Search with Ask George®

• Home

• Employers

• Employer Handbook
• Chapter 8
  • Summary
  • File Format Options
  • Reporting Media Options
  • MRL Summary
  • MRL Summary Record
  • MRL Member Profile Record
  • MRL Employer Information Record
  • MRL Defined Benefit Record
  • MRL Defined Contribution Record
  • MRL Plan Choice Record
  • Reporting by SFT
  • Transmittal Field Desciptions

Chapter 8: Transmittal Reporting

Transmittal Report Technical Requirements

Multiple Record Layout (MRL) Summary

What Is MRL?

MRL is the term DRS uses to describe the record structure our system uses to process your reported information. Regardless of which transmittal reporting system you use, the information that you send us must be in MRL format.

• All retirement data you report to DRS in a transmittal is divided into six MRL record types.
• For each member you report, you can submit as few or as many of the six MRL records as needed.
• One of the records, the Summary Record, must be included with every transmittal report.
• Within each MRL record are fields. Fields are where you enter your data.

The Six Record Types Contained in MRL

Select from the following to view the record layout, including the field formats, field names, and field length for each record type.

1. Summary Record
2. Member Profile Record
3. Employment Information Record
4. Defined Benefit Record (not used for DCP)
5. Defined Contribution Record (use only for Plan 3 members and DCP participants)
6. Plan Choice Record (use only for Plan 3 members)

The Member Profile Record, the Employment Information Record and the Plan Choice Record are used infrequently and only to report certain occurrences. Select the record above to learn more.

What Does MRL Look Like?

View a graphic example of the MRL and how to complete some of the common fields for:

• Retirement
• Deferred Compensation

Record Structure of the Multiple Record Layout

Listed below are some basic field requirements that you need to know when transmitting data:

• The four fields in each record which follow the record type identifier are common (key) fields and are part of each record type
• Field start and end information is given for employers who will be reporting with fixed length records
• The maximum field length is shown in the "field length" column for tab-delimited records
• Only tab-delimited records or fixed length records are accepted
• Report signed negative and positive numbers
• Alpha fields must be left justified
• Alpha fields should be blank when not being used
• Department number fields – left justified
• Numeric fields must be right justified
• Numeric fields should be zero filled when not being used
• Zoned decimals are not accepted.

For additional information on when to use the fields and what is acceptable data for each field, refer to Transmittal Field Descriptions and the List of Edit Fields.