Guidance
File format
Updated 21 September 2026
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| Name | Description | Position | Description of Regular Expression | Validation Regular Expression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ReportingDate | Date the file was due to be submitted to Ofqual regardless of when it was actually uploaded (this date will be made available by Ofqual) | 1 | The date in the following format: year (4 digits), a dash, month (2 digits), a dash, day-of-month (2 digits). Format accepted yyyy-mm-dd | ^(20)\d\d[-](0[1-9]|1[012])[-](0[1-9]|[12][0-9]|3[01])$ |
| ExamSeries | Exam series data relates to, for example June 2024 | 2 | Full month name of exam series and year. -2 accepted where unknown | ^-2|(June|November|January|March)([ ][0-9][0-9][0-9][0-9])$ |
| AwardingOrganisation | Awarding organisation acronym as it appears in Ofqual’s Register of Regulated organisations | 3 | 1 to 100 characters accepted | ^.{1,100}$ |
| Year | Year the complaint relates to, for example, 2024 | 4 | 4-digit integer accepted | ^(0-9][0-9][0-9][0-9])$ |
| ComplaintReferenceNo | Unique complaint identifier assigned by the awarding organisation | 5 | 1 to 25 characters accepted | ^.{1,25}$ |
| QualificationLevel | Type of qualification | 6 | Accepted values: GCSE, AS, A level, Advanced Extension Award, Other General Qualification, Project, English For Speakers of Other Languages, Functional Skills, Other Life Skills, Essential Skills (Northern Ireland), Occupational Qualification, Vocationally-Related Qualification, End-Point Assessment, Apprenticeship Assessment Qualification, Performing Arts Graded Examinations, Other Vocational, Multiple, -2 | ^(GCSE|AS|A level|Advanced Extension Award|Other General Qualification|Project| English For Speakers of Other Languages|Functional Skills|Other Life Skills|Essential Skills (Northern Ireland)|Occupational Qualification|Vocationally-Related Qualification|End-Point Assessment|Apprenticeship Assessment Qualification|Performing Arts Graded Examinations|Other Vocational|Multiple|-2)$ |
| QAN | The unique identifier for the qualification as it appears in Ofqual’s Register of Regulated qualifications, for example, 123/1234/1 | 7 | Valid qualification number. 1 to 10 characters accepted. ‘Multiple’ accepted if complaint is in relation to more than one qualification. -2 accepted if unknown | ^.{1,10}$ |
| SpecificationTitle | Specification title also known as subject title | 8 | 1 to 150 characters accepted. ‘Multiple’ accepted if complaint is in relation to more than one specification title. -2 accepted if unknown | ^.{1,150}$ |
| SpecificationCode | Specification code also known as Subject Award Code and Cash-in Code | 9 | 1 to 7 characters accepted. ‘Multiple’ accepted if complaint is in relation to more than one specification code. -2 accepted if unknown | ^(.{1,7}|Multiple)$ |
| UnitOrComponentCode | Unit or component code as designated in the specification | 10 | 1 to 10 characters accepted. -2 accepted if unknown | ^.{1,10}$ |
| DateComplaintMade | Date the complaint was received | 11 | The date in the following format: year (four digits), a dash, month (two digits), a dash, day-of-month (two digits). Format accepted: yyyy-mm-dd | ^(20)\d\d[-](0[1-9]|1[012])[-](0[1-9]|[12][0-9]|3[01])$ |
| DateComplaintClosed | Date the complaint was closed | 12 | The date in the following format: year (4 digits), a dash, month (2 digits), a dash, day-of-month (2 digits). Format accepted: yyyy-mm-dd. 2999-12-31 accepted for cases still open at time of reporting | ^(20)\d\d[-](0[1-9]|1[012])[-](0[1-9]|[12][0-9]|3[01])$ |
| NatureOfComplaint | The reason for the complaint | 13 | See Appendix A for accepted values | See Appendix A |
| SpecificNatureOfComplaint | A more detailed reason for the complaint | 14 | See Appendix A for accepted values | See Appendix A |
| Outcome | Outcome of the complaint | 15 | Accepted values: upheld, not upheld, partially upheld, not applicable, ongoing | ^(upheld|not upheld|partially upheld|not applicable|ongoing)$ |
| ComplaintSource | Source of the complaint | 16 | Accepted values: parent, centre, student, teacher, representative bodies, assessor, moderator, item writer, public, government, media, internal staff, contractor, private student, unknown | ^(parent|centre|student|teacher|representative bodies|assessor|moderator|item writer|public|government|media|internal staff|contractor|private student|unknown)$ |
| MultipleOrSingleIssue | Whether a complaint is in relation to a single issue or multiple | 17 | One of the following list: multiple, single | ^(multiple|single)$ |