XML Channel and NCTS

Another way of integrating your business systems with New Computerised Transit Systems (NCTS) is via the Extensible Markup Language (XML) Channel. XML ChannelUsing the XML route to NCTS means sending and receiving Electronic Data Interchange For Administration, Commerce and Transport (EDIFACT) messages "wrapped" with an XML envelope.

The NCTS XML Channel provides an additional communication route for NCTS which may be useful if you are running a large business, and provides an instant response to a declaration request.

Benefits of XML The benefits of using the XML Channel are:guaranteed delivery of NCTS messages to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC),a fully automated solution,improved security,additional option to the email and web routes


EDIFACT declarations are transmitted via HTTPS (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure sockets) to the NCTS XML Channel Application. The XML Channel Application will forward the message onto the Electronic Data Capture System (EDCS), which will in turn forward the declaration to the MCC (Minimum Common Core) software. The response is returned back to the NCTS XML Channel Application via EDCS which "re-wraps" the message in XML. The user's system polls the XML Application and the trader receives the message.