submission of returns in electronic pdf form

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Submission of Returns in Electronic PDF Form

User Guide

Version 1.1

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MAS - Submission of Returns in Electronic PDF Form User Guide 1.1

REVISION NOTICE

Revision Number Date 1.0 August 2014 1.1 Auguet 2018


ABBREVIATIONS

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Abbreviation Full Text

ACL Access Control List

FI Financial Institution

MAS Monetary Authority of Singapore

PDF Portable Document Format

XFDF XML Forms Data Format

XML eXtensible Markup Language

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Revision Notice ....................................................................................................... ii Abbreviations ......................................................................................................... iii Table of Contents ................................................................................................... iv Introduction ............................................................................................................. 1 Overview .................................................................................................................. 1 Minimum System Requirements ............................................................................ 2 Procedures .............................................................................................................. 3

A. Login ................................................................................................................................. 3 B. Form Filling ....................................................................................................................... 6 C. Form Validation ................................................................................................................. 9 D. Form Export to XML/XFDF .............................................................................................. 13 E. Form Import .................................................................................................................... 15 F. Form Submission ............................................................................................................ 16 G. Submission Enquiry ....................................................................................................... 24 H. Logout ............................................................................................................................. 25 I. Session Timeout ............................................................................................................. 26

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ..................................................................... 27


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INTRODUCTION

This document specifies the system requirements and procedures for the submissions of returns in electronic form. Adobe PDF forms are used for these submissions.

Financial institutions (FIs) may input financial data in the Adobe PDF forms using Adobe Reader. For Returns with published XML Specifications, FIs may also auto- generate, using in-house applications or systems, the PDF form data in XML format to eliminate manual data entry effort.

In order to use this system, you must have a MASNET Web ID and necessary permission to access this service. If you do not have this ID, please contact MASNET Helpdesk.

OVERVIEW

The following diagram describes the process to submit Returns (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Returns Submission Process


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1. User is required to login to MASNET website to perform any electronic returns related

activities such as Form Download, Data Submission and Enquiry of Returns Submission.

2. The forms for the returns are available in PDF format and can be downloaded from

MASNET website to local hard drive for offline form filling using Adobe Reader. 3. All input data fields need to be validated and exported (saved) as an XFDF file for

Returns Submission. Data may be validated by clicking on the <Validate> button found in the PDF form. To export the data in completed PDF form to an XFDF file, click the <Export Form> button found in the form. The export operation will also validate the data before exporting the data in the form to XFDF file.

4. After the data has been exported, users may login to MASNET website to submit the

data by indicating the submission details, e.g. Reporting Institution, Business Unit and Reporting Cycle.

5. Users may also enquire the status of returns from the MASNET website after

submission. 6. After completing the returns activity, users may logout of MASNET website.

MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

1. Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 or higher.

2. Adobe Reader version 8 or higher, preferably 10.1.6 (can be downloaded at

http://www.adobe.com).

3. Registered MASNET Web ID.

http://www.adobe.com/


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PROCEDURES

A. Login 1. Go to MASNET website, https://masnet.mas.gov.sg/ and click on the “Login”

hyperlink as shown in (Figure 2).

Figure 2: MASNET Homepage 2. Enter the user name and password (Figure 3). Click <Log On> button to proceed

with the login session.

Figure 3: MASNET Login Page

https://masnet.mas.gov.sg/


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3. Upon successful login, user may click the “MAS Returns” hyperlink to access the list of returns. THE MAS Returns page comprises of the list of Returns, listed under different sections. Click the hyperlink of the relevant return section (Figure 4) to access the Returns relating to the section. Please refer to (Table 1) for the complete list of Returns with the corresponding Sections that the Returns are listed under.

Figure 4: MAS Returns Page

The following is the sample MAS Returns segment for MAS 610, Monthly Statement of Assets and Liabilities listed under the section Banks, Finance Companies and Merchant Banks (Figure 5).

Figure 5: Sample Returns Segment


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There are 8 Sections under MAS Returns where all Returns are listed under. The Returns and the corresponding section are listed in the table below (Table 1).

Sectio

n Return Name

Access Control List Administration

Access Control List

Banks, Finance Companies and Merchant Banks

BIS Consolidated International Banking Statistics Returns Deposit Insurance Return Finance Company Monthly Return Qualifying Liabilities Return for Banks Liabilities Base Return for Finance Companies Fortnightly Asset Maintenance Report MAS 610, Monthly Statement of Assets and Liabilities MAS 610, Quarterly Returns on Classified Exposures MAS 610/1003, Monthly Foreign Exchange Business Transacted MAS 613, Monthly Liquidity Returns MAS 649/1015, Monthly Liquidity Returns MAS 630, Bank's Schedule for Private Equity/Venture Capital Investments MAS 755/1104, Weekly Report on S$ Transactions MAS 650, Monthly Collection of Statistical Returns for Renminbi Business Activities for Banks MAS 1117, Monthly Collection of Statistical Returns for Renminbi Business Activities for Merchant Banks MAS 759, Quarterly Statement of Credit Card/Charge Card Facilities MAS 760, Quarterly Statement of Unsecured Credit Facilities MAS 1003, Monthly Statement of Assets and Liabilities MAS 1003, Quarterly Returns on Classified Exposures Minimum Cash Balance Return Monthly Report on Singapore Government Securities held by Custodian Banks Quarterly Reporting for Section 35, Banking Act Top 100 Borrowers

Capital Market Intermediaries Revised SFA Quarterly Return Revised SFA Annual Return SFA Quarterly Return SFA Annual Return

Financial Advisers and Insurance

Financial Advisers Annual Return


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Brokers Insurance Brokers Annual Return Insurance Companies Insurance Additional Annual Return

Insurance Annual Return Insurance Quarterly Return Insurance Unaudited Annual Return Reinsurance Management Return Policy Owner's Protection Scheme Asset and Liability Exposures for Insurers Quarterly

Asset and Liability Exposures for Insurers Annual R t Thematic Reporting Internationalisation of the Singapore Dollar Statements of Retail Payment Statistics Quarterly Return Statements of Retail Payment Statistics Semi-Annual Return Quarterly Income and Expenditure Returns Credit Condition Survey

Trust Companies Trust Companies Annual Returns Money-Changing and Remittance Business

MAS Notice 3003 Quarterly Returns


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Table 1: MAS Return List 4. From the specific Return segment, download the applicable PDF forms by clicking on

the corresponding hyperlink. Click the <Save> button to save the file into your computer when prompted (Figure 6).

Figure 6: MASNET Form Download

B. Form Filling 1. Launch Adobe Reader and open the downloaded PDF form. The “Document Status”

dialog window will appear (Figure 7). If you do not want to see this message again, check the “Do not show this message again” option. Click the<Close> button to close the dialog window.


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Figure 7: PDF Form Document Status Dialog Window 2. Fill in the necessary fields in the PDF form.

The following is a sample PDF Form for a Return (Figure 8).


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Figure 8: Sample PDF Form

3. When working on the form document, the form may be saved to a PDF document to

prevent data loss in the midst of data entry and for future reference. To save as PDF document, simply use the “Save” or “Save As” operation available at the “File” menu (Figure 9). It is recommended to retain the original form template and use “Save As” operation to save the PDF file to a different name for each reporting cycle.


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Figure 9: Save PDF File

C. Form Validation1

1. The data found in the form must be validated before submitting to MAS. The data may

be validated using the <Validate> buttons, if available, found in various sections of the form. The individual <Validate> button will only apply validation checks onto the corresponding section of the form.

2. Upon clicking the <Validate> button, the data validation process will begin. The

1 For forms with no validate buttons, please note that the export form button will validate the form.


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actual duration of this process varies, and is dependent on the number of fields found in the section to be validated and the configuration of the computer.

3. The form displays a message box to notify the potential waiting time during

validation (Figure 10). Click the <OK> button to proceed with the validation.

Figure 10: PDF Form Validation Waiting Time Notification 4. If there are validation errors, the form displays a message box indicating that there

are invalid field values and/or empty mandatory fields (Figure 11). Click the <OK> button to continue.


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Figure 11: PDF Form Validation Error Notification

5. The form will display red background on the fields with validation errors. Correct the

error and click <Validate> button to validate the form (Figure 12).


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Figure 12: PDF Form with Validation Errors

6. Once all the validation errors have been corrected, the form displays a message

box to inform that there is no error found during validation (Figure 13). Click the <OK> button to continue.


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Figure 13: PDF Form Validation With Out Errors Message

D. Form Export to XML/XFDF

1. The form must be submitted in XML (XFDF) format. Use the <Export Form> button

found in the first page of the document to save the data in the form into an XFDF file. A notification message will be displayed when the <Export Form> button is clicked (Figure 14).

2. Click <OK> to proceed or <Cancel> to cancel the request. Upon clicking the <OK>

button, the data validation process will begin. The actual duration of this process varies, and is dependent on the number of fields found in the form to be validated


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and the configuration of the computer. The form will perform the export operation only when the form is validated to be error free.

Figure 14: Export PDF Form Data Notification Message 3. If there are validation errors, a message box will be displayed on the form indicating

that there are invalid field values and/or empty mandatory fields and highlight the field with error in red (as shown previously in Figure 11 and Figure 12). Rectify the error and click <Export Form> button again to generate the XFDF file required for submission.

4. If the form contains no validation error, a dialog window similar to (Figure 13) will be

shown. Click the <OK> button to continue. 5. The form displays the “Export Form Data As” dialog window when there is no

validation error (Figure 15). Choose the desired file location to save the XFDF file. Click <Save> button to save the file.


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Figure 15: Export PDF Form Data Dialog Window

E. Form Import 1. The form provides a feature to allow form data stored in XML (XFDF) format to be

imported back into the PDF form for viewing and editing. This feature is useful as it eliminates the need for manual form filling. Institutions who are interested in utilizing this feature can also generate its own XML data for importing into the PDF forms.

2. To import the XFDF file, click <Import Form> button on the first page of the PDF

form. A dialog window (Figure 16) will be displayed to request for the XFDF file to be imported. Choose the desired XFDF file and click <Select> button to import.


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Figure 16: Import PDF Form Data Dialog Window

F. Form Submission

1. Login to MASNET website (Figure 3) and go to “MAS Returns” page (Figure 4). Click

on “Submission Page” hyperlink of the relevant return to access the submission page. If there were any previously submitted returns, the system will display a “Submission Enquiry” hyperlink. This link will lead you to the enquiry page. Click the “Pending Submissions” hyperlink to display the list of business units pending for submission, if there is any.


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The following is the sample E-Returns Main Menu Page for MAS610 Return (Figure 17).

Figure 17: E-Returns Main Menu Page 2. To submit a return, click the “Submission” hyperlink where you will be redirected to

“Submission Step 1 of 2” page (Figure 18).

Figure 18: E-Returns Submission Step 1 of 2 3. Select the desired business units and type a valid reporting cycle in the required

format for the return (Figure 19). Click <Continue> button to proceed or <Main


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Menu> button to go to the main menu page. If any invalid information exists, the System will display an error message for your rectification (Figure 20).

Figure 19: E-Returns Submission Step 1 of 2 with field values

Figure 20: E-Returns Submission Step 1 of 2 with field errors

For some returns such as Asset and Liability Exposures for Insurers, the Multiple Submission feature is enabled. The Multiple Submission is enabled if the message “This transaction accepts up to 5 files per upload” is displayed (Figure 21).


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Figure 21: Multiple Submissions is Enabled

4. At the “Upload Return” page (Figure 22 & 23), FIs have the option to upload the

return or declare Nil Submission 2 . To return to the previous screen click the <Back> button. To reset the form fields, click the <Reset> button.

2 Please note that some of the Returns don’t have the Nil Submission option.


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Figure 22: E-Returns Submission Step 2 of 2


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Figure 23: Multiple Submission Upload Page

4.1. Uploading a Return

4.1.1. Click the <Browse> button to select the XFDF file to be submitted. Once

the desired file is selected, click <Open> to proceed (Figure 24).


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Figure 24: E-Returns Submission Choose File Dialog Window

4.1.2. After selecting the desired XFDF file to upload, click <Upload Return> button to submit. During the upload, system will validate the key information in the XFDF file. If there is any error, the details will be displayed (Figure 25).

Figure 25: E-Returns Submission Error Page

4.1.3. Upon successful submission the system will display a message to


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confirm the upload. Click the <Main Menu> button to go to the main menu page (Figure 26).

Figure 26: E-Returns Submission Acknowledgment Page 4.2. Nil Submission

If the FI is required to submit the return but doesn’t have anything to report, click the <Nil Submission> button. The system will display a message to confirm the Nil Submission. Click the <Main Menu> button to go back to the main menu page (Figure 27).


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Figure 27: E-Returns Nil Submission Acknowledgment Page

G. Submission Enquiry

1. The “Submission Enquiry” hyperlink on the “Main Menu” page (Figure 17) will

allow the system to display submissions (Figure 28). If the submission status is set to draft, the Actions column displays action hyperlinks such as “Delete” and “Submit” (Figure 29).

Figure 28: E-Returns Submission Enquiry Page


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Figure 29: E-Returns Submission Enquiry Page with Draft Status

H. Logout 1. On the top right-hand side of every MASNET screen, there is a “Logout” hyperlink

(Figure 30). You can click “Logout” hyperlink to logout from your MASNET session. The system will redirect you to MAS Home Page (Figure 2).

Figure 30: MASNET Logout Hyperlink


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I. Session Timeout

1. If there is no activity for a specific time (about 30 minutes), the system will redirect the

current page to “Timeout” page and the session will be logout (Figure 31). To access the “MAS Returns” page, please login again via MASNET website (Figure 2).

Figure 31: E-Returns Session Timeout Page


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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Question 1:

After downloading the XFDF file from enquiry page, I double-clicked the XFDF file in Windows Explorer to launch it into Adobe Reader. The following message appears (Figure 32). What should I do?

Figure 32: PDF Form Not Found Message Answer:

This message occurs when Adobe Reader cannot locate the associated PDF form on your computer. Click <No> to close the message.

The correct practice is to open the empty corresponding PDF form in Adobe Reader first, then use the <Import Form> button in the form to import the XFDF file (Refer to Section F above).

Question 2:

When I open the PDF form in Adobe Reader, the following message appears (Figure 33). What should I do?


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Figure 33: Message on PDF Form Special Rights

Answer: This message appears when Adobe Reader opens PDF forms with special rights to save form data. Click <Close>. No further additional action is required.

If you do not want to see this message again, check the “Do not show this dialog next time this document is opened” option. Click <Close> to end.

Question 3:

When I open PDF form in Adobe Reader, the following message appears (Figure 34). Should I turn it on?

Answer:

Figure 34: PDF Form Auto-Complete Feature Message

We recommend that you do not turn it on to avoid data entry error.


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Question 4:

I noticed that the file size of the PDF form has grown to over 10MB. How can I reduce the file size?

Answer:

When repeatedly saved over, the unwanted data in the PDF form is not entirely erased from the file, and hence would lead to excessive storage of previously ‘overwritten’ data. This occurs when the “Save” function is repeatedly used on your original file when generating new regulatory returns for the next cycle.

The file size can be reduced by saving the PDF form under another file name. To do so, you can use the “Save As” option found under the File menu (Figure 35).

Figure 35: Saving into a Different PDF File


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Question 5:

Can I navigate the PDF form more efficiently? Answer:

Bookmarks are created in all PDF forms to provide better navigation. The bookmarks can be found in the “Bookmarks” tab of each PDF form (Figure 36). You can use the bookmarks to navigate within a PDF form.

Figure 36: Navigating PDF Form Using Bookmarks


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Question 6:

How can I ensure that I’m filling up and submitting the latest electronic forms? Answer:

You should select and download the electronic forms from MASNET website at http://masnet.mas.gov.sg/ when you prepare for your return submission. This will ensure that you obtain the latest electronic forms. A validation check is also included in the submission process to ensure that only the latest electronic forms are submitted.

Question 7:

How can I know the type of submission error I faced during submission? Answer:

Upon submitting the XFDF file, if any of the fields specified below are mismatched with the fields in the form, or is blank, an error message will be displayed as shown in the table below (Table 2).

Error Message Displayed

Actions to take

The Institution Code information is not correct. Verify if the institution code is mentioned in the PDF

form and you are uploading for the correct selected institution. The Institution Code information is

missing. The Reporting Cycle information is not correct. Verify if the reporting cycle is mentioned in the PDF

form and you are uploading for the mentioned reporting cycle. The Reporting Cycle information is

missing. The Business Unit information is not correct. Verify if the Business Unit is mentioned in the PDF

form and you are uploading for the correct selected business unit. The Business Unit information is

missing.

The checkDigit verification is failed. Re-import and export the XFDF file into the correct PDF Form version.

The checkDigit information is missing.

The Form ID information is not correct. Verify that you are uploading the correct forms for the specified Return.

The Form ID information is missing.

http://masnet.mas.gov.sg/


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The submitted XML data does not contain filename information.

Verify if the file name information is in the XFDF file you are uploading. Re-import and export the XFDF file into the correct PDF Form version.

The Form Version information is not correct.

Download the latest release of PDF Forms via MASNET website.

The Form template version information is missing.

Re-import and export the XFDF file into the correct PDF Form version.

The submitted XML data contains invalid characters which cannot be processed.

Verify that there are no special characters in the XFDF File. E.g. replace ϋ with U.

The submitted data is not a valid XML file.

Verify that the XFDF file you are trying to upload is a valid XML File.

Table 2: E-Returns Submission Error Message List Question 8:

I encounter the following error message when trying to access the Return Submission hyperlink: “User is not authorized to access the specified form.” (Figure 37). How can I have my access?

Answer: Please check if your company’s Liaison Officer has granted you the rights to submit for the selected return.

For further instructions on how to grant the necessary rights to submit the Return please refer to the ACL Administration page located under the Access Control List Administration Section in MASNET.

Please contact MASNET Helpdesk if you have any questions on the ACL Administration or face any other technical difficulties.


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Figure 37: User is not authorized to access the specified form Error

Question 9:

I would like to validate the form but I could not find any validate button. What should I do?

Answer: For forms that don’t have any <Validate> buttons, the <Export Form> button on the first page of the PDF form will do the validations.

Question 10:

I would like to do Nil Submission but I could not find the Nil Submission button in the Upload Return page. What should I do?

Answer:

The <Nil Submission> button is only available if the Return allows Nil Submission. Please contact your respective MAS Officer for further instructions on how to submit the return on such case.

Question 11:

I would like to do Multiple Submission at once but I encountered the following error message “You are not eligible to submit the specified Returns for this Business Unit and Reporting Cycle” (Figure 38) when I tried to select and upload for multiple business units. What should I do?


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Figure 38: Submit Multiple Business Units Error

Answer:

The Multiple Submission is only applicable for some of the Returns. If you have encountered this error, please retry submitting one form at a time.

submission of returns in electronic pdf form

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