FINRA Market Regulation published the latest edition of the OATS Reporting Technical Specifications, dated 12/23/11.  All updates to this and other documentation regarding OATS are posted to the OATS Web Pages available via the FINRA Web Site at www.finra.org/oats. This version of the OATS Reporting Technical Specifications contains code changes specific to certain FINRA member firms that provide algorithms to NYSE Floor Brokers and validation changes that are specific to non-FINRA member firms that are required to record OATS data pursuant to certain exchange rules.  The changes described in this version include:

• All required changes related to expanding FINRA’s OATS Rules to all NMS stocks (FINRA Rule Filing 10-44), along with other technical enhancements.
• All changes described in this version of the Tech Specs will be available in the OATS Production environment on 1/16/12 and in the OATS Certificate Test environment on 1/9/12.
• The effective date for the changes specific to the NYSE Floor Broker Algorithm is 2/27/12.

Overview of the additional enhancements in this edition. The following OATS Reports, available on FINRA.org, provide additional guidance related to changes associated with this release:

• FINRA Guidance on OATS Order Trade Matching Obligations for Orders Matched as Agent by a Member, including an ECN or ATS - provides guidance for OATS Order Trade Matching when a member, including an ECN or ATS, matches orders as agent. This guidance will be effective upon implementation of the OATS expansion to all NMS stocks.
• Validation of Order Origination Code and Account Type Code - provides guidance re: use of the Order Origination Code, Account Type Code, Member Type Code, Routing Firm MPID and Routed Order ID fields on all New, CombinedOrder/Route, Combined Order/Execution, and Cancel/Replace Reports.
• ROE Rejection Feedback - provides additional guidance related to the ROE Rejections process.

Changes by Chapters. Chapter 1 Updates related to the expansion of OATS Rules to all NMS stocks.  Chapter 2 Updates related to Clock Synchronization to within one second of the NIST.  Chapter 3 Updates related to SFTP access method and file compression.  Chapter 4 Updates to OATS Reporting Scenarios.  Chapter 5 Updates related to Timestamp fields and compression.  Chapter 6 Updates related to Rejections timing and availability.  Updates related to Match Criteria enhancements for Exchange Route Matching and Interfirm Route Matching.  Chapter 7 None.  Chapter 8 Updates related to deadline extension for OATS Reporting and ROE Rejection Repair. Appendix A Updated definitions and allowable values related to newly added and modified fields.  Appendix B Updates to Rejection Codes and Unmatched Reason Codes.  Appendix C Updates related to data type changes, newly added and modified fields, and removed fields for all Order Reports.  Updates to Unmatched Events Feedback related to data type changes.  Appendix D Updates to Glossary Terms. FINRA Support. To obtain the latest information or answers to questions about OATS and the OATS Reporting Technical Specifications, contact FINRA Business and Technology Support Services.  Support Services provides firms and third parties with necessary information to comply with the Rules and to develop, test, and implement their order–reporting applications. FINRA Business Support is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m., ET.  FINRA Technical Support is available from Monday at 8 a.m. through Saturday at 8 a.m., ET.  . Technical Support Business Support

• Telephone: 800–321–6273 800–321–6273
• Fax: 240–386–6499 240–386–4841
• E–mail: supportservices@finra.org supportservices@finra.org
• Web: http://www.finra.org http://www.finra.org.

For additional information, go to:   [OATS Reporting Technical Specifications, 12/23/11 edition]