[ARCHIVE] Empty string as default for DateString field in BankingCreditCardAccount

Archived 2022-10-11. Content moved to CDS Guide, Data formats - schemas.

Question

As a response to GetAccountDetail request for new credit cards, within the BankingCreditCardAccount schema, is an empty string an acceptable default value for the DateString field?

Answer

As per the Consumer Data Standards (CDS), an empty string is not a valid DateString, hence it cannot be used as a default value. An empty string imparts specific meaning as defined in the Payload Conventions in the CDS.

Empty/Null Fields

• An empty field (ie. a field that is not present in a payload) will be considered equivalent with a field that is present with a null.
• An empty string (“”) is not considered to be equivalent to null.
• A Boolean value of false is not considered to be equivalent to null. Optional Boolean fields, by implication, have three possible values: true, false and indeterminate (ie. null).

Also see:

Mandatory Fields with no value present