request.

For Reclassification entries, the follow data elements must be sent:

Data elements needed to support Reclassifications include the following:

Reclass Data Elements Example Required?
type   Reclass Yes
originating_alc   12345678 Yes or doc schedule (document number or schedule number)
       
bus_event_control_num   123453 Yes or doc_schedule (document number or schedule number)
rec_num   1 Yes or doc_schedule (document number or schedule number)
OR      
doc_schedule   123 Yes or bus_event and rec_num
restate_tas_sub_prefix   001 Yes or bus_event and rec_num
restate_tas_xfer   011 Yes or bus_event and rec_num
restate_tas_aid   012 Yes or bus_event and rec_num
restate_tas_bpoa   2019 Yes or bus_event and rec_num
restate_tas_epoa   2020 Yes or bus_event and rec_num
restate_tas_main   1500 Yes or bus_event and rec_num
restate_tas_sub   001 Yes or bus_event and rec_num
betc   COLL Yes or bus_event and rec_num
       
amount   500,000.00 Yes
accounting_prd   072021 Yes
  restate_tas_sub_prefix 001 No
  restate_tas_xfer 011 No
  restate_tas_aid 011 Yes
  restate_tas_bpoa 2019 No
  restate_tas_epoa 2020 No
  restate_availability_type X No
  restate_tas_main 1111 Yes
  restate_tas_sub 001 Yes
  restate_betc DISB Yes
  restate_amount 100,000.00 Yes
       
  restate_tas_sub_prefix 001 No
  restate_tas_xfer 011 No
  restate_tas_aid 011 Yes
  restate_tas_bpoa 2019 No
  restate_tas_epoa 2020 No
  restate_availability_type X No
  restate_tas_main 1111 Yes
  restate_tas_sub 001 Yes
  restate_betc DISB Yes
  restate_amount 100,000.00 Yes
       
  restate_tas_sub_prefix 001 No
  restate_tas_xfer 011 No
  restate_tas_aid 011 Yes
  restate_tas_bpoa 2019 No
  restate_tas_epoa 2020 No
  restate_availability_type X No
  restate_tas_main 1111 Yes
  restate_tas_sub 001 Yes
  restate_betc DISB Yes
  restate_amount 100,000.00 Yes
       

Important Note on Reclassification APIs:

Please note that for Reclassification API transmission, Fiscal Service is asking agencies to submit back to CARS the Business Event Control Number and GWA Rec number of the source transactions that need to be reclassified. These data elements can be found on the CARS Account Statement download. Rather than using the Business Event Control Number/GWA Rec number, agencies may submit a document number or schedule number of the CARS source system transaction they wish to reclassify. Although using document number or schedule number is acceptable, using the Business Event Control Number and GWA Rec number combination will help Fiscal Service ensure proper traceability back to the originating source transactions and maintain controls for auditability. The data integrity of document and schedules numbers are not as consistent and may cause reconciliation issues.

Last modified 02/10/23