Part I
EANCOM^® MESSAGES

6. APPENDIX 2: GLOSSARY OF EDI TERMINOLOGY

Term	Definition
Character set	A finite set of different characters that is considered complete for a given purpose.
Code	A character string used as an abbreviated means of recording or identifying information. To represent or identify information using a specific symbolic form that can be recognised by a computer.
Component data element	A simple data element used within a composite data element.
Component data element separator	A service character used to separate component data elements in a composite data element.
Composite data element	A data element containing two or more functionally related component data elements.
Conditional	A statement in a segment or message directory of a condition for the use of a segment, a data element, a composite data element, or a component data element.
Data	A representation of facts, concepts or instructions in a formalised manner suitable for communication, interpretation or processing by human beings or by automatic means.
Data element	A unit of data for which the identification, description and value representation have been specified.
Data element name	One or more words in a natural language identifying a data element concept.
Data element separator	A service character used to separate data elements in a segment.
Data element tag	A unique identifier for a data element in a data element directory.
Data element value	The specific entry of an identified data element represented as specified in a data element directory.
Data element representation	The format (e.g. numeric, alphabetic, variable length etc.) of a data item.
EDIFACT	Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport.
Explicit representation	The technique used to give an absolute identification of the location of a data segment within a message.
Functional group	One or more messages of the same type headed by a functional group header service segment and ending with a functional group trailer service segment.
Functional group header	The service segment heading and identifying the functional group.
Functional group trailer	The service segment ending a functional group.
Group of segments	Identified, usually repeatable, grouping of segments.
Header section	The portion of the message which precedes the actual body and trailer of the business transaction, and which contains information which relates to the entire message.
Identifier	A character or group of characters used to identify or name an item of data and possibly to indicate certain properties of that data.
Implementation guideline (EANCOM^®)	A UNSM sub-set provided with detailed usage notes, clear guidance what to do and when to do, strict rules for the usage of GS1 numbering standards, relevant codes only, more precise definitions of data and codes and business situation examples.
Interchange	Communication between partners in the form of a structured set of messages and service segments starting with an interchange control header and ending with an interchange control trailer.
Interchange agreement	Document, usually in the form of a user manual, which describes, e.g., level of syntax, messages, legal and security requirements etc.
Level	Relative hierarchical position of a data segment within a message.
Mandatory	A statement in a segment or message directory which specifies that a segment, a data element, a composite data element or a component data element must be used.
Message	A set of segments in the order specified in a message directory starting with the message header and ending with the message trailer.
Message diagram	A graphic representation of the sequence of segments within a message.
Message header	The service segment starting and uniquely identifying a message.
Message trailer	The service segment ending a message.
Message type	An identified and structured set of data elements covering the requirements for a specified type of transaction, e.g. invoice.
Nested segment	A segment which directly relates to another segment in an identified and structured group of segments covering the requirements for a specific message type.
Omission	Exclusion in an actual message of one or more units of data which are defined as conditional in a message type specification.
Qualified data element	A data element whose precise meaning is conveyed by an associated qualifier.
Qualifier	A data element whose value shall be expressed as a code that gives specific meaning to the function of another data element or a segment.
Release character	A service character used to restore to its original meaning any character used as a service separator.
Section control segment	A service segment used to separate header, detail and summary sections of a message where necessary to avoid ambiguities in the message segment content.
Segment	A pre-defined and identified set of functionally related data elements values which are identified by their sequential positions within the set. A segment starts with a segment tag and ends with a segment terminator. It can be a service segment or a user data segment.
Segment code	A code which uniquely identifies each segment as specified in a segment directory.
Segment directory	A listing of identified, named, described and specified segments.
Segment name	One or more words in a natural language identifying a data segment concept.
Segment number (EANCOM^®)	Numeric value used to show the position of a segment in an EANCOM^® message, starting at 1 for the first segment.
Segment tag	A composite data element in which the first component data element contains a code which uniquely identifies a segment as specified in the relevant segment directory. Additional component data elements can be conditionally used to indicate the hierarchical level and nesting relation in a message and the incidence of repetition of the segment.
Segment terminator	A service character indicating the end of a segment.
Service character	A character reserved for syntactical use.
Service data element	A data element used in service segments.
Service segment	A segment required to service the interchange of user data.
Service string advice	A character string at the beginning of an interchange defining syntactically delimiting characters and indicators used in the interchange.
Simple data element	A data element containing a single data element value.
Status	Indication whether a segment group, segment, composite data element or data element item is mandatory (M) or conditional (C) in the application concerned.
Summary section	The portion of the message which follows the body of the message and which contains summary information relating to the entire message.
Syntax rules	Rules governing the structure of an interchange and its functional groups, messages, segments and data elements.
Tag	A unique identifier for a segment or data element.
Trading partners	The sending and/or receiving parties involved in exchanging electronic business messages.
UN/EDIFACT	United Nations/Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport.
UNSM	United Nations Standard Message, an EDIFACT message type approved for international use. A UNSM is a message which: has been registered, published and which is maintained by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe; has the values contained in the Controlling Agency, Message Type, Message Version Number and Message Release Number fields (the requirements for the use of which are specified in ISO 9735), allocated and controlled by the UN/ECE; always has the code value "UN" in the Controlling Agency field.
UNSM Sub-set	A sub-set of a UNSM is a message which is directly derived from an approved UNSM, has the same function as the UNSM from which it is derived, and which: contains all of the groups and segments defined as having a mandatory status within the message, and the mandatory data elements within them. There shall be no change to the status, order or content of the groups, segments and composite data elements and data elements contained within the segments. (It should be noted, however, that although many UNSMs contain Conditional Groups of segments which may contain one or more mandatory segments, providing the complete conditional group is omitted from the sub-set, this does not break the rule regarding the inclusion of mandatory segments); does not change the status, order or content of the Segments, composite data elements and data elements in the conditional segments chosen for use from the UNSM. does not add any segments, composite data elements or data elements to the message; contains the identical values specified for use in the Message Type, Controlling Agency, Message Version Number and Message Release Number fields, as are specified for the UNSM from which the sub-set is derived
User data segment	A segment containing application data.

Edition 2016