EDI 841 Specifications/Technical Information

Functional Group SP

X12M Supply Chain Subcommittee

This Draft Standard for Trial Use contains the format and establishes the data contents of the Specifications/Technical Information Transaction Set (841) for use within the context of an Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) environment. The transaction set can be used to transmit specifications or technical information between trading partners. It can be used to allow EDI trading partners the ability to exchange a complete or partial technical description of a product, process, service, etc. over the same path as any other EDI transaction. The detail area can include graphic, text, parametric, tabular, image, spectral, or audio data. A transmission includes identification information to assist the receiver in interpreting and utilizing the information included in the transaction. Further action as a consequence of the receipt and initial processing of the specification or other technical data may or may not require human intervention. The transmission and receipt of the data may require private agreement between the trading partners to automate the receipt of the data. The total transaction must be in the general form of all ASC X12 transactions so that an EDI computer system will be able to automatically recognize it as a Specification/Technical Information Transaction Set and pass it on for processing of the data itself. The transaction set is not media dependent. The detail area of the Specification/Technical Information Transaction Set provides a structure which allows for the exchange of a variety of specification information. For example, if the transaction contains information describing a complete assembly, it would be necessary to include the assembly model, the models for each of the individual parts, and the associated specifications. In the case of a process it may be necessary to transmit the specification of the product along with the specifications of the process and raw materials. This transaction set can also be linked to other transaction sets. This transaction set is not limited to a specific transmission protocol and uses other standards as applicable where they do not conflict with these requirements for specification transaction.

Heading

1. 010 · ST · Transaction Set Header · Max 1 · Mandatory

   To indicate the start of a transaction set and to assign a control number

2. SPI Loop Mandatory Repeat >1

   1. 020 · SPI · Specification Identifier · Max 1 · Mandatory

      To provide a description of the included specification or technical data items.

   2. 030 · RDT · Revision Date/Time · Max >1 · Optional

      To specify the revision level of the electronic data item.

   3. 040 · NTE · Note/Special Instruction · Max >1 · Optional

      To transmit information in a free-form format, if necessary, for comment or special instruction

   4. 050 · X1 · Export License · Max 1 · Optional

      To transmit information contained on an export license

   5. 060 · X2 · Import License · Max 1 · Optional

      To transmit import license number and effective dates

   6. 070 · X7 · Customs Information · Max 1 · Optional

      To indicate customs information

   7. 080 · GOV · Military Standard 1840-A Record Definition · Max >1 · Optional

      To accomodate U.S. Government (Department of Defense) Military Standard 1840-A.

   8. REF Loop Optional Repeat >1

      1. 090 · REF · Reference Numbers · Max 1 · Mandatory

         To specify identifying numbers.

      2. 100 · DTM · Date/Time Reference · Max >1 · Optional

         To specify pertinent dates and times

      3. 110 · PER · Administrative Communications Contact · Max >1 · Optional

         To identify a person or office to whom administrative communications should be directed

   9. N1 Loop Optional Repeat >1

      1. 120 · N1 · Name · Max 1 · Mandatory

         To identify a party by type of organization, name and code

      2. 130 · N2 · Additional Name Information · Max 2 · Optional

         To specify additional names or those longer than 35 characters in length

      3. 140 · N3 · Address Information · Max 2 · Optional

         To specify the location of the named party

      4. 150 · N4 · Geographic Location · Max 1 · Optional

         To specify the geographic place of the named party

      5. 160 · REF · Reference Numbers · Max >1 · Optional

         To specify identifying numbers.

      6. 170 · PER · Administrative Communications Contact · Max >1 · Optional

         To identify a person or office to whom administrative communications should be directed

Detail

1. HL Loop Mandatory Repeat >1

   1. 010 · HL · Hierarchical Level · Max 1 · Mandatory

      To identify dependencies among and the content of hierarchically related groups of data segments.

      To be meaningful, at least one of the SPI, PID, REF, MEA, EFI or CID loops must be present with each occurence of the HL loop.

   2. SPI Loop Optional Repeat >1

      1. 020 · SPI · Specification Identifier · Max 1 · Mandatory

         To provide a description of the included specification or technical data items.

         The HL segment may be used to define the hierarchical relationship of product-related specifications reported in the associated HL loop. Product-related specifications may refer to the product in its entirety or to subunits of the product. For example, if the top level refers to an assembly, the second-level HL segment may refer to parts or subassemblies of the top assembly. This pattern may be repeated as often as required.

      2. 030 · RDT · Revision Date/Time · Max >1 · Optional

         To specify the revision level of the electronic data item.

      3. 040 · LIN · Item Identification · Max 1 · Optional

         To specify basic item identification data.

      4. 045 · N1 · Name · Max >1 · Optional

         To identify a party by type of organization, name and code

      5. 050 · MSG · Message Text · Max >1 · Optional

         To provide a free form format that would allow the transmission of text information.

   3. PID Loop Optional Repeat >1

      1. 060 · PID · Product/Item Description · Max 1 · Mandatory

         To describe a product or process in coded or free-form format

      2. 065 · PKD · Packaging Description · Max >1 · Optional

         To specify a packaging description

      3. 070 · QTY · Quantity · Max >1 · Optional

         To specify quantity information.

      4. 074 · MEA · Measurements · Max >1 · Optional

         To specify physical measurements or counts, including dimensions, tolerances, variances, and weights (See Figures Appendix for example of use of C001.)

      5. 075 · UIT · Unit Detail · Max >1 · Optional

         To specify item unit data

      6. 076 · LOC · Location · Max 1 · Optional

         To describe the location in space and time of the axis of an item relative to an origin axis; euclidian geometry has been assumed with orthogonal axes; the sequence of axes has been chosen in the customary sequence of X, Y, and Z; however, it is possible to just use two dimensional space rather than three

      7. 077 · PWK · Paperwork · Max >1 · Optional

         To identify the type and transmission of paperwork or supporting information

      8. PKG Loop Optional Repeat >1

         1. 078 · PKG · Marking, Packaging, Loading · Max 1 · Mandatory

            To describe marking, packaging, loading and unloading requirements.

         2. 079 · MEA · Measurements · Max >1 · Optional

            To specify physical measurements or counts, including dimensions, tolerances, variances, and weights (See Figures Appendix for example of use of C001.)

   4. REF Loop Optional Repeat >1

      1. 080 · REF · Reference Numbers · Max 1 · Mandatory

         To specify identifying numbers.

      2. 090 · DTM · Date/Time Reference · Max >1 · Optional

         To specify pertinent dates and times

      3. 100 · PER · Administrative Communications Contact · Max >1 · Optional

         To identify a person or office to whom administrative communications should be directed

   5. LX Loop Optional Repeat >1

      1. 109 · LX · Assigned Number · Max 1 · Mandatory

         To reference a line number in a transaction set.

      2. 110 · MEA · Measurements · Max 1 · Optional

         To specify physical measurements or counts, including dimensions, tolerances, variances, and weights (See Figures Appendix for example of use of C001.)

      3. 120 · DTM · Date/Time Reference · Max >1 · Optional

         To specify pertinent dates and times

      4. 130 · REF · Reference Numbers · Max >1 · Optional

         To specify identifying numbers.

   6. EFI Loop Optional Repeat >1

      1. 140 · EFI · Electronic Format Identification · Max 1 · Mandatory

         To provide basic information about the electronic format of the interchange data.

      2. 150 · GOV · Military Standard 1840-A Record Definition · Max >1 · Optional

         To accomodate U.S. Government (Department of Defense) Military Standard 1840-A.

      3. 160 · BIN · Binary Data · Max >1 · Optional

         To transfer binary data in a single data segment and to allow identification of the end of the data segment through a count. There is no identification of the internal structure of the binary data in this segment.

   7. CID Loop Optional Repeat >1

      1. 170 · CID · Characteristic/Class ID · Max 1 · Mandatory

         To specify the general class or specific characteristic upon which test results are being reported or are to be taken

         The CID segment may be used to define either a general class of properties, such as physical properties, or an individual property within a class. The CID loop allows the user the ability to define specifications such as the properties of the item or class, the environmental conditions under which the specifications apply, the test methods to be used, and other parameters related to properties within the current HL hierarchical level.

      2. 180 · UIT · Unit Detail · Max 1 · Optional

         To specify item unit data

      3. 190 · TMD · Test Method · Max >1 · Optional

         To describe the nature of the test performed.

      4. 200 · PSD · Physical Sample Description · Max 1 · Optional

         To define the physical sample parameters associated with a test resulting in discrete measurements.

      5. 201 · CSS · Conditional Sampling Sequence · Max 1 · Optional

         To specify a special sample-selection procedure to be followed at the start-up of a process, or following a process upset such as a brief line power loss or product grade change

         The sampling sequence specified in the CSS segment will take precedence over any other sampling rate (PSD03, PSD09, SPS06, CSF02, and CSF03) from the point the CSS01 event occurs until the specified sequence is completed.
         If no other sampling is specified, then only the sampling indicated in this segment is performed when the CSS01 event occurs.

      6. 210 · SPS · Sampling Parameters for Summary Statistics · Max 1 · Optional

         To define the sampling parameters associated with summary statistics.

      7. 220 · MSG · Message Text · Max >1 · Optional

         To provide a free form format that would allow the transmission of text information.

      8. MEA Loop Optional Repeat >1

         1. 230 · MEA · Measurements · Max 1 · Mandatory

            To specify physical measurements or counts, including dimensions, tolerances, variances, and weights (See Figures Appendix for example of use of C001.)

         2. 240 · DTM · Date/Time Reference · Max >1 · Optional

            To specify pertinent dates and times

         3. 250 · REF · Reference Numbers · Max >1 · Optional

            To specify identifying numbers.

      9. STA Loop Optional Repeat >1

         1. 260 · STA · Statistics · Max 1 · Mandatory

            To provide summary statistics related to a specific collection of test result values.

         2. 270 · DTM · Date/Time Reference · Max >1 · Optional

            To specify pertinent dates and times

         3. 280 · REF · Reference Numbers · Max >1 · Optional

            To specify identifying numbers.

      10. CSF Loop Optional Repeat >1

          1. 282 · CSF · Conditional Sampling Frequency · Max 1 · Mandatory

             To represent sampling frequency changes or values that are conditional on measurements made on previous samples, related manufacturing stages, or the environment

             The sampling rate specified is the CSF segment. It would take precedence over the normal sampling rate specified in PSD03 while the conditions of the CSF segment are satisfied, but would NOT take precedence over the sampling sequence activated by the proposed CSS segment.
             If no other sampling rate is specified, then the only sampling indicated in the CSF segment is performed while the CSF conditions are met. Sampling will cease when the conditions are no longer met.
             Conditional values specified in DE 740 (Range Minimum) will be interpreted as ``greater than or equal to this value.'' Values specified in DE 741 (Range Maximum) will be interpreted to mean ``less than or equal to this value.''
             Repetitions of the CSF loop allow several frequency changes (and the conditions that would trigger those changes) to be specified.
             If the conditions are such that several CSF values are activated at the same time, the value with the highest sampling rate shall prevail.

          2. 283 · LS · Loop Header · Max 1 · Optional

             To indicate that the next segment begins a loop

          3. CID Loop Optional Repeat >1

             1. 284 · CID · Characteristic/Class ID · Max 1 · Mandatory

                To specify the general class or specific characteristic upon which test results are being reported or are to be taken

                Either the MEA segment or the STA segment must occur, but not both.
                The CID loop within the CSF loop is used to specify the conditions that will trigger activation of the conditional value in the CSF segment.
                Repetitions of the CID loop will have an implied logical AND between the conditions set in each iteration.

             2. 285 · MEA · Measurements · Max 1 · Optional

                To specify physical measurements or counts, including dimensions, tolerances, variances, and weights (See Figures Appendix for example of use of C001.)

                The elements of the CID segment identify the conditional property. If the property is a measurement from within the manufacturing process of a plant environment, rather than the product, the segment also identifies the location where the measurements are to be observed.

             3. 286 · STA · Statistics · Max 1 · Optional

                To provide summary statistics related to a specific collection of test result values.

                If the condition is based on single test measurements, the MEA segment is used to specify the units of measure, and the open or closed numeric range of the conditional test.

          4. 287 · LE · Loop Trailer · Max 1 · Optional

             To indicate that the loop immediately preceding this segment is complete

      11. EFI Loop Optional Repeat >1

          1. 290 · EFI · Electronic Format Identification · Max 1 · Mandatory

             To provide basic information about the electronic format of the interchange data.

          2. 300 · GOV · Military Standard 1840-A Record Definition · Max >1 · Optional

             To accomodate U.S. Government (Department of Defense) Military Standard 1840-A.

          3. 310 · BIN · Binary Data · Max >1 · Optional

             To transfer binary data in a single data segment and to allow identification of the end of the data segment through a count. There is no identification of the internal structure of the binary data in this segment.

Summary

1. 010 · SE · Transaction Set Trailer · Max 1 · Mandatory

   To indicate the end of the transaction set and provide the count of the transmitted segments (including the beginning (ST) and ending (SE) segments).