What is the latest version of head.001?

The latest version in the ISO 20022 e-Repository release of 24 April 2025 is head.001.001.04.

What is the root element of head.001?

The XML document is Document with the namespace urn:iso:std:iso:20022:tech:xsd:head.001.001.04, and its message element is AppHdr (BusinessApplicationHeader).

Is there an MT equivalent of head.001?

No Swift MT message is listed as its direct equivalent on this site. Many ISO 20022 messages have no MT counterpart.

head: Business Application Header

head.001 Business Application Header

Written and maintained by ZagTrader. Last reviewed 21 October 2026. How this page is sourced and checked

head.001 is the ISO 20022 BusinessApplicationHeader message in the Business Application Header business area (head). The latest version is head.001.001.04, and 4 versions are in the repository.

Message: BusinessApplicationHeader
Latest version: head.001.001.04
Submitting organisation: ISO 20022 TSG
MT equivalent: None listed

In use: published in the current ISO 20022 catalogue.

What head.001 is for

The Business Layer deals with Business Messages. The behaviour of the Business Messages is fully described by the Business Transaction and the structure of the Business Messages is fully described by the Message Definitions and related Message Rules, Rules and Market Practices. All of which are registered in the ISO 20022 Repository.
A single new Business Message (with its accompagnying business application header) is created - by the sending MessagingEndpoint - for each business event; that is each interaction in a Business Transaction. A Business Message adheres to the following principles:
" A Business Message (and its business application header) must not contain information about the Message Transport System or the mechanics or mechanism of message sending, transportation, or receipt.
" A Business Message must be comprehensible outside of the context of the Transport Message. That is the Business Message must not require knowledge of the Transport Message to be understood.
" A Business Message may contain headers, footers, and envelopes that are meaningful for the business. When present, they are treated as any other message content, which means that they are considered part of the Message Definition of the Business Message and as such will be part of the ISO 20022 Repository.

Definition from the ISO 20022 e-Repository, release of 24 April 2025.

head.001 versions

Every version published in the e-Repository, newest first. A message keeps its business purpose across versions; each new version is a separate schema with its own namespace.

Version	Registration status	Published in
head.001.001.04latest	Registered	Latest version set
head.001.001.03	Registered	Previous version set
head.001.001.02	Registered	Previous version set
head.001.001.01	Registered	Previous version set

head.001 message structure

The building blocks of head.001.001.04 to three levels, with multiplicity ([0..1] optional, [1..1] mandatory, * any number) and the data type or component. Element names and definitions are from the ISO 20022 repository; usage guidelines such as CBPR+ or a market infrastructure's rules can restrict them further.

Document [1..1]
- AppHdr BusinessApplicationHeader [1..1]
  - CharSet Character Set [0..1]UnicodeChartsCode
    Contains the character set of the text-based elements used in the Business Message.
  - Fr From [1..1]Party51Choice (choice)
    The sending MessagingEndpoint that has created this Business Message for the receiving MessagingEndpoint that will process this Business Message.
    - OrgId Organisation Identification [1..1]PartyIdentification272
      Identification of a person or an organisation.
      - Nm Name [0..1]Max140Text
      - PstlAdr Postal Address [0..1]PostalAddress27
      - Id Identification [0..1]Party52Choice (choice)
      - CtryOfRes Country Of Residence [0..1]CountryCode
      - CtctDtls Contact Details [0..1]Contact13
    - FIId Financial Institution Identification [1..1]BranchAndFinancialInstitutionIdentification8
      Identification of a financial institution.
      - FinInstnId Financial Institution Identification [1..1]FinancialInstitutionIdentification23
      - BrnchId Branch Identification [0..1]BranchData5
  - To To [1..1]Party51Choice (choice)
    The MessagingEndpoint designated by the sending MessagingEndpoint to be the recipient who will ultimately process this Business Message.
    - OrgId Organisation Identification [1..1]PartyIdentification272
      Identification of a person or an organisation.
      - Nm Name [0..1]Max140Text
      - PstlAdr Postal Address [0..1]PostalAddress27
      - Id Identification [0..1]Party52Choice (choice)
      - CtryOfRes Country Of Residence [0..1]CountryCode
      - CtctDtls Contact Details [0..1]Contact13
    - FIId Financial Institution Identification [1..1]BranchAndFinancialInstitutionIdentification8
      Identification of a financial institution.
      - FinInstnId Financial Institution Identification [1..1]FinancialInstitutionIdentification23
      - BrnchId Branch Identification [0..1]BranchData5
  - BizMsgIdr Business Message Identifier [1..1]Max35Text
    Unambiguously identifies the Business Message to the MessagingEndpoint that has created the Business Message.
  - MsgDefIdr Message Definition Identifier [1..1]Max35Text
    The Message Definition Identifier of the Business Message instance with which this Business Application Header instance is associated.
  - BizSvc Business Service [0..1]Max35Text
    Specifies the business service agreed between the two MessagingEndpoints under which rules this Business Message is exchanged.
  - MktPrctc Market Practice [0..1]ImplementationSpecification1
    Specifies the market practice to which the message conforms.
    - Regy Registry [1..1]Max350Text
      Name of the implementation specification registry in which the implementation specification of the ISO 20022 message is maintained.
    - Id Identification [1..1]Max2048Text
      Identifier which unambiguously identifies, within the implementation specification registry, the implementation specification to which the ISO 20022...
  - CreDt Creation Date [1..1]ISODateTime
    Date and time when this Business Message (header) was created.
  - BizPrcgDt Business Processing Date [0..1]ISODateTime
    Processing date and time indicated by the sender for the receiver of the business message.
  - CpyDplct Copy Duplicate [0..1]CopyDuplicate1Code
    Indicates whether the message is a Copy, a Duplicate or a copy of a duplicate of a previously sent ISO 20022 Message.
  - PssblDplct Possible Duplicate [0..1]YesNoIndicator
    Flag indicating if the Business Message exchanged between the MessagingEndpoints is possibly a duplicate.
  - Prty Priority [0..1]BusinessMessagePriorityCode
    Relative indication of the processing precedence of the message over a (set of) Business Messages with assigned priorities.
  - Sgntr Signature [0..1]SignatureEnvelope
    Contains the digital signature of the Business Entity authorised to sign this Business Message.
  - Rltd Related [0..*]BusinessApplicationHeader8
    Specifies the Business Application Header(s) of the Business Message(s) to which this Business Message relates.
    - CharSet Character Set [0..1]UnicodeChartsCode
      Contains the character set of the text-based elements used in the Business Message.
    - Fr From [1..1]Party51Choice (choice)
      The sending MessagingEndpoint that has created this Business Message for the receiving MessagingEndpoint that will process this Business Message.
      - OrgId Organisation Identification [1..1]PartyIdentification272
      - FIId Financial Institution Identification [1..1]BranchAndFinancialInstitutionIdentification8
    - To To [1..1]Party51Choice (choice)
      The MessagingEndpoint designated by the sending MessagingEndpoint to be the recipient who will ultimately process this Business Message.
      - OrgId Organisation Identification [1..1]PartyIdentification272
      - FIId Financial Institution Identification [1..1]BranchAndFinancialInstitutionIdentification8
    - BizMsgIdr Business Message Identifier [1..1]Max35Text
      Unambiguously identifies the Business Message to the MessagingEndpoint that has created the Business Message.
    - MsgDefIdr Message Definition Identifier [1..1]Max35Text
      The Message Definition Identifier of the Business Message instance with which this Business Application Header instance is associated.
    - BizSvc Business Service [0..1]Max35Text
      Specifies the business service agreed between the two MessagingEndpoints under which rules this Business Message is exchanged.
    - MktPrctc Market Practice [0..1]ImplementationSpecification1
      Specifies the market practice to which the message conforms.
      - Regy Registry [1..1]Max350Text
      - Id Identification [1..1]Max2048Text
    - CreDt Creation Date [1..1]ISODateTime
      Date and time when this Business Message (header) was created.
    - BizPrcgDt Business Processing Date [0..1]ISODateTime
      Processing date and time indicated by the sender for the receiver of the business message.
    - CpyDplct Copy Duplicate [0..1]CopyDuplicate1Code
      Indicates whether the message is a Copy, a Duplicate or a copy of a duplicate of a previously sent ISO 20022 Message.
    - PssblDplct Possible Duplicate [0..1]YesNoIndicator
      Flag indicating if the Business Message exchanged between the MessagingEndpoints is possibly a duplicate.
    - Prty Priority [0..1]BusinessMessagePriorityCode
      Relative indication of the processing precedence of the message over a (set of) Business Messages with assigned priorities.
    - Sgntr Signature [0..1]SignatureEnvelope
      Contains the digital signature of the Business Entity authorised to sign this Business Message.

Have a head.001 message? Paste it into the parser to see every element with its name and definition, and format checks on BICs, IBANs, dates and amounts.

Open an example in the parser

External code sets used in head.001

These elements take their values from ISO 20022 external code sets, which are published separately and updated every quarter without a new message version.

head.001 questions

What is the latest version of head.001?: The latest version in the ISO 20022 e-Repository release of 24 April 2025 is head.001.001.04.
What is the root element of head.001?: The XML document is Document with the namespace urn:iso:std:iso:20022:tech:xsd:head.001.001.04, and its message element is AppHdr (BusinessApplicationHeader).
Is there an MT equivalent of head.001?: No Swift MT message is listed as its direct equivalent on this site. Many ISO 20022 messages have no MT counterpart.

All ISO 20022 messages · ISO 20022 code sets · MT messages

The ISO 20022 message definitions, element names and definitions on this page are reproduced from material published at iso20022.org under the ISO 20022 Intellectual Property Rights policy. This is not the official source: the up-to-date ISO 20022 standards and repository material are published only at iso20022.org. Explanations in our own words are by ZagTrader. ZagTrader is not affiliated with or endorsed by ISO or Swift.