Case Report Specification
Last updated: Sept 24th, 6:16pm
The Case Report is designed for merchants (you) that process large payment volumes best handled through programmatic interfaces.
This report provides you with a regular view into the changes within your dispute and claim activity that might affect your daily support operations, your financial accounting, and your transactional history. It provides you with enough basic information about a PayPal dispute so that you can take the appropriate business actions to resolve the customer concern.
PayPal assumes that you have some experience with processing customer claims and the Case Report will provide data to be used within an existing complaint/dispute/claim processing flow. PayPal disputes come in different flavors, and while the general responses that you might make do not change (for example, providing proof of shipment for "non delivery claims"), you need to be aware of the timing differences of each PayPal dispute type.
The Case Report will not provide you with information about specific timing. If you wish to better understand the timing and response timelines related to each PayPal dispute type, visit the PayPal Resolution Center for more information.
Know before you begin
To use the Case Report, you'll need to create an SFTP user account.
The Case Report (formerly known as Downloadable Dispute Report - DDR) provides you with a regular operational report of all claims made against your PayPal account. This report is intended to provide you with a view of what claims have been made against you.
Because claims constantly change based on how you, and in some cases the consumer, react to the case, this report provides a view of changes to claim status in the past reporting period (typically 24 hours). It also provides claims for the last two years for all open cases. Additionally, the report provides information about newly created dispute cases, as well as changes in the status of those cases that have already been opened and are being processed.
The Case Report resembles the Case Report available to all PayPal users via the Resolution Center within the PayPal site, the Case Report is different in the following ways:
- The Case Report reports all claims that have changed state in the past reporting period (typically 24 hours) and also reports claims for the last two years whose status is still open (all open cases). You must do any filtering or sorting of this data.
- The Case Report contains the
Invoice ID
field, which can be used to track dispute cases based on your own internal transactional identifiers.
Terminology
The following terms are useful in understanding the report:
- Bank Return: These are received via the ACH (bank) networks for those cases where the consumer used a bank to fund the PayPal payment. While uncommon for US consumer transactions, these are not uncommon for worldwide consumers because credit card penetration is lower than in the US. The amount of the disputed transaction is often held in an unavailable balance until the ACH return is resolved. Once the ACH return is resolved, the amount being held is released. If the merchant was found to be at fault for the ACH return, a separate debit adjustment occurs.
- Chargeback: These are received directly by PayPal and represent cases where the consumer feels that PayPal will better resolve the complaint than their funding source, or the PayPal payment was funded directly from the consumer’s PayPal balance.The amount of the chargeback is often held in an unavailable balance until the chargeback is resolved. Once the chargeback is resolved, the amount being held is released. If the merchant was found to be at fault for the chargeback, a separate debit adjustment occurs.
- Claim: A claim is filed by a consumer against a merchant when the consumer is seeking a reversal of a transaction with a merchant. A consumer can file a claim without having first filed a dispute. All unresolved disputes automatically become claims. The amount of the chargeback is often held in an unavailable balance until the dispute is resolved. Once the dispute is resolved, the amount being held is released. If the merchant was found to be at fault for the dispute, a separate debit adjustment occurs.
- Dispute: A dispute is filed against by a consumer against a merchant when the consumer wants to work with the merchant to resolve an issue with a payment. There is no money movement for a dispute. Merchants are encouraged to reply to disputes to prevent a consumer claim against a transaction.
- Reversal/Temporary Hold: PayPal will sometimes pull specific transaction(s) based on the appearance of fraudulent activity, or actual fraud. Because this is a PayPal initiated investigation, the merchant needs to resolve with PayPal and not with the counter party. The amount of the questionable transaction is often held in an unavailable balance until the investigation is complete. Once the investigation is complete, the amount being held is released. If the merchant was found to be at fault for the questionable transaction, a separate debit adjustment occurs.
- Unauthorized Claim: These are received directly by PayPal incases where either PayPal or the consumer has identified possible fraudulent use of their PayPal account.The amount of the disputed transaction is often held in an unavailable balance until the investigation is complete. Once the investigation is complete, the amount being held is released. If the merchant was found to be at fault for the dispute, a separate debit adjustment occurs.
Report types
The Case Report is not designed to supply you with a complete view of all claims. The following table describes which reports will best inform specific needs within your business.
Report name | Purpose | Scope | Frequency |
---|---|---|---|
Settlement report | Identify all transactions that resulted in money movement within a specific PayPal account that was eventually swept to an account different from the PayPal account. | All transactions | Daily |
Transaction detail report | Identify transactional events within the PayPal account that impact the history of payments within a given PayPal account. | All transactions | Daily |
Agreement report | Identify all pre-payment transactions (authorizations, orders, MIP agreements, gift certificates) that precede payment transactions. | All agreements | Daily |
Case report | Identify and track claims and disputes (chargebacks) related to PayPal payments. | All claims and disputes | Daily |
Distribution and access
The Case Report is available on PayPal's website and via the Secure FTP PayPal Reporting Server (sftp
), which requires a separate user account for access to the Case Report. A user account that is enabled for the Case Report is also enabled to create user accounts for the Secure Drop-Box. To ensure data security, Case Report users must generate their own user accounts for the Secure Drop-Box.
The following steps describe how to set up and access the Case Report using the Secure FTP PayPal Reporting Server:
-
Create a Secure FTP PayPal Reporting Server user account. Log in to PayPal (
www.paypal.com
) and create a Secure PayPal Reporting FTP Server username and password. Passwords for accessing the Secure FTP PayPal Reporting Server cannot be reset by PayPal. To obtain a new password, you must create a new Secure FTP PayPal Reporting Server user account. -
Grant access to third-party users. You must explicitly grant access to third-parties by contacting their PayPal Account Manager to supply the third-parties’ PayPal login username and the type of permission: reporting access (read). The third-party is then notified by email that access to the business partner’s Secure FTP PayPal Reporting Server has been granted.
-
Access the Secure FTP PayPal Reporting Server programmatically using an FTP client. The hostname of the Secure FTP PayPal Reporting Server is
reports.paypal.com
. A user account on the Secure FTP PayPal Reporting Server has this directory structure:/ppreports/outgoing
.
Schedule
The Case Report is generated and delivered by PayPal on a regular (24 hour) basis. With the initial release of the Case Report, the Case Report is generated and distributed by 9AM daily in the leading timezone of the reporting window.
Data format
You can receive the Case Report in either comma separated value (csv) or tab delimited values format. Contact your PayPal Account Manager to set the data format for this report.
Character encoding: UTF-8
The report’s character encoding is UTF-8 (8-bit UCS/Unicode Transformation Format).
Report filename
The file naming convention depinds on whether or not you're using Multiple Account Management.
Single account report
The filename of the Case Report for a single account follows this naming convention:
DDR-yyyymmdd.sequenceNumber.version.format:
Naming convention | Description |
---|---|
DDR |
An abbreviation for "Downloadable Dispute Report" |
yyyymmdd |
The date on the data in the report. This date stamp represents the latest, or ending date, of the data. |
sequenceNumber |
The sequence number of this file. Two characters, right-justified, and zero-filled. The sequence number begins with 01 and continues until all parts are recorded in files. The sequence number is always present in the report file name even if there is only one file. |
version |
The version of the report. Three characters, right-justified, and zero-filled. |
format |
A .csv (comma-separated value file) or a .tab (a tab-delimited-field file) |
Multiple account report
When using Multiple Account Management, the filename of the report follows this naming convention:
DDR-yyyymmdd.reportingWindow.sequenceNumber.totalFiles.version.format
Naming convention | Description |
---|---|
DDR |
An abbreviation for "Downloadable Dispute Report" |
yyyymmdd |
The date on the data in the report. This date stamp represents the latest, or ending date, of the data. |
reportingWindow |
The window of time when the report was generated, as follows:A : America/New York to America/Los Angeles H : America/Los Angeles to Asia/Hong Kong R : Asia/Hong Kong to Europe/London X : Europe/London to America/New York |
sequenceNumber |
The sequence number of this file. Two characters, right-justified, and zero- filled. The sequence number begins with 01 and continues until all parts are recorded in files. The sequence number is always present in the report file name even if there is only one file. |
totalFiles |
The total number of files of the report for this date. The number of files is always two digits and zero-padded. For example, for 2 total files, totalFiles is 02 . |
version |
The version of the report. Three characters, right-justified, and zero-filled. |
format |
A .csv (comma-separated value file) or a .tab (a tab-delimited-field file) |
Data retention
The Case Report is available on PayPal's website and via the Secure FTP PayPal Reporting Server for 45 days after the date of its delivery.
New or revised versions
In the future, PayPal will support multiple versions of the Case Report. PayPal will notify you regarding the creation of any new version as well as any deprecation of older versions of the report.
If you wish to take advantage of a new version, you can receive two versions of the same report concurrently in order to test and integrate the new version. You can also receive non- consecutive versions of the same report concurrently in order to test and integrate the new version. Contact your PayPal Account Manager to enable different versions and request any changes in report distribution.
Notifications
PayPal operationally monitors the generation and delivery of the Case Report on a 24/7 365 basis. PayPal maintains two different user contact points for report notifications:
- A business contact point for all notifications related to data integrity, data delivery, and new reporting features.
- A technical contact for all notifications related to data integrity, data delivery, system outages, system updates, and new features. PayPal will notify you of the following events related to reporting.
- Delays in report delivery.
- Errors in report generation.
- New version availability.
- System outage.
- System update/maintenance(pre-announcement).
- New reporting feature releases.
Contact your PayPal Account Manager to provide PayPal with the appropriate notification email alias. PayPal strongly recommends that you create a distribution list or email alias that allows multiple parties to receive communication about the Case Report.
Report structure
The report can be delivered as either a comma-separated values or tab-delimited file. This section describes the structure of the data file.
A report file can contain a maximum of 150,000 records. If the report contains more than 150,000 records, the report is split across multiple files. The report is also organized by section, where each section represents a single PayPal account. If you are not using PayPal Multiple Account Management, the report contains only a single section.
Report files
A report file with less than 100,000 records (a single file) with only one section is organized as follows:
Report Header (RH)
File Header (FH)
Section Header (SH)
Column Header (CH)
Row Data (SB)
...
Row Data (SB)
Section Footer (SF)
Section Record Count (SC)
Report Footer (RF)
Report Record Count (RC)
File Footer (FF)
For report files that are split over multiple files, only the first file has a report header record and only the last file has a report footer and a report record count record. A report with two sections split over two files might be organized as follows:
File 1 | File 2 |
---|---|
Report Header (RH) File Header (FH) Section Header (SH) Column Header (CH) Row Data (SB) ... Row Data (SB) Section Footer (SF) Section Record Count (SC) Section Header (SH) Column Header (CH) Row Data (SB) ... File Footer (FF) |
File Header (FH) Row Data (SB) ... Row Data (SB) Section Footer (SF) Section Record Count (SC) Report Footer (RF) Report Record Count (RC) File Footer (FF) |
If the report is split over multiple files, only the last file contains the report footer and report record count records.
Report row types
Each row of the report consists of a 2-letter row type, followed by the details specific to that row type. The following table lists the valid row types, along with the sections that describe the data for that row type.
Code | Description | Section |
---|---|---|
RH |
Report header | Report header data |
RF |
Report footer | Report footer data |
RC |
Report record count | Report record count data |
FH |
File header | File header data |
FF |
File footer | File footer data |
SH |
Section header | Section header data |
SB |
Row data | Section body data |
CH |
Column header | Section body data |
SF |
Section footer | Section footer data |
SC |
Section record count | Section record count data |
Report header data
Report header data exists in one row with each element being separated by the file delimiter. All report fields are non-blank unless otherwise noted.
Position | Column name | Data type | Data description |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Column type | Type: Literal | RH |
2 | Report generation date | Type: date/time | The date and time when the report file was generated, in the following format: YYYY/MM/DD HH:MM:SS offset , where:
|
3 | Reporting window | Type: varchar | The window of time when the report was generated, as follows:
|
4 | Account ID | Type: varchar | Account number receiving the report (Payer ID - encrypted hash of PayPal account) |
5 | Report version | Type: varchar | The version of the report |
Report footer data
Report footer data exists in one row with each element being separated by the file delimiter. All report fields are non-blank unless otherwise noted.
Position | Column name | Data type | Data description |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Column type | Type: literal | RF |
2 | Row count | Type: number | The number of body data rows in the report (used for reconciliation). Note that the report may span multiple files. |
Report record count data
Position | Column name | Data type | Data description |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Column type | Type: literal | RC |
2 | Row count | Type: number | The number of body data rows in the report (used for reconciliation). Note that the report may span multiple files. |
File header data
File header data exists in one row with each element being separated by the file delimiter. All report fields are non-blank unless otherwise noted.
Position | Column name | Data type | Data description |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Column type | Type: literal | FH |
2 | File count | Type: number | The sequence number of the file in the report (used for reconciliation) |
File footer data
File footer data exists in one row with each element being separated by the file delimiter. All report fields are non-blank unless otherwise noted.
Position | Column name | Data type | Data description |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Column type | Type: literal | FF |
2 | Row count | Type: number | The number of body data rows in the file (used for reconciliation) |
Section header data
All section header data exists in one row with each element being separated by the file delimiter. All report fields are non-blank unless otherwise noted.
Position | Column name | Data type | Data description |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Column type | Type: Literal | SH |
2 | Reporting period start date | Type: date/time | The date/time when the report began. The data is in the following format: YYYY/MM/DD HH:MM:SS offset , where:
|
3 | Reporting period end date | The date/time when the report ended. | The data is in the following format:YYYY/MM/DD HH:MM:SS offset , where:
|
4 | Account ID | Type: varchar | Account number generated by PayPal |
Section body data
Body data exists in one row with each element being separated by the file delimiter. All report fields are non-blank unless otherwise noted.
Before any rows of body data in the report, a column header row lists the name of each of the fields in each body data row. The column header column starts with CH
, followed by the Column Name
for each body data field (except for the "column type" field). For example:
1"CH","Case type","Case ID","Original transaction ID","Transaction date","Transaction invoice ID","Card type","Case reason","Claimant name","Claimant email address","Case filing date","Case status","Response due date","Disputed amount","Disputed currency","Disputed transaction ID","Money movement","Settlement type","Seller protection","Seller protection payout amount","Seller protection currency","Payment tracking ID","Buyer comments","Store ID","Credit Card Chargeback Reason Code"
Position | Column name | Data type | Data description |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Column type | Type: Literal | SB |
2 | Case type | Type: Text string | The type of case made against the transaction. Text strings are guaranteed to be immutable and consistent. The case type must be one of the following six values:
|
3 | Case ID |
|
Unique ID generated by PayPal. Use this ID when discussing your case with PayPal service representatives. It could be in one of 3 formats - PP- 000-111- 222-333 , PP-D-99999 , or PP-R-XXX-NNNNNN - where:
Example: PP-R-BFV-90020010
|
4 | Original transaction ID | Type: Alphanumeric | ID of the transaction against which the case was filed. This unique 17-character ID is generated by PayPal and cannot be altered. |
5 | Transaction date | Type: Date/time | Completion date of the transaction. You can use this date to reconciliation with the Transaction Detail Report and Settlement Report. The date time that represents the beginning time period of the report in the following format: YYYY/MM/DD HH:MM:SS offset , where:
For versions 1 to 6, the date and time when the report file was generated is in the following format: MM/DD/YYYY HH:MM:SS offset .
|
6 | Transaction invoice ID | Type: Alphanumeric | Invoice ID that you provided with the transaction. This value is assumed to be unique upon entry into the PayPal transaction database. There are situations where duplicates are allowed. For example, if you capture against an auth, you can use the same invoice ID for multiple captures. Invoice ID does not show with all transactions. However, it must show with the Settlement and Sale transactions (when passed). Because this is a merchant-configured field, you are responsible for this data and its consistency within your data store and relative to other transactions. |
7 | Card type | Type: Text string | Displays the credit card type used for transaction involved in a credit card chargeback. This field is visible only if you accept Pro, Virtual Terminal, or Hosted Solution customers |
8 | Case reason | Type: Text string | The systemic reason for the case.
|
9 | Claimant name |
|
Name of the claimant as it appears in the original PayPal payment being disputed. The value is acquired from the original transaction. If the claimant is a business, this field contains the business name and not the First Name/Last Name combination used for individuals. If the case type is a PayPal Fraud Investigation, the claimant name is the name from the original transaction even though the claim was most likely initiated by PayPal. |
10 | Claimant email address |
|
PayPal email address of the buyer as it appeared in the disputed transaction. The email address is also the account contact point between buyers and sellers within the PayPal system. If the case type is PayPal Fraud Investigation, the claimant email address is email address from the original transaction even though the claim was most likely initiated by PayPal. |
11 | Case filing date | Type: Date/time | Date that the case was originally filed with PayPal. Keep track of this date to ensure that you understand how much time remains for them to respond. The date time that represents the beginning time period of the report in the following format: YYYY/MM/DD HH:MM:SS offset , where:
For versions 1 to 6, the date and time when the report file was generated is in the following format: MM/DD/YYYY HH:MM:SS offset .
|
12 | Case status | Type: Text string | State or the status of the case. The following is the list of all statuses that could be returned for a given case:
Text strings are guaranteed to be immutable and consistent. |
13 | Response due date | Type: Date/time | Date by which you should respond to the case filed against you. The date time that represents the beginning time period of the report in the following format: YYYY/MM/DD HH:MM:SS offset , where:
For versions 1 to 6, the date and time when the report file was generated is in the following format: MM/DD/YYYY HH:MM:SS offset .
|
14 | Disputed amount | Type: Numeric | Amount being disputed by the buyer in the original transaction. Because buyers may sometimes dispute only part of the payment, the disputed amount may be different than the total gross or net amount of the original transaction. There is no specific maximum limit. Pay close attention to this amount, even if you pull the transaction details using the Invoice ID or Transaction ID. |
15 | Disputed currency | Type: Currency code | Currency of the disputed amount. The currency of the dispute is always the same as the amount of the original payment. Buyers are not allowed to request refunds or reversal in a different currency. |
16 | Disputed transaction ID | Type: Alphanumeric | Transaction ID generated at the time of the money movement event. This unique 17-character ID is generated by PayPal and cannot be altered. |
17 | Money movement | Type: Text string | Indicates whether PayPal moved money into or out of your account as a result of the outcome of the case. Sample values:
|
18 | Settlement type | Type: Text string | Mode used to return the money to the buyer. Sample values:
|
19 | Seller protection | Type: Text string | Specifies the Seller Protection status:
|
20 | Seller protection payout amount | Type: Numeric | Amount PayPal paid on the behalf of the seller to the buyer as a result of the Seller Protection coverage. There is no specific maximum limit. |
21 | Seller protection currency | Type: Currency code | Currency of the amount PayPal paid on the behalf of the seller to the buyer as a result of the Seller Protection coverage. |
22 | Payment tracking ID | Type: Text string | Unique ID specified by partners to obtain information about a payment or to request a refund. |
23 | Buyer comments | Type: Text string | Comments provided by the buyer while filing the case in the Resolution Center. |
24 | Store ID | Type: varchar | The merchant’s identifier of the store where the purchase occurred. |
25 | Credit card chargeback reason code |
|
Unique identifier which distinguishes the nature/reason of credit card chargeback reported. Each card issuer follows their own standards for defining reason type, code, and its format. |
26 | Outcome |
|
Section footer data
Section footer data exists in one row with each element being separated by the file delimiter. All report fields are non-blank unless otherwise noted.
Position | Column name | Data type | Data description |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Column type | Type: literal | SF |
2 | Row count | Type: number | The number of body data rows in the section (used for reconciliation) |
Section record count data
Section record count data exists in one row with each element being separated by the file delimiter. All report fields are non-blank unless otherwise noted.
Position | Column name | Data type | Data description |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Column type | Type: literal | SC |
2 | Row count | Type: number | The number of body data rows in the section (used for reconciliation) |
Sample report
The following is a sample of a Case Report:
1"RH",2012/08/13 2012/23:53:12 -0700,"A","HEDH43SEL62QA",007,2"FH",013"SH",2012/08/08 00:00:00 -0700,2012/08/08 23:59:59 -0700,"HEDH43SEL62QA" "CH","Case type","Case ID","Original transaction ID","Transaction date","Transaction invoice ID","Card type","Case reason","Claimant name","Claimant email address","Case filing date","Case status","Response due date","Disputed amount","Disputed currency","Disputed transaction ID","Money movement","Settlement type","Seller protection","Seller protection payout amount","Seller protection currency","Payment tracking ID","Buyer comments","Store ID","Chargeback Reason Code","Outcome" "SB","Claim","PP-000-000-671-683","3E503680WL249060K",2012/08/08 02:03:34 -0700,"","","Non-receipt","Joe's Generic Business","vvaradarajan-20110803-003247994-1-DE-RPP- AUTO@paypal.com",2012/08/08 02:03:34 -0700,"Case Closed",700,"USD","","","Reversal","Eligible",700,"USD","","dfgdfgdf","","","Invalid Tracking" "SB","Claim","PP-000-000-671-725","2HN08243KR496901N",2012/08/08 02:05:09 -0700,"","","Not as described","Joe's Generic Business","vvaradarajan-20110803-003247994-1-DE-RPP- AUTO@paypal.com",2012/08/08 02:34:29 -40700,"Case Closed",700,"USD","32852380M58924706","Temp Hold Released","Reversal","Eligible",,"","","tehygfhfg","","","3PL vendor lost the package"5"SF",26"SC",27"RF",28"RC",29"FF",2
Version history
Publication | Report version | Description |
---|---|---|
April 2019 | 8.1 | Update the file record limit from 100,000 to 1 million. |
October 2017 | 8.0.1 | Applied correction on filed Case Type. Fixed document to display the right value - "Unauthorized Claim in place of Unauthorized." |
March 2016 | 8.0 | Updated the following reason codes: Wrong Amount or Date Paid with Other Method |
September 2015 | 7.1 | Various content edits. |
Febuary 2013 | 7.0.3 | Added maximum length information for the following: Claimant Email Address Claimant Name Credit Card Chargeback Reason Code Dispute Amount Seller Protection Payout Amount |
October 2012 | 7.0.2 | Updated the overview section. Added details for the date format in the following columns - Transaction date, Case filling date, Response due date. Updated date format in the sample report |
September 2012 | 7.0.1 | Changed file format to - DDR-yyyymmdd.sequenceNumber.version.format. |
August 2012 | 7.0 | Added new field - Outcome. Updated the report version to 7.0. Updated sample report to reflect new version and field. |
February 2012 | 6.0 | Added new value for Case Status - Disputing on your behalf. |
November 2011 | 6.0 | Updated the report version to 6.0. Added new sample report. Added a new case status: "Disputed on your behalf". Added the following fields - Store ID, Credit Card Chargeback Reason Code. |
September 2011 | 5.0 | Changed report name from Downloadable Dispute Report to Case Report. |
May 2011 | 5.0 | Updated report version from 1.0 to 5.0. Updated the following columns - card type, response due date. Disputed transaction ID - money movement, settlement type, seller protection. Seller protection payout amount. Seller protection currency - payment tracking ID, buyer comments. Updated sample report. |
September 2009 | 1.1.4 | Updated the following sections - Dispute Type, Dispute Status, Dispute Reason. Removed "Availability" section. |
October 2008 | 1.1.3 | Updated information about report retention time on the Secure FTP Server. Changed the Secure FTP server directory location from ppreports to ppreports/outgoing. |
March 2007 | 1.1.3 | All consolidated reports are UTF-8 encoded. A file footer is present even if the report is only one file. |
March 2007 | 1.1.2 | Updated multiple account management details. |
December 2006 | 1.0 | First release of Downloadable Dispute Report Specification. |