Help and guide

Start here

SwitchProof tests your card switch with real ISO 8583 messages. The console runs in this browser. SwitchProof for Windows, on a PC inside your network, sends the messages and keeps your data.

1. 1InstallSwitchProof for Windows
2. 2ConnectPair it with this site
3. 3Add your switchHost, port, format
4. 4First testA sign-on, then a balance

Install SwitchProof

1. Sign in at switchproof.online on a PC that can reach your switch (bank network or VPN).
2. Download SwitchProof-Setup.exe: about 35 MB, Java included, no admin rights needed.
3. Run it. If Windows shows Windows protected your PC, choose More info, then Run anyway.
4. SwitchProof starts by itself and opens this site. Keep its window open while you test.

Updating

When a new version is out, Update SwitchProof appears in the account menu. Run the installer it downloads: it closes SwitchProof, updates it and starts it again. Your targets, test cases and evidence are kept. If this site needs a newer version than yours, it shows Update SwitchProof before anything else and carries on by itself once the new one is running.

Sign in and connect

1. Sign in with your email, or Create an account.
2. On Connect your agent, press Connect. If the browser asks whether this site can reach apps on this device, choose Allow.
3. The console opens. Your switch shows top right, under Target.

If something goes wrong

Your browser is blocking this page

Click the icon left of the address, then Site settings. Set Loopback network to Allow, come back and press Check again. If your organisation manages the browser, ask IT to allow switchproof.online for local network access (Chrome and Edge policy LocalNetworkAccessAllowedForUrls).

SwitchProof isn't answering

Open SwitchProof from the Start menu, then try again.

Connect doesn't find it

Open Pair manually: the agent address (http://127.0.0.1:8787 on the same PC) and the pairing code shown in the SwitchProof window.

Forgot your password

Forgot password? on the sign-in page emails a link. A link works once and expires: ask for a new one if it says so.

Pair with another PC

Account menu, Disconnect agent, then connect again.

Add your switch

A target is one switch: its address, port and message format. Keep one per environment, such as UAT and production.

1. Click Target, top right.
2. Fill in Name, IP / host and Port.
3. Pick the Message format your switch speaks: see Message formats.
4. Press Test. It shows reachable and how long the connection took, or why it failed.
5. Press Add target, then click it in the list to use it.

Each target in the list has buttons to test its connection, set up its bank database (Money checks), edit it or remove it. Each target also keeps its own settings, sources, keys and account roles: switching target switches all of them.

Send a first test

1. Load test, step 01: pick Sign On. It needs no account.
2. Step 03: set Executions to 1.
3. Press Run test. A working switch answers with a network response (0810): Approved 1.
4. Now pick Balance Inquiry, paste one test account under step 02, and run again.

No answer? See Troubleshooting.

Load test

Send many messages at a set pace and see how your switch copes.

1. 01 Transaction: one type, or a Bundle that mixes several types in the shares you set. Your types adds your own (Your own types).
2. 02 Data set: the accounts to use, one row per message. Drop a CSV or paste rows. Template gives the columns for the type.
3. 03 Load profile: how many, and how fast.
4. 04 Message defaults: the amount, currency, terminal, institutions and card used when a row leaves them blank (Target settings).
5. Press Run test. Abort stops it. Then read the results.

Bundles and presets Team

Click types to add them to the bundle, set each one's share, and choose what follows an approval: No follow-up, Reverse after approval or Settle after approval. The presets fill a bundle for you:

Data set

The header row is optional. Comma, semicolon or tab. Currency as 840 or USD. Example row: 000123456001,20.00,USD.

Load profile

The rate you'll get shows next to the heading, such as ≈ 10 tx/s. The Free plan runs up to 200 messages, 5 at once.

Load test results

Not sent at the pace asked means SwitchProof itself ran short of free connections, so the switch isn't to blame for the slow pace. Press Use N at once (or raise At once) and run again.

Open transactions

Approved financial transactions land here, below the results, so you can finish them.

• Settle sends a completion (0220) for an authorization. The settle amount can differ from the authorized one.
• Reverse sends a reversal (0400) with the original RRN.
• Select… picks rows: all shown, authorizations, or those older than 15 minutes. Then Settle selected or Reverse selected.
• Remove from list drops rows without sending anything. Export CSV downloads the rows shown, or the selection.
• Filter by type, RRN, account or approval code.

UAT test cases

A test case is a short chain of steps, each with the answer you expect. Run cases against any target and keep the evidence.

1. UAT tab, + New case. Or Import a CSV: Template downloads the layout.
2. Give it a name and a scenario. A pre-condition and expected result are optional and appear on the report.
3. Add steps: POS purchase, Withdrawal, Transfer, Balance, + Settle, + Reverse.
4. For each step: the accounts, amount, currency and what to Expect.
5. Save case.

Account roles

Write @ROLE instead of an account number, such as @SAVINGS. Each target maps a role to its own account (Execute, Account roles for this target), so the same cases run on UAT and production. Negative cases need an account prepared for them, such as one with a debit freeze.

CSV layout

One row per step; the case's own columns only on its first row. Importing a case_id that exists replaces that case.

case_id,case_name,category,description,precondition,expected_result,step,action,from_account,to_account,amount,currency,settle_amount,of_rrn,card,remote,processing_code,expected_code,note
TC-102,Transfer then reverse,,,,,1,TRANSFER,000123456001,000123456002,9.00,840,,,,,,00,
TC-102,Transfer then reverse,,,,,2,REVERSAL,,,,,,,,,,00,

Running UAT

1. Tick cases on the left, or All. Filter by id, name or action.
2. Tester: the name on the report.
3. Press Run selected. Each step shows the answer against what you expected: pass or fail.

The Free plan runs up to 10 cases at a time, and its reports carry a Free watermark.

Simulator Team

SwitchProof answers as the switch or the issuer, to test an ATM, a POS or a switch's own link without the real host.

1. Listen: the port, and who may connect: This PC only, or The network. Pick the message format.
2. Answers: add rules. The first rule that matches wins; anything else is approved.
3. Balances: tick Keep balances to give every account an opening balance that moves with what is approved.
4. Press Start simulator, then point your ATM, POS or switch at this PC's address and the port.

Network messages (0800) are always approved. Advices and reversals are acknowledged unless a rule says otherwise. With balances kept, a debit beyond the available balance is declined (51), and each reply carries the balances in field 54. The log shows every message and its answer.

From a script: switchproof-cli simulator runs it with the same settings until stopped (Command line).

Stand-in rehearsal Enterprise

Rehearse a core banking cutover. The card switch runs in stand-in while no core is connected, then its queue goes to the New Flexcube Core. SwitchProof plays the switch through each step and reconciles every transaction, account and GL. Each step waits for you, as it would on the night.

1. Switch to stand-in: days in stand-in, the stand-in limits, and whether accounts without a balance record are declined (91) or approved within the limits.
2. Positive balance file: the Legacy Core's balances at the cut-off, as a CSV of account,available_balance[,currency]. Or take the New Flexcube Core's balances for the accounts you list, or skip.
3. Transactions at the switch: how many withdrawals, purchases, pre-authorizations and transfers; how many are completed, reversed or sent twice; amounts; authorizations from before the cut-off; then Post to the switch.
4. Connect the New Flexcube Core: a sign-on (0800) only.
5. Samples: balance inquiries show whether the migrated balances match the file; the first advices show the queue posts.
6. Release the queue: at most so many a second, how many in flight, and the time it must finish in.
7. Reconcile runs by itself: every RRN, each account (before plus approved in stand-in equals after) and the switch's totals against the GLs.
8. Fully online: the switch leaves stand-in. Balance inquiries check what customers now see.
9. Clearing: the authorizations still open are cleared, by 0220 advices or a clearing file the bank loads. Or Finish without clearing.

Reconciling reads the bank database, so set it up for the target first (Money checks). Report and CSV keep the evidence, Problems only filters the list, and Rehearsals lists earlier ones.

Switch setup Enterprise

See how the FLEXCUBE switch interface is set up for each processing code, and change it with a pack of scripts you review and run yourself. SwitchProof only reads the bank database; it never changes it.

1. Read setup: SwitchProof reads this switch's setup from the bank database. Without a database connection, Upload the setup: run each SELECT shown in your SQL tool, save the result as CSV with headers, and upload it with the package files. The files stay on this PC.
2. Transaction: pick a processing code from the list, or enter a new code and name.
3. Life cycle: the product, which cards it applies to (on-us, remote on-us, off-us), the other side of the entry, and what you want at each stage (authorization, advice, completion, reversal, repeats). Add charges and your own Rules: When a hook runs, If conditions hold, Then an action.
4. Review: before and after, and anything blocking.
5. Deploy: Build the pack and download it (.zip). Tick off the checklist as you go: back up, compile and check VALID, change, check then COMMIT, test on UAT, Re-check setup.

Sources shows where the setup was read from: the packages, the tables, and traffic from the last 1, 7 or 30 days. Screen steps are listed for anyone who would rather make the change in the screens than run the change script.

Target settings

Under 04 Message defaults on the Load test screen. They're saved per target, and UAT runs use them too.

Connection to the switch

SwitchProof waits 10 seconds to connect and 40 seconds for a reply. To change the reply wait, set responseTimeoutMs in agent.properties in your data folder and restart SwitchProof.

Sources

Where transactions come from: whose card (field 2, by its BIN) and who acquired it (field 32). Pick a source per run, bundle item or UAT step. Open them under Message defaults, Edit sources.

Add the ready-made sources fills in the common ones to start from. Then Save sources.

Your own transaction types Team

1. Load test, 01 Transaction, Your types, then New type.
2. Start from the built-in type closest to yours. Give it a name, message class and processing code.
3. Change or add fields. Values can hold placeholders, filled in for each message.
4. Test send to the active target: Send one message and see the answer.
5. Save. It then shows with the built-in types.

Placeholders: {random:8} {date:MMdd} {account} {to} {amount} {currency} {terminal} {stan} {rrn} {pan}. Example: field 48 = TKN{random:8}.

Submit for approval sends the structure of your type to SwitchProof for review. If it's approved, it becomes a built-in type for everyone in a later release. Fixed values are masked (letters become A, digits 9) unless you choose to share them.

PIN, chip data and MAC

Add a PIN block, chip data and a MAC to card requests, as a real terminal does. Under Message defaults, Security, saved per target.

• After saving, only the key's check value (KCV) shows. Compare it with the switch's. Change or Remove a key any time.
• Keys are kept on this PC, protected with your Windows account.
• The PIN and chip data go on card requests (authorizations and financial requests). The MAC goes on every message to this target: in field 64, or field 128 when the message has fields above 64.
• The chip cryptogram is a placeholder, so a host that checks it declines. MACs on replies aren't checked yet.

Message formats

A format tells SwitchProof how your switch writes ISO 8583: text or packed digits, ASCII or EBCDIC, the bitmap, the length in front. Four are built in: FLEXCUBE, ISO 1987, ISO 1993 and ISO 2003. Make your own under Target, New format, and check it against a message from your switch before anything is sent. Saving your own formats is part of the Team plan.

Read the formats guide: each setting, with examples.

Money checks Enterprise

Check what each transaction really did to the money, not only its response code.

Bank database

For each RRN, SwitchProof reads the switch log, the accounting entries and the amount blocks. It only reads (SELECT): use a read-only database user. The details stay on this PC. Open it from the database button on a target in the Target list, or from Switch setup.

Press Test connection, then Save.

Without the database: balance check

Check balances in UAT runs by balance inquiry (Message defaults) sends a balance inquiry before and after each UAT step that moves money, and checks the change: two extra messages per account, per step. Choose Check, and report differences or Check, and fail the step on a difference. It's not used once a bank database is set up for the target.

What did this transaction do?

Money trail (under the results, and in Open transactions) looks up one RRN: every message, amount block, accounting entry and balance. Clicking the money result next to a transaction opens its trail directly.

Command line

Run test cases and load tests from a script or a CI pipeline, with JUnit results and an exit code. switchproof-cli.exe is installed with SwitchProof 1.5.0 and newer, in %LOCALAPPDATA%\SwitchProof. It uses the same targets, cases and settings as the console.

Exit code: 0 passed, 1 a test failed, 2 it could not run. A Linux bundle (Java 8 or later) is available on request.

"%LOCALAPPDATA%\SwitchProof\switchproof-cli.exe" uat --target "UAT switch" --cases all --junit uat.xml
"%LOCALAPPDATA%\SwitchProof\switchproof-cli.exe" load --type WITHDRAWAL --from @SAVINGS --amount 10.00 --count 600 --seconds 60 --max-p95-ms 800 --junit load.xml

Plans and account

Prices and trials: Pricing. Click your plan, top right, to buy by card, redeem an invite code, or Talk to us for an invoice, a bank transfer or a price for your team. Plans renew monthly until you cancel, with a full refund within 14 days of your first payment (Refunds).

The account menu

The moon button, top right, switches between light and dark.

Your data

• Messages go from SwitchProof on your PC straight to your switch. Switch addresses, accounts and evidence never reach this site.
• Everything is kept in %USERPROFILE%\SwitchProof: targets (targets.json), test cases (uat-cases.json), runs and evidence (uat-runs), formats (profiles), your types (types), simulator settings and stand-in rehearsals.
• Database passwords and keys are protected with your Windows account. To move to another PC, copy the folder, then enter the passwords and keys again there.
• Use test cards, test keys and a read-only database user.

More in the Privacy Policy.

Troubleshooting

The kinds of error

No connection

The switch couldn't be reached or refused. Check the address and port from this PC, the VPN, firewalls, and whether the switch accepts this PC's address. Test on the target shows the cause.

No reply

The message arrived but nothing came back within 40 seconds. Usually the switch can't read it: the length header, bitmap or encoding differs (Message formats). The switch's own log tells you more.

Dropped

The switch closed or reset the connection without replying. Often the same as No reply. A switch that allows one connection: Kept open, How many 1 (Connection).

Unreadable reply

The reply doesn't fit the format. Paste its hex in New format to see where reading stops.

Not sent

The message couldn't be built, so nothing left this PC. The message says why, such as a missing key or a value too long for its field.

Declines that point at the setup

30 or 904, format error

The switch read the message differently. Compare the Switch report with your switch's specification, and the format's fields with it.

96 or 909, system malfunction

The switch or the core failed on it: look the RRN up in the switch's log.

91 or 911

The switch couldn't reach the core or issuer.

55 or 117, incorrect PIN

The PIN key or block format differs from the switch's. Compare the key check values (PIN, chip data, MAC).

51 or 116, insufficient funds

The test account needs a balance, or the amount is too big.

12, 57 or 58, not permitted

The processing code, card or terminal isn't set up for this transaction on the switch.

Other problems

Not sent at the pace asked

Raise At once, or press Use N at once (Results).

Part of the Team or Enterprise plan

That feature needs a higher plan: see Plans.

Bank database: Test connection fails

Check the driver path, then host, port and service name, then the user's grants. Leave Schema owner blank only when the user has synonyms.

Simulator: other machines can't connect

Choose The network under Listen, and check that Windows Firewall lets SwitchProof accept connections.

Something else

Write to support@switchproof.online with the RRN, the time and what you saw. Never send card numbers or bank data.

Response codes

Field 39 of the answer. ISO 8583:1987 uses two digits; 1993 and 2003 use three-digit action codes. A format can name its own approved codes.

Glossary

Agent

SwitchProof for Windows: the program on your PC that sends the messages

Target

One switch: its address, port, format and settings

MTI

Message type. 0100 authorization, 0200 financial request, 0220 completion or advice, 0400 / 0420 reversal, 0800 network (sign-on, echo). The answer adds 10: 0210, 0810

Bitmap

The part of a message that says which fields it carries

Processing code

Field 3: what the transaction is, such as 010000 withdrawal or 310000 balance inquiry

STAN · RRN

Field 11, the trace number · field 37, the retrieval reference number that identifies a transaction

PAN · BIN

The card number (field 2) · its first digits, which name the issuer

On-us · remote on-us · off-us

Our card at our terminal · our card at a partner's terminal · another bank's card

Advice · completion

A message that tells rather than asks (0120, 0220) · the final amount of an authorization

Repeat

A message sent again because no answer came (0121, 0221, 0421)

PIN block · KCV

The encrypted PIN in field 52 · a key check value, to compare keys without showing them

MAC

A message authentication code: proof the message wasn't changed

Chip data · ARQC

Field 55, the card's EMV tags · the card's request cryptogram

Stand-in

The switch approving on its own, from a balance file, while the core is away

Clearing

Settling authorizations at their final amounts

GL

A general ledger account

Ramp-up · at once

The rate climbing to full · messages waiting for a reply at the same moment

95% within

95 of every 100 answers came within this time