United Nations Directories
for Electronic Data Interchange for
Administration, Commerce and Transport



 UN/EDIFACT

Message Type : DIRDEF Version : D Release : 11A Contr. Agency: UN Revision : 6 Date : 2011-06-29 SOURCE: TBG16 Entry Point CONTENTS Directory definition message 0. INTRODUCTION 1. SCOPE 1.1 Functional definition 1.2 Field of application 1.3 Principles 2. REFERENCES 3. TERMS AND DEFINITIONS 3.1 Standard terms and definitions 4. MESSAGE DEFINITION 4.1 Segment clarification 4.2 Segment index (alphabetical sequence by tag) 4.3 Message structure 4.3.1 Segment table --------------------------------------------------------------------------- For general information on UN standard message types see UN Trade Data Interchange Directory, UNTDID, Part 4, Section 2.3, UN/ECE UNSM General Introduction --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 0. INTRODUCTION This specification provides the definition of the Directory definition message (DIRDEF) to be used in Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) between trading partners involved in administration, commerce and transport. 1. SCOPE 1.1 Functional definition This Directory definition message (DIRDEF) permits the transfer of the contents of a UN/EDIFACT or American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Accredited Standards Committee (ASC) X12 Directory set or parts thereof. 1.2 Field of application The Directory definition message may be used for both national and international applications. It is based on universal practice related to administration, commerce and transport, and is not dependent on the type of business or industry. 1.3 Principles The Message allows the transmission of a UN/EDIFACT or X12 Directory set, or parts thereof. A UN/EDIFACT or ANSI ASC X12 Directory Set comprises: -Message type or Transaction Set directory -Segment directory -Composite data element directory -Simple data element directory -Code list directory One occurrence of the message can contain only one version of a UN/EDIFACT or ANSI ASC X12 Directory set, or parts thereof. 2. REFERENCES See UNTDID, Part 4, Chapter 2.3 UN/ECE UNSM - General Introduction, Section 1. 3. TERMS AND DEFINITIONS 3.1 Standard terms and definitions See UNTDID, Part 4, Chapter 2.3 UN/ECE UNSM - General Introduction, Section 2. 4. MESSAGE DEFINITION 4.1 Segment clarification This section should be read in conjunction with the segment table which indicates mandatory, conditional and repeating requirements. 0010 UNH, Message header A service segment starting and uniquely identifying a message. The message type code for the Directory definition message is DIRDEF. Note: Directory definition messages conforming to this document must contain the following data in segment UNH, composite S009: Data element 0065 DIRDEF 0052 D 0054 11A 0051 UN 0020 BGM, Beginning of message A segment to indicate the beginning of the message and to transmit function, type and number of the message. 0030 DII, Directory identification A segment specifying the identity of the directory set and giving its language and maintenance operation. 0040 DTM, Date/time/period A segment specifying dates related to the directory set, such as date of approval, date of submission or WP.4 acceptance date. 0050 FTX, Free text A segment providing free text information related to the directory set. 0060 Segment group 1: NAD-SG2 A group of segments identifying the parties involved in the transaction with associated information. 0070 NAD, Name and address A segment identifying the parties involved in the transaction, e.g. originator, requestor or secretariat. 0080 Segment group 2: CTA-COM A group of segments identifying a person or a department and identifying communication type(s) and number(s). 0090 CTA, Contact information A segment identifying a person or a department for the party specified in the leading NAD segment to whom the communication should be directed. 0100 COM, Communication contact A segment identifying communication type(s) and number(s) of person(s) or department(s) specified in the associated CTA segment. 0110 Segment group 3: MSG-ATT-FTX-DTM-SG4-SG6 A group of segments providing a message type directory. 0120 MSG, Message type identification A segment identifying a message type to be specified. 0130 ATT, Attribute A segment used to specify an attribute related to a message type. It may indicate whether the message is a batch or an interactive message, or may indicate the specific type of maintenance applied to the message in the current release of the message type directory. 0140 FTX, Free text A segment providing textual information related to the message type, namely: message type name, Introduction, Scope, Functional definition, Principles, References and Terms and definitions. 0150 DTM, Date/time/period This segment is used to indicate the release date of a message, as indicated on the cover page of the boilerplate. 0160 Segment group 4: SGU-ATT-FTX-SG5 A group of segments specifying a message type structure and its related functional definition. 0170 SGU, Segment usage details A segment specifying the usage of a segment in a message type structure. 0180 ATT, Attribute A segment used to specify an attribute related to the usage of a segment in a message type structure. It may indicate the specific type of maintenance applied to the segment within the message structure in the current release of the message type directory. 0190 FTX, Free text A segment providing textual information about segment usage. This information comprises part of the 'Data segment clarification' section. 0200 Segment group 5: GRU-ATT-FTX A group of segments identifying a segment group and providing details about segment group usage. 0210 GRU, Segment group usage details A segment specifying the usage of a segment group in a message type structure. 0220 ATT, Attribute A segment used to specify an attribute related to the usage of a segment group in a message type structure. It may indicate the specific type of maintenance applied to the segment group within the message structure in the current release of the message type directory. 0230 FTX, Free text A segment providing the textual information about segment group usage. This information comprises part of the 'Data Segment Clarification' section. 0240 Segment group 6: FNT-REL-GIR-ATT-FTX A group of segments used to specify dependency notes or other notes about the usage of segments and/or segment groups in a message type structure. 0250 FNT, Footnote A segment to provide the footnote identification for a dependency note or other note that is applicable to one or more segments and/or segment groups in the message type structure. 0260 REL, Relationship A segment to provide the type of dependency relationship, where one exists. 0270 GIR, Related identification numbers A segment to provide the position number(s) for segments and/or segment groups to which a dependency note or other note applies. 0280 ATT, Attribute A segment to provide the change indicators at the note level. 0290 FTX, Free text A segment to provide a free text description of the dependency note or other note. 0300 Segment group 7: SEG-ATT-FTX-ELU-SG8 A group of segments providing a segment directory. 0310 SEG, Segment identification A segment identifying a segment type and specifying its class and maintenance operation. 0320 ATT, Attribute A segment used to specify an attribute related to a segment type. It may indicate whether the segment is a batch or an interactive segment, or may indicate the specific type of maintenance applied to the segment in the current release of the segment directory. 0330 FTX, Free text A segment specifying the name and functional definition of a segment type. 0340 ELU, Data element usage details A segment specifying the contents of data elements in a segment type. 0350 Segment group 8: FNT-REL-GIR-ATT-FTX A group of segments used to specify dependency notes or other notes about the usage of data elements in a segment type. 0360 FNT, Footnote A segment to provide the footnote identification for a dependency note or other note that is applicable to one or more data elements in a segment type. 0370 REL, Relationship A segment to provide the type of dependency relationship, where one exists. 0380 GIR, Related identification numbers A segment to provide the position number(s) for a data element to which a dependency note or other note applies. 0390 ATT, Attribute A segment to provide the change indicators at the note level. 0400 FTX, Free text A segment to provide a free text description of the dependency note or other note. 0410 Segment group 9: CMP-ATT-FTX-ELU-SG10 A group of segments providing a composite data element directory. 0420 CMP, Composite data element identification A segment identifying a composite data element and specifying its class and maintenance operation. 0430 ATT, Attribute A segment used to specify an attribute related to a composite data element type. It may indicate whether the composite data element is a batch or an interactive composite data element, or may indicate the specific type of maintenance applied to the composite data element in the current release of the composite data element directory. 0440 FTX, Free text A segment specifying the name and functional definition of a composite data element type. 0450 ELU, Data element usage details A segment specifying component data elements in a composite data element and its related information. 0460 Segment group 10: FNT-REL-GIR-ATT-FTX A group of segments used to specify dependency notes or other notes about the usage of component data elements in a composite data element type. 0470 FNT, Footnote A segment to provide the footnote identification for a dependency note or other note that is applicable to one or more component data elements in a composite data element type. 0480 REL, Relationship A segment to provide the type of dependency relationship, where one exists. 0490 GIR, Related identification numbers A segment to provide the position number(s) for a data element to which a dependency note or other note applies. 0500 ATT, Attribute A segment to provide the change indicators at the note level. 0510 FTX, Free text A segment to provide a free text description of the dependency note or other note. 0520 Segment group 11: ELM-ATT-FTX A group of segments providing a data element directory. 0530 ELM, Simple data element details A segment identifying a simple data element and giving related information. 0540 ATT, Attribute A segment used to specify an attribute related to a simple data element type. It may indicate whether the data element is a batch, or an interactive, or both a batch and an interactive simple data element. It may indicate the specific type of maintenance applied to the data element in the current release of the simple data element directory. 0550 FTX, Free text A segment specifying the name and functional definition of a simple data element. 0560 Segment group 12: CDS-FTX-SG13 A group of segments providing a code list directory. 0570 CDS, Code set identification A segment specifying a code set. In DIRDEF data element 9434 shall not be used. 0580 FTX, Free text A segment providing textual information related to the code list. 0590 Segment group 13: CDV-ATT-FTX A group of segments specifying a code value and its functional definition. 0600 CDV, Code value definition A segment specifying a code value. 0610 ATT, Attribute A segment used to specify an attribute related to a code value. It may indicate the specific type of maintenance applied to the code value in the current release of the code list directory. 0620 FTX, Free text A segment specifying the name and functional definition of a code value. 0630 UNT, Message trailer A service segment ending a message, giving the total number of segments in the message (including the UNH & UNT) and the control reference number of the message. 4.2 Segment index (alphabetical sequence by tag) ATT Attribute BGM Beginning of message CDS Code set identification CDV Code value definition CMP Composite data element identification COM Communication contact CTA Contact information DII Directory identification DTM Date/time/period ELM Simple data element details ELU Data element usage details FNT Footnote FTX Free text GIR Related identification numbers GRU Segment group usage details MSG Message type identification NAD Name and address REL Relationship SEG Segment identification SGU Segment usage details UNH Message header UNT Message trailer

4.3 Message structure 4.3.1 Segment table Pos Tag Name S R 0010 UNH Message header M 1 0020 BGM Beginning of message M 1 0030 DII Directory identification M 1 0040 DTM Date/time/period C 9 0050 FTX Free text C 9 0060 ----- Segment group 1 ------------------ C 9----------------+ 0070 NAD Name and address M 1 | | 0080 ----- Segment group 2 ------------------ C 9---------------+| 0090 CTA Contact information M 1 || 0100 COM Communication contact C 9---------------++ 0110 ----- Segment group 3 ------------------ C 9999-------------+ 0120 MSG Message type identification M 1 | 0130 ATT Attribute C 99 | 0140 FTX Free text C 999 | 0150 DTM Date/time/period M 1 | | 0160 ----- Segment group 4 ------------------ C 999-------------+| 0170 SGU Segment usage details M 1 || 0180 ATT Attribute C 9 || 0190 FTX Free text C 99 || || 0200 ----- Segment group 5 ------------------ C 1--------------+|| 0210 GRU Segment group usage details M 1 ||| 0220 ATT Attribute C 9 ||| 0230 FTX Free text C 99-------------++| | 0240 ----- Segment group 6 ------------------ C 99--------------+| 0250 FNT Footnote M 1 || 0260 REL Relationship C 1 || 0270 GIR Related identification numbers C 9 || 0280 ATT Attribute C 9 || 0290 FTX Free text C 9---------------++ 0300 ----- Segment group 7 ------------------ C 9999-------------+ 0310 SEG Segment identification M 1 | 0320 ATT Attribute C 9 | 0330 FTX Free text C 9 | 0340 ELU Data element usage details C 99 | | 0350 ----- Segment group 8 ------------------ C 99--------------+| 0360 FNT Footnote M 1 || 0370 REL Relationship C 1 || 0380 GIR Related identification numbers C 9 || 0390 ATT Attribute C 9 || 0400 FTX Free text C 9---------------++ 0410 ----- Segment group 9 ------------------ C 9999-------------+ 0420 CMP Composite data element identification M 1 | 0430 ATT Attribute C 9 | 0440 FTX Free text C 9 | 0450 ELU Data element usage details C 99 | | 0460 ----- Segment group 10 ------------------ C 99--------------+| 0470 FNT Footnote M 1 || 0480 REL Relationship C 1 || 0490 GIR Related identification numbers C 9 || 0500 ATT Attribute C 9 || 0510 FTX Free text C 9---------------++ 0520 ----- Segment group 11 ------------------ C 9999-------------+ 0530 ELM Simple data element details M 1 | 0540 ATT Attribute C 9 | 0550 FTX Free text C 9----------------+ 0560 ----- Segment group 12 ------------------ C 9999-------------+ 0570 CDS Code set identification M 1 | 0580 FTX Free text C 9 | | 0590 ----- Segment group 13 ------------------ C 9999------------+| 0600 CDV Code value definition M 1 || 0610 ATT Attribute C 9 || 0620 FTX Free text C 9---------------++ 0630 UNT Message trailer M 1

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