Also remember that the data in the report file has already been processed. Your test of the original data could be compromised if you limit yourself to just report files. Request fixed length files. Fixed length means that each record in the file has the same number of characters. Verify that the client provided the required documentation.
Incomplete documentation is often the cause of problems in processing computer data.
Accordingly, we recommend that you verify that the client has provided all the needed documentation and that the data is in the format you requested. If it is not, you should immediately contact the person responsible for providing the data. However, there are a wide variety of possible formats. Some formats can be troublesome. Total number of records in file.