Guides
CWR format check: find what a society would reject
A society's system reads a CWR file line by line and rejects whatever does not fit the CISAC specification, often weeks after you delivered it. CWR Check reads your file the same way, in seconds, and tells you what is broken and where.
Upload a CWR file → Rather not fix it yourself? Kane Tech Group, the team behind CWR Check, does it as a managed service. Have us handle it →
What the format check reads
- Structure. A header, batches that open and close in order, and a closing line. Every line is a record type the spec knows, no longer than it allows.
- Bookkeeping. Control totals, record and registration counts, and sequence numbers: the details no person spots and every society's system does.
- Fields. Required fields filled in, and values in the form the spec requires, read against the CISAC field tables (CWR19-1070R1).
- Identifiers. ISWC, IPI name and base numbers, V-ISAN and EIDR checked against their own check digits; ISRCs in the standard shape.
- Shares. Every song's shares adding up, and publishers within the caps societies enforce.
- The filename. The naming convention societies expect.
What you get
A verdict first: would a society reject this file? Then each problem on its exact line, grouped by kind, with what it means and how to fix it in plain language, in English, Japanese, Korean, Spanish or German. Errors, which get a file rejected, are kept apart from warnings, which are worth a look.
The full report opens in your browser. Download it, share it with a link, or export works, parties and findings as CSV. The error guide explains every finding, and why CWR files get rejected covers the common ones.
For developers
The same check is an API: POST /api/validate with the file returns the verdict and every finding as JSON. See the API docs.
Questions
Is the format check free?
Yes. Upload up to 20 files at a time, up to 10 MB each, with no signup.
Is my file stored?
No. Files are checked in memory and discarded, and the report exists only in your browser, unless you create a share link.
Which CWR versions does it check?
CWR 2.1 and 2.2, including registrations, agreements and acknowledgement files, against the CISAC specification CWR19-1070R1.
Upload a CWR file → Rather not fix it yourself? Kane Tech Group, the team behind CWR Check, does it as a managed service. Have us handle it →
Two free checks for your CWR file. Is the file correct? Every record, share and control total against the spec, each problem on its exact line. Do its writers match their registrations? Every writer cross-checked against public registration data, including works registered under another spelling or IPI. Nothing stored: check a file at cwrcheck.com.