Obtain the ACORD AL3 specification and identify the relevant transaction type (e.g., AL3 124 for personal auto policy)
Parse the fixed-length AL3 file format: read segment identifiers, field positions, and data type definitions from the spec
Build a mapping table from AL3 field codes to your internal policy data model, handling optional and repeating segments
Implement an AL3 generator that serializes internal policy objects into a compliant AL3 flat file with correct record lengths
Validate the output against an ACORD-certified trading partner test harness or a validator provided by the receiving carrier
Set up a scheduled file-drop or SFTP transmission to the carrier and parse any acknowledgment or error files returned
Known gotchas
AL3 uses fixed-width positional fields, not delimiters; off-by-one errors in field start positions cause silent data corruption that parsers may accept without error
Many carriers implement proprietary AL3 extensions in reserved fields; confirm which extensions the trading partner expects before testing
AL3 is largely superseded by ACORD XML in newer implementations; verify the partner still accepts AL3 before investing in the integration
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claude mcp add --transport http waymark https://mcp.waymark.network/mcp