Notation
How to read an entry in this directory.
Representation
The representation states what a value may look like: a charset, and a length. an..35 means alphanumeric, 1 to 35 characters; n9 means numeric, exactly 9.
| Notation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| a | alphabetic characters |
| an | alphanumeric characters |
| n | numeric characters |
| ..N | variable length, up to N |
| N | fixed length, exactly N |
Four elements print no representation at all in the source (5416, 6000, 6002, 6004) — the cell is blank on the page and blank here.
Change tags
Column 1 of the printed directory marks what changed since the 1993 edition. The legend is the source’s own (section 4.1):
| Tag | Meaning | Count |
|---|---|---|
| add | added | 461 |
| cn | changed name | 43 |
| cnd | changed name + description | 424 |
| cnr | changed name + representation | 65 |
| cndr | changed name + description + representation | 317 |
| u | undeleted (re-instated) | 4 |
| x | marked for deletion (with tag + name) | 186 |
Three rows print tags outside this legend (cd, cr ×2, cdr). They are kept verbatim and flagged for review.
Categories
| Tags | Category |
|---|---|
| 1000-1699 | Documentation, references |
| 2000-2699 | Dates, times, periods |
| 3000-3699 | Parties, addresses, places, countries |
| 4000-4699 | Clauses, conditions, terms, instructions |
| 5000-5699 | Amounts, charges, percentages |
| 6000-6699 | Measures, quantities |
| 7000-7699 | Goods and articles |
| 8000-8699 | Transport modes, means, equipment |
| 9000-9699 | Other data elements (Customs, etc.) |
Service elements (0001–0699) are not part of this edition — they are provided by ISO 9735 (EDIFACT syntax).
Bridges
The rightmost column of the print maps each element onto the aligned trade documents where it physically lives — line and character positions on standard forms:
- UNLK — United Nations Layout Key
- Positions on the UN Layout Key for trade documents (ISO 6422).
- SAD — Single Administrative Document
- The EU customs declaration form; box and sub-division references.
- CIM — Consignment Note (rail)
- The CIM rail consignment note (OTIF/COTIF Appendix B).
- CIMP — IATA cargo procedures
- Field references in IATA Cargo Interchange Message Procedures.
- MAR — IMO FAL documents
- Maritime declarations under the IMO Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic.