Use of Allocation message to support step-in/step-out trades

Imported from previous forum

  1. Is any distinction made between the allocation that the IM has directed the executing broker to step-out of and the actual allocation of those shares (i.e. is there a one-to-one relationship between the quantity described in the allocation (to the broker of credit) and the subsequent allocation of that group of shares to subaccount(s?).
  2. Does anybody have examples of the use of the allocation message to handle a step-in/step-out trade? Is it intended that the allocation message be used as a mechanism for informing the broker of credit of the step-in details, or is it only used to inform the executing broker that he is to step-out, and optionally pass the allocation details to the step-in broker? Is anyone using the allocation message as a mechanism for the IM to inform the broker of credit that he is to step-in and of the subsequent allocations to sub accounts? Would this be better than specifying 208 (notify broker of credit) = Y, which requests that the executing broker pass the allocation details to the broker of credit?
  3. How is the ClOrdID specified to the step-in broker? Is it set to “manual”?
  4. Field 124 (NoExecs) is “primarily used to support step-outs”, according to the spec. Does this mean that the basic unit of a step-in/step-out is an individual fill? If not, how/why is it used?