MT700 Field 45A and Its Relationship with UCP

Introduction

Field 45A of the SWIFT MT700 message records the description of goods and/or services. It is optional in the message (Option A, 100×65z narrative) yet functionally central: it is the description against which the commercial invoice — the one document present in almost every credit — is examined. The field also embeds the trade term (FOB, CIF, FCA, and the like) that determines who bears freight and insurance risk.

This guide examines field 45A's relationship with the UCP rules as a whole, with emphasis on the standard of examination in Article 14 and the invoice rules in Article 18. It is written for practitioners who need to understand how a single SWIFT narrative field becomes the measuring stick for an entire document package under the UCP framework.

Failure Mode Analysis

Failure Mode 1: Invoice Description Fails to Correspond with Field 45A

Field 45A describes a specific product and quantity. The invoice uses a generic or altered description. Article 18(c) requires correspondence; the mismatch is a discrepancy that triggers the Article 16 refusal pathway.

Failure Mode 2: Field 45A Trade Term Conflicts with the Insurance Document

Field 45A states "CIF" (seller insures). The insurance document presented is in the buyer's name or shows the buyer as the insured party. The document does not reflect the risk allocation the field 45A term implies.

Failure Mode 3: Quantity Tolerance Exceeds Article 30 Limits

Field 45A states a quantity without the word "about." The invoice evidences a quantity beyond the 5 percent tolerance permitted by Article 30(b) for quantity (where the credit does not stipulate otherwise and the goods are not shipped in specified containers). The variance is discrepant.

Failure Mode 4: Field 45A Goods Data Conflicts with the Transport Document

The transport document shows a package count or marking inconsistent with field 45A. Under Article 14(d) the conflict is a discrepancy even though the transport document need not repeat the full goods description.

Failure Mode 5: Non-Documentary Term in Field 45A Cannot Be Evidenced

Field 45A includes a condition that no document in field 46A can satisfy. Under Article 14(g) and ISBP guidance, the examining bank disregards the condition unless it is linked to a stipulated document, creating uncertainty about whether the credit intended a document or a non-documentary requirement.

Deterministic Resolution Architecture

Step 1: Capture Field 45A as the Goods Benchmark

Record the complete field 45A narrative. This text is the reference for every goods-related document and for the Article 14 examination.

Step 2: Draft the Invoice to Correspond Under Article 18(c)

Prepare the commercial invoice so its goods description corresponds with field 45A. Match product identity and quantity framing; avoid introducing conflicting data.

Step 3: Derive Document Consequences from the Trade Term

Identify the Incoterm in field 45A and determine the freight and insurance allocation it imposes. Confirm field 46A's required documents reflect that allocation.

Step 4: Apply Article 30 Tolerance Where Relevant

For quantity and unit price, apply the Article 30 tolerances only where the credit permits. If field 45A omits "about," hold the invoice within the applicable tolerance band.

Step 5: Check Cross-Document Goods Data Under Article 14(d)

Verify that the packing list, transport document, and any certificate do not carry goods data conflicting with field 45A. The no-conflict rule spans the whole set.

Step 6: Resolve Non-Documentary Conditions

Where field 45A contains a term no document evidences, link it to a stipulated document in field 46A or request removal. Otherwise the examining bank may disregard it under Article 14(g).

Step 7: Reconcile Field 45A with Field 47A

Confirm additional conditions in field 47A are consistent with the field 45A description and trade term. Amend where they undermine each other.

Step 8: Pre-Presentation Field 45A Verification

Before submission, confirm invoice correspondence (Art 18(c)), Incoterm reflected in documents, quantity within tolerance (Art 30), no conflicts (Art 14(d)), and consistent 47A conditions. Present only when all hold.

Conclusion

Field 45A's relationship with UCP is that of a SWIFT narrative that becomes the UCP examination benchmark. Article 14 supplies the standard of examination and the no-conflict rule; Article 18(c) makes the invoice correspond to it; Article 30 governs quantity and price tolerances. A credit that populates field 45A well — clear product, correct Incoterm, sensible quantity — gives the beneficiary a precise target. A credit whose field 45A is vague or internally inconsistent invites the discrepancies this guide's failure modes describe.

FAQ

Q1: What is the core UCP rule connecting field 45A to the invoice?
Article 18(c): the description of goods in the commercial invoice must correspond with the description in the credit, and field 45A is that credit description.

Q2: Does UCP require field 45A to be populated?
No. Field 45A is optional under SWIFT. UCP 600 does not mandate it, but a populated field 45A gives the examining bank a concrete description to examine against.

Q3: How does the trade term in field 45A affect UCP compliance?
The Incoterm determines freight and insurance responsibility, which in turn dictates which documents must appear and in whose name — engaging Article 14 and the relevant insurance or transport articles.

Q4: What tolerance applies to quantity in field 45A?
Under Article 30(b), where the credit does not stipulate otherwise, a quantity not preceded by "about" may tolerate a 5 percent variance (subject to the container and amount constraints). The invoice must stay within that band.

Q5: Can a condition in field 45A be ignored by the examining bank?
If the condition is non-documentary — incapable of being met by a document — the bank disregards it under Article 14(g) unless it is linked to a stipulated document in field 46A.

Q6: Is an applicant waiver sufficient to cure a field 45A invoice discrepancy?
A waiver can accept non-complying documents after presentation, but the bank is not obliged to take them up. Correcting the invoice or amending field 45A before presentation is the more reliable approach.

Source Notes

Context only: The source dossier for this guide contained the SWIFT MT700 field 45A specification (SWIFT SR2018, Category 7) and the UCP 600 article cross-reference for field 45A (Articles 14(d) and 18). No text from those sources has been reproduced. This guide was composed from first principles using the SWIFT MT700 field specification, the UCP 600 framework, and independent analysis of field 45A's relationship with UCP.