Overview - ISO 20022-1:2013 (Metamodel)
ISO 20022-1:2013 defines the metamodel and high-level repository organization for the ISO 20022 universal financial industry message scheme. It specifies the modelling approach, the contents and structure of the ISO 20022 Repository, and the high-level expectations for inputs accepted by the Registration Authority and publicly available Repository outputs. The standard supports technology-independent, model-driven definitions of business processes and message sets used for electronic data interchange in financial services (and beyond). Network-dependent rules (e.g., acknowledgements, message protection) are explicitly outside its scope.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Metamodel & Type Library: Defines the meta-object structure used to describe all models stored in the Repository (MOF-based).
- Four modelling levels: Scope, Conceptual, Logical and Physical levels to separate business semantics from implementation details.
- Repository organization: Two primary areas - the DataDictionary (reusable business elements and types) and the BusinessProcessCatalogue (process models, message definitions, physical syntaxes).
- Model transformations: High-level rules for converting models between Scope → Conceptual → Logical → Physical.
- Registration and governance: High-level submission format, media and registration lifecycle requirements for items submitted to the Registration Authority.
- Repository access and outputs: Types and formats of Repository extracts intended for public access and implementation use.
- Standards grounding: Uses UML/MOF modelling constructs and targets XML (and ASN.1) as physical syntaxes; XML Schema generation and reverse-engineering are covered in companion parts.
Practical applications and users
ISO 20022-1 is used to:
- Create consistent, reusable business and message models for payments, securities, trade finance, cash management and cross-domain financial processes.
- Ensure interoperability across participants by publishing standard DataDictionary items and Message Sets in the ISO 20022 Repository.
- Guide implementers in generating XML/ASN.1 schemas from logical models and aligning existing message formats.
Primary users:
- Banks, clearing and settlement systems, payment schemes and market infrastructures
- Message designers, enterprise architects and standards teams
- Software vendors, integration specialists and ISO 20022 Registration Authority administrators
Related standards
ISO 20022 is a multipart standard. Relevant companion parts include:
Keywords: ISO 20022, metamodel, Repository, DataDictionary, BusinessProcessCatalogue, Registration Authority, financial messaging, UML, XML schema.