UN/TDED

The document · PDF pp. 9–13

1 — Introduction

1.1 Scope, content and sources

The standard data elements included in this Directory are intended to facilitate an open interchange of data in international trade.

These standard data elements can be used with any method for data interchange on paper documents as well as with other means of data processing and communication: they can be selected for transmission one by one, or used within a particular system of interchange rules, e.g. the United Nations rules for Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport (UN/EDIFACT), developed within the UN/CEFACT of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and published as International Standard ISO 9735.

This Directory has been compiled by the TDED Maintenance Agency (see Section 2), on the basis of the work within this UN/CEFACT, as well as work within other Maintenance Agency members as specially WCO and IMO. This edition has been adopted by Technical Committee ISO/TC 154 and the UN/CEFACT.

Volume I of the Directory constitutes International Standard ISO 7372. Volume II includes the User Code List; the preparation and maintenance of Vol. II is an activity of the UN/CEFACT. Volume III is a Compendium of Trade Facilitation Recommendations, a joint activity of the UNECE and the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Special Programme for Trade Efficiency (SPTE).

The main source of this edition of TDED is the set of UN/EDIFACT directories D.02A: Vol. I has been built as a true superset of D.02A EDED = data elements; Vol. II is a straight forward subset of D.02A UNCL = codes. This third edition supersedes the second, 1993 edition of the TDED.

1.2 References

1.2.1 International Standards

The following standards contain provisions which, through reference in this text, constitute provisions of this International Standard. All standards are subject to revision, and parties to agreements based on this International Standard are encouraged to investigate the possibility of applying the most recent editions of the standards indicated below. Members of IEC and ISO maintain registers of currently valid International Standards. (Dates provided in the table are based upon checking the ISO website 2004-09-08.)

International Standards referenced by UNTDED 2005
ISO 216:1975Writing paper and certain classes of printed matter — Trimmed sizes — A and B series
ISO 639-1:2002, -2:1998Codes for the representation of names of languages (alpha-2, alpha-3)
ISO 1000:1992SI units and recommendations for the use of their multiples and of certain other units
ISO/IEC 2382-1:1993Information technology — Vocabulary — Part 1: Fundamental terms
ISO 2784:1974Continuous forms used for information processing — Sizes and sprocket feed holes
ISO 2955:1983Representation of SI and other units for use in systems with limited character sets (withdrawn)
ISO 3166-1/-2/-3Codes for the representation of names of countries and their subdivisions
ISO 3535:1977Forms design sheet and layout chart
ISO 4217:2001Codes for the representation of currencies and funds
ISO 6346:1995Freight containers — Coding, identification and marking
ISO 6422:1985Layout Key for trade documents
ISO 8601:2004Data elements and interchange formats — information interchange — representation of dates and times
ISO/IEC 8859-1/-2/-5/-7Information processing — 8-bit single-byte coded graphic character sets
ISO 9735:2002 (Parts 1–10)Electronic data interchange for administration, commerce and transport (EDIFACT) — Application level syntax rules

1.2.2 UN and UN/CEFACT Recommendations

UN and UN/CEFACT Recommendations referenced by UNTDED 2005
Rec. No. 1United Nations Layout Key for Trade Documents; reflected as ISO 6422:1985, 8439:1990 and 8440:1986 and Corr.1:2000
Rec. No. 6Aligned Invoice Layout Key for International Trade
Rec. No. 8Unique Identification Code Methodology — UNIC
Rec. No. 11Documentary Aspects of the International Transport of Dangerous Goods
Rec. No. 12Measures to Facilitate Maritime Transport Documents Procedures
Rec. No. 15Simpler Shipping Marks
Rec. No. 22Layout Key for Standard Consignment Instructions
Rec. No. 25Use of the United Nations Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport (UN/EDIFACT)

1.3 Definitions

For the purpose of this International Standard, the following definitions apply.

1.3.1 alphabetic character set
A character set that contains letters and may contain control characters and special characters, but not digits. (Source: ISO 2382/4)
1.3.2 alphanumeric character set
A character set that contains both letters and digits and may contain control characters and special characters. (Source: ISO 2382/4)
1.3.3 blank (character)
A character that represents an empty position in a graphic character string. (Source: ISO 2382/4)
1.3.4 character
A member of a set of elements that is used for the representation, organization, or control of data. (Source: ISO 2382/4)
1.3.9 data element tag
A unique identifier for a data element in a data elements directory. (Source: ISO 9735:1988)
1.3.10 data element value
Specific instance of a simple data element, represented as specified in a simple data element specification and, if the simple data element is coded, in a code list. (Source: ISO 9735:2002)
1.3.11 data element value length
The number of characters in a data element value. (Source: ECE)
1.3.12 digit (numeric character)
A graphic character that represents a non-negative integer. (Source: ISO 2382/4)
1.3.13 letter
A graphic character that, when appearing alone or combined with others, is primarily used to represent a sound element of a spoken language. (Source: ISO 2382/4)
1.3.14 numeric character set
A character set that contains digits and may contain control characters and special characters, but not letters. (Source: ISO 2382/4)
1.3.15 special character
A graphic character that is not a letter, a digit, or blank character, and usually not an ideogram. (Source: ISO 2382/4)

1.4 Abbreviations

The following acronyms or abbreviations are used for making reference to documents, conventions and interchange standards:

AWB
IATA Air Waybill
CIM
Rail Consignment Note (CIM Convention)
CIMP
IATA Cargo Interchange Message Procedures Manual (CARGO-IMP manual)
CMR
Road Consignment Note (CMR Convention)
EC
European Communities
EFTA
European Free Trade Association
IATA
International Air Transport Association
ICC
International Chamber of Commerce
INV
United Nations Layout Key for Aligned Invoices
MAR
IMO Model forms and ICS Standard Bill of Lading
SAD
Single Administrative Document (EC and EFTA)
SWIFT
Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication
UNLK
United Nations Layout Key
UNSM
United Nations Standard Message (UN/EDIFACT)

1.5 Character sets

The characters in ISO 8859 shall be used for the representation of the data elements in this Directory.

1.6 Explanation of the contents

In addition to this introduction, the Directory contains the following sections: Section 2 provides rules and procedures for maintenance. Section 3 is reserved for future indexes. Section 4 is the main part of the Directory and contains the complete list of standard data elements — in principle, each entry in this part should be self-contained and consultation of other parts of the Directory or outside sources should be required only exceptionally.

1.7 Presentation of data elements in the Directory

Each identified data element has been given:

  1. a data element name;
  2. a description of the concept to explain the agreed meaning and to aid in determining the content of the information (data value) to be provided with the data element;
  3. a specification of the character representation of the data value, with indication of space (in number of characters) available and location in aligned forms, and of field lengths where such have been established in particular interchange protocols;

and, when applicable or required:

  1. notes providing additional information;
  2. references to other parts of the Directory, or to other sources, as appropriate.