The real-time access channel is suitable for use by a program that makes frequent and small-quantity synchronous washings.
When washing through the RTA channel, a user program sends numbers across the network on top of SOAP protocol to an XML web service hosted by the register. The washing result is sent back in the same way to the user program. SOAP attaches a considerable amount of overhead to the payload, and this takes time to be processed. Moreover, numbers are not washed by the File Washing Module; they are sent to the register directly, to be checked one-by-one. However, there is no one-off file reading and writing involved in this process. This means that this channel will be much quicker to wash a small quantity of numbers (fewer than a few hundred), but slower if the quantity of numbers is greater than a thousand.
The user is not warned of invalid entries nor offered a chance to abort. Invalid entries do not prevent processing but will be charged. The user is expected to put number validation logic in the program and prevent any invalid number being sent to the register.
How to wash using real-time access
Access seekers must create an account and purchase a valid subscription (type D and above) in order to access real-time access via SOAP.
The SOAP fact sheet outlines specific technical information you might require to wash using the real-time access channel.