> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.withacclaim.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# File format

> Structure, columns, and required fields for CSV and Excel payout uploads.

Your upload must follow a defined structure with specific columns and formatting rules. Acclaim supports **CSV** and **Excel** (`.xlsx`); both follow the same logical schema.

## Supported file types

* CSV (`.csv`)
* Excel (`.xlsx`)

## File structure

Each **row** is one payout. A typical row includes:

* Payee information
* Bank or payout-method details
* Amount and currency
* Optional metadata your template allows

## Header row

The first row must be **headers** that map to Acclaim fields (directly or via your template). Example:

```csv theme={null}
payee.type,payee.first_name,payee.last_name,bank_account.account_number,bank_account.swift_code,amount,currency
```

## Column naming

Column names should match Acclaim field identifiers. Use **dot notation** for nested fields:

* `payee.first_name`
* `bank_account.account_number`
* `beneficiary.address.country`

## Required vs optional fields

What is required depends on:

* Payout method
* Destination country
* Payee type (individual or business)

Use the [supported payout countries](/guides/disburse/countries/index) index and each country’s page for method-specific fields and limits.

## Common fields

| Field                              | Description                                              |
| ---------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- |
| `amount`                           | Payout amount (numeric; no currency symbols in the cell) |
| `currency`                         | ISO 4217 currency code                                   |
| `payee.type`                       | `individual` or `business`                               |
| `bank_account.account_holder_name` | Name on the account                                      |

## Payee fields

**Individual**

* `payee.first_name`
* `payee.last_name`

**Business**

* `payee.business_name`

## Bank account fields

| Field                         | Description          |
| ----------------------------- | -------------------- |
| `bank_account.account_number` | Local account number |
| `bank_account.swift_code`     | SWIFT/BIC            |
| `bank_account.iban`           | IBAN where supported |
| `bank_account.clabe`          | CLABE (Mexico)       |

## Data formatting rules

**Currency**

* Valid ISO 4217 code (for example `USD`, `EUR`, `MXN`).

**Amount**

* Numeric only; no currency symbols (for example `1000.50`).

**Strings**

* Trim leading and trailing whitespace.
* Avoid extra special characters unless the field requires them.

**Dates**

* ISO format: `YYYY-MM-DD`.

## Example file

```csv theme={null}
payee.type,payee.first_name,payee.last_name,bank_account.account_holder_name,bank_account.account_number,bank_account.swift_code,amount,currency
individual,Ana,García,Ana García,1234567890,BNMXMXMM,1500,USD
```

<Tip>
  Keep column order stable across files so operations teams and templates stay aligned.
</Tip>

## Next steps

* [Template configuration](./template-configuration)
* [Validation rules](./validation)
* [Processing flow](./processing)
* [Error handling](./errors)
* [Examples](./examples)