Chapter 10

Utility Industry Group Implementation Guideline for Electronic Data Interchange

10	Industry Conventions
10.1	Introduction
	The ASC Xl2 segment hierarchy lists all segments, in order, available from the ASC X12 standard. The segment ID's that are shaded indicate the segments that are utilized by the UIG.
	Following the ASC X12 segment hierarchy, a detailed description of each segment is provided, in order.
	Each segment is listed with the segment ID and name, level (header, detail, or summary), loop (if the segment is contained within a loop), loop repeat (for the first segment in the loop), requirement within the transaction set, maximum use, purpose (as defined by ASC X12, ASC Xl2 syntax notes, ASC Xl2 comments for segment usage, and notes that explain the UIG convention for this segment within the transaction set. It is important to note that all shaded text is either a UIG convention or UIG terminology. Shaded code lists refer to recommendations culled from the entire ASC X12 data element code list. The unshaded areas contain definitions and comments from the ASC X12 standard.
	The data element summary lists each data element, in order, for the segment. For each data element there is one line to identify reference designator, data element number, data element name, and attributes.
	Below the one-line summary are usage notes and actual values identified for use.
	Reference Designator This is the segment identifier with the data element sequence number within the segment.
	Data Element Number This is the number assigned to the data element by ASC X12. This number may be used for direct reference into the ASC Xl 2 Data Dictionary.
	Data Element Name This is the name assigned to the data element by ASC Xl 2, in the ASC X12 Data Dictionary.
	Attributes Each data element has three ASC Xl2 attributes: element usage, element type, and Minimum / Maximum length.
	Element Usage
			M = Mandatory
				The data element must be used if the segment is used.
			O = Optional
				The data element may be used if the segment is used.
			C = Conditional
				The data element may be used only if other elements are used within the segment. The particular condition/relation will be stated in the Data Element Summary for the segment when used.
	Element Type
			ID = ldentifier
					Values for the identifier-type data elements are taken from a predefined list in the ASC Xl2 data dictionary.
			AN = String
					Values for the string-type data elements are a sequence of any printable characters.
			DT = Date
					Values for a date-type data element are in the format YYMMDD
			TM = Time
					Values for a time-type data element are in the format HHMM expressed in 24-hour clock form.
			Nx = Numeric
					Values for a numeric data element are in an implied decimal format, where the numeral following the"N" indicates the number of places to the right of the decimal point. For example:
					N0 is a whole number (999.)
					N2 is 999.99
			R = Decimal
					This is a numeric field in character format, with a decimal point included. It is treated as alpha/numeric. The decimal point is not sent for whole numbers. For example, to send the number 0128.734 the field would contain "128.734". to send the number 0789.00 the field would contain "789".
	Minimum/Maximum
	This is the minimum and maximum length the field can be. For example:
	02/02 = fixed length of 2 characters.
	04/09 = Minimum length of 4 characters and maximum length of 9 characters.
10.2	Control Segments
	To allow transaction sets of different types to be transmitted from one party to another in the same transmission, a hierarchical structure of headers and trailers allows the data to be segregated logically for easy interpretation by the receiver.
	Transaction sets begin with an "ST" header and end with an "SE" trailer. Several transaction sets of the same type may be functionally grouped together by beginning such a group with a "GS" header and ending the group with a "GE" trailer. One or more functional groups are bound together for transmission within an interchange "envelope" made up of an "ISA" header and an "IEA" trailer.
	The structures of the transaction set and functional group headers and trailers are found in the Segment Directory. The structures of the interchange control header and trailer are found in the Interchange Control Structure standard (ANS X12.5).
10.3		Large Code Lists Maintained by ASC Xl2
		Not Used
10.4		Code Lists Not Maintained by ASC X12
		Not Used
10.5		Data Element Cross-Reference Matrix
		Not Used
10.6		Data Segment Cross-Reference Matrix
		Not Used
10.7		Industry Conventions
		Click here to view the current status and availability of the individual UIG transaction conventions.

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10

Industry Conventions