The Digital REC Schedules and supporting documents such as Technical and Service Specifications, Operational Documents and Category 3 products plus the Energy Market Data Specifications, Operational Documents and Category 3 products plus the Energy Market Data Specifications can now be easily accessed directly through the REC Portal.

With just a few clicks, all the following information can be obtained:

• Digital REC Schedules (legal text)
• Technical and Service Provider Specifications
• Category 3 Documents
• Operational Documents
• REC Process Maps (previously known as Market Scenarios)
• Energy Market Data Specification (including both current and pre-release information)
• Release Management Information
• Codes Roadmap
• Meter Product Data Tables
• Meter Configuration Tables Data

The Digital REC Code Schedules

The REC sets out the rules and regulations put in place for appropriate Market Participants. These are split into a series of Schedules (legal text). These can be accessed in a Digital format, via the REC Portal, and can be downloaded in .doc format.

The REC Schedules can be accessed from the Code Products section, under the REC & REC Schedules.

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The dashboard lists all live REC Schedules; to access the digital format, simply click > and you will be directed to the REC Schedule.

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Navigating to different versions of the schedule can also be completed once the schedule has been selected, using the drop-down menu for REC Version, this will identify:

• "Superseded if it a historic version of the REC
• "Live" if it is the current live version of the REC
• "Pre-release" if it is a version that is due to go-live at a future date

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Category 3 Documents, Service Specifications and Operational Documents

You can also find several other REC based documents within the REC Portal.

Category 3 Documents

Category 3 documents can be accessed from within the Code Products section, under Category 3 Products.

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Category 3 documents are non-mandatory guidance or subsidiary operational documents under the REC. These documents are developed and maintained by either the REC Code Manager, a REC Committee, or a REC Service Provider.

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All Category 3 documents can be downloaded in their relevant format (pdf,.doc,.xsls).

Operational Documents

Operational Documents can also be found under the Code Products section.

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Service Specifications

The REC Service Specification can be found under the REC Portal Home page, under the REC Code.

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These contain documents which relate to REC Service Provider Service Definitions. All documents can be downloaded or accessed in Digital format.

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Energy Market Data Specification

The Energy Market Data Specification defines the Market Messages and associated Data Items that are sent between Energy Market Participants, it contains a catalogue of all messages and data items governed under the following energy industry codes:

• The Retail Energy Code (REC)
• The Balancing and Settlement Code (BSC)
• The Distribution, Connection and Use of System Agreement (DCUSA); and
• The Smart Energy Code (SEC)
• Uniform Network Code (UNC)
• Independent Gas Transporters Uniform Network Code (iGT UNC)

In terms of the items governed under the REC, the Data Specification contains:

• The contents of the Data Transfer Network (DTN) Catalogue which was previously defined in the Master Registration Agreement (MRA)
• The gas market messages that were previously defined in the Supply Point Administration Agreement (SPAA)
• The contents of the Central Switching Service (CSS) Message, implemented because of the Ofgem Switching Programme (in July 2022)
• The SDEP Process Types; and
• The contents of DIP (IF) messages and the ECS Reporting Catalogues implemented because of the Market Half-Hourly Settlement Programme. (which are governed under the BSC and REC, additionally some Market Messages and Data Items are governed under DCUSA).

In addition to the Market Messages and associated Data Items, the REC Data Specification also contains gas Meter Product Data and Meter Configuration Tables data sets.

You can access the Energy Market Data Specification catalogues, supporting Market Messages and Data Item digital dashboards and guidance documents.

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Market Messages

Selecting Market Messages will take you to the search dashboard. Here, you can search and filter to find the Market Message you are looking for.

Alternatively, you can search through the full list of Market Messages within this dashboard.

Once you have found the Market Message, you just select it to be taken to the full Market Messages page.

For full information on Market Messages, please see the Digital REC and Energy Market Data Specification User Guide.

Data Items

Selecting Data Items will take you to the search dashboard. Here, you can search and filter to find the Data Item you are looking for.

Alternatively, you can search through the full list of Items within this dashboard.

Once you have found the Data Item, you just select it to be taken to the full Data Item page for further information.

For full information on Data Items, please see the Digital REC and Energy Market Data Specification User Guide.

Data Specification Catalogues

Full version of the Live EMDS Data Specification catalogues are available to download in SQL BACPAC, HTML and Access Database formats. These catalogues are found under Code Products in the REC Portal.

If you wish to use the SQL BACPAC format, and installation of SQL BACPAC is required, a guidance document is available to support you with this and can be found under the Knowledge Centre section of the REC Portal, under the REC Data Specification Guidance Documents option.

Additionally, you will find the Data Specification Model and the Energy Data Market Specification (EMDS) Standards Definition document.

Data Access Matrices

These documents contain both the Electricity and Gas Data Access Matrices and the Data Access Matrix - Appendix 1.

Schedule 12 - Data Access defines the obligations that market participants must adhere to and the data access matrix sets out the DAta Items that each category of Enquiry Service User can access.

Data Specification Documents

These documents include REC Service Provider (EES and GES) Interface and Technical Specifications, REC Service Provider (CSS) business validation rules and supporting CSS documents and guidance documents to support Address Population and Supply Number Formats.

Meter Product Data

The Gas Meter Product data is part of the REC Data Specification and the tables with approved Gas Meter and Converter products, can be accessed within the Code Products section of the REC Portal.

The Meter Product Data tables relate to gas meters and consists of:

• A zipped file containing the following spreadsheets:
• Meter Product General
• The Meter Product Table
• The Converter Product Table
• The Meter Product Shadow Log
• The Converter Product Shadow Log

You can find out more about the Meter Product Data in our Meter Product Data Guidance Document.

Meter Configuration Tables

The Meter Configuration Tables data is part of the REC data Specification and the tables with approved Standard Settlement Configuration (SSC) and Time Pattern Regime (TPR) information can be accessed within the Code Product Section of the REC Portal.

The Meter Configuration tables relate to electricity meter configurations to support Market Participants commercial activities, this is specifically for MHHS Migrated MPANs, particularly those within the Smart MHHS Segment. It contains:

• A zipped file containing the following spreadsheets

• Meter Configuration Table - SSC

• Meter Configuration Table - TPR

For SSC and TPR data pertaining to non-MHHS migrated MPANs, please see the Balancing and Settlement Code Market Domain Data, which can be accessed from the Elexon Portal.

The REC maintained SSC and TPR data with be available for users to download from MHHS go-live, however this data is under change freeze until the end of the MHHS Migration and Transition period, currently due in May 2027.

For further information, please visit the REC Meter Configuration wiki page: here

Data Specification Guidance Documents

Under the Knowledge Centre section of the REC Portal, you can find additional guidance documents:

Legacy DTC Additional Information (Annex C): defines the rules that are to be adhered to when populating the data flows described in the Energy Market Data Specification, that are sent via the Data Transfer Network (DTN).

REC SQL Database - Guidance provides an overview of how to install the Energy Market Data Specification in SQL.bacpac format and further information about how users can query the database.

REC Process Maps

The Process Maps cover all of the 'interface tables' contained in the REC Schedules.

These can be useful in understanding how processes progress, who is involved at which point, and how processes may diverge at specific points based on the circumstances (e.g. different actions or data recipients for different market segments, or where validation passes or fails). The maps don't contain all the detail from the REC schedules, and the legal text always takes precedence, but the maps provide an alternative format.

Selection of the process will open the diagram, which has functions to allow zoom in/ out to allow for detail to be seen. Note that the larger diagrams may display best when opened in a separate tab.

Additionally, a new set of Process Maps have been developed to capture MHHS requirements. Each of these process maps has 'MHHS' contained within the title. these process maps confirm not only the entity responsible for the step, but the relevant data flow that needs to be sent or received because of that step taking place.

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​Process Maps can be accessed within the Code Products section of the REC Portal.

Release Management

A Release Management table can be found under the Change and Release Section of the REC Portal.

This table identifies:

• The present version and status of the REC Main Body
• Any Change Proposal Numbers / Names and the associated REC Schedules which have been affected as part of the latest REC release.
• Release notes associated with the latest REC release
• Past releases can also be accessed, with relevant release notes

Data Specification Pre-Release Information

The Energy Market Data Specification Pre-Release information is contained under the Change and Release section of the REC Portal.

The formats of the Pre-Release will be in: SQL BACPAC, HTML and DTC Access Database.

A notification will be issued to those on the Data Specification Distribution List when a Pre-Release is published on the REC Portal.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Market Message reference numbers and legacy references?

The Energy Market Data Specification brings together several industry message catalogues that were previously defined in separate documentation. Each of these used their own unique reference system. For example, the DTN messages used D numbers such as the D0001 flow and the RGMA used letters, such as the ONJOB flow. The new DIP messages implemented because of the MHHS Programme hold Legacy references of IF-XXX, and the ECS Reporting Catalogue messages hold a Legacy reference of REP-XXX. These are described as the 'legacy' or local catalogue reference numbers.

To enable a single database to be created that brings all these messages together, the Market Message Reference was created. This enables us to give each message a unique identifier within the Data Specification.

The legacy references are also displayed in the data specification catalogues and Market Messages/ Data Item pages and there is no intention to remove them. Legacy references can be searched within the Market Message and Data Item search interfaces.

How does flow version control work?

Each Market Message has a flow version number, which can be found associated to the Market Message. Flow version increments only occur when a significant change to the Market Message is approved (for instance if a new group is added). For minor changes, the flow version will remain the same. The EMDS will always contain the latest version.

How are Mandatory and Non-Mandatory fields shown?

Mandatory fields are indicated with a '1', whilst optional (or non-mandatory) fields are indicated with a '0'. Some Market Messages also contain conditional fields, that are indicated with a 'C', conditional fields should always contain an associated population rule for the specified Market Message it is being issued in Additionally where fields are populated with an 'N' symbol, the associated data item value must or should be null, or the data item value must not be present within the Message Scenario Variant.

These fields should be populated as described in the associated condition and are available to view on the flow structure for a Scenario Variant associated to a Market Message.

How do I submit a Data Specification Change?

If the Data Item or Market Message you are seeking to change is governed under another Code, you should raise the change with that Code directly. You can check who the responsible Code is using the Owner field on the data Item or Market Message page.

Why are old versions of Market Messages not available within the EMDS?

If Market Message versions are ever iterated, the EMDS removes these and only contains the latest version. This ensures the information contained only provides information on operational flows.

However, if the Market Message is sent via the Data Transfer Network, the Data Transfer Catalogue (DTC) Access Database, does provide a view of iterated non-operational flow versions (defined within the Data Flow table, where state = D).

Are Trailing Zeros Enforced?

Trailing zeros are enforces due to the need to match the defined decimal length. The decimal length indicates how many characters/ digits must be present following a decimal point.

Will the DTC Access Database format be withdrawn?

If a change is proposed to withdraw the DTC Access Database format, we will engage with industry appropriately to understand the impacts and ensure that risks are mitigated for users.

Where can I find more information regarding the MHHS DIP Message Events and Components?

Visit the MHHS Programme Swagger Hub here. The hub provides full information regarding DIP messages, including events and all components/ Data items.

Where can I find more information regarding the DIP Message Rules?

DIP Rules and Governance documents can be found here.

Where has the information regarding MHHS come from?

The EMDS compiles all the data approved under the MHHS Programme, through its design documentation. The data has been added and consulted on with Industry Parties. Should any changes to the data be required, these will be governed in accordance with the relevant Code owners change procedures and implemented as required, these will be governed in accordance with the relevant Code owners change procedures and implemented as required within the EMDS.

Where can I find the Industry Standing Data?

Industry Standing Data (ISD), previously referred to as Market Domain Data (MDD), is maintained by the Balancing and Settlement Code (BSC) and can be found here.

What are PUB's?

Each message sent via the DIP has a PUB reference. The IF is the message being sent to the DIP platform, and the PUB is the output from the DIP. These are defined as a single definition (i.e IF-005 and PIB-005 are the same). You may see PUB's referenced in other non-REC documentation. During the MHHS Programme, it was agreed that a single IF definition would be referenced within the REC and EMDS.

Where can I find a list of the Market Messages definitions sent to or from the Gas Central Data Services Provider (CDSP)?

Messages to or from the Gas Central Data Services Provider (CDSP) are mastered within the UK Link Manual as part of the CDSP role defined in the Uniform Network Code. These Market Messages are referenced in the Energy Market Data Specification to support industry participants, but please refer to the UK Link Manual for the definition of these messages that form UK Link Communications. The UK Link Manual is accessed here: uk link manual. If you would like to access this resource, please request this from uklink@xoserve.com and access will be made available. Access is at present being granted on a case-by-case basis until Xoserve make these gas data message file specifications available on a public space.