Import AU BECS data

When you migrate AU BECS data from your previous processor, you import the data in Stripe as a payment method object (pm_).

Import the mandates

During the customer onboarding process, businesses must collect a mandate that authorizes them to debit the account. In the BECS Direct Debit system, these mandates are called Direct Debit Requests (DDRs).

These mandates or DDRs refer to the original authorized agreement that the customer and the business have already established.

In migrating payment details to Stripe, we create a new Direct Debit Request for you to replace your existing direct debit request mandates. This new DDR:

• Represents the same agreement the customer initially authorized for the first direct debit instruction.
• Requires no new information from the customer. The original agreement stays the same.

Account limits

New users are subject to default limits of 1,500 AUD per transaction and 4,500 AUD per week for Australia BECS Direct Debit transactions. If you need higher limits, let us know in your migration request form.

Migration notification

Inform your customers about the migration before it happens. The original approval is sufficient, so they don’t need to give permission again or set up a new AU BECS Direct Debit mandate.

Reassure your customers that their current mandates are valid and require no action from them, unless they choose to cancel the mandate.

AU BECS debit notification

AU BECS regulations advises you to notify your customers when debiting their AU BECS payment method.

If you choose to notify your customers, you can have Stripe automatically send this email notification, or you can send it manually. Stripe requires the customer email address in the migration data to comply with this regulation.

AU BECS file guidance

• A processor can provide a number of different fields.
• We advise your processor to provide a full export of all customer and payment method data to Stripe.
• Stripe can filter out any unnecessary fields from the previous processor’s data as needed.
• Stripe can merge multiple received files if either the old customer ID or the old source ID is present in both files.

File formatting requirements

Export data files must meet the following data standards for us to proceed with an import:

• The file must be in CSV format.
• The file must be UTF-8 encoded.
• Delimit rows by a single newline character \n (not \r\n).
• Delimit columns by a comma (,).
• You must wrap all fields containing commas in double quotes ("). We recommend wrapping all fields in double quotes.
• Leave empty fields entirely empty (no character in between delimiters). You must not denote a missing field with NULL, N/A, or any other value.
• Escape any double quotes that are part of the content with another double quote per the CSV RFC. Example: "William ""Bard of Avon"" Shakespeare"
• Fields can’t contain newline characters (\r or \n) within a field. An example of what to avoid would be: 101 1st Ave\nApt 1.
• All rows must have the same number of columns.
• Columns support any order.
• You must encrypt sensitive data files with our PGP key before submitting them through SFTP.

AU BECS data fields