Data Types

Data Type	Description	Example(s)
AN	(X12) Alphanumeric, a sequence of any printable characters. Significant characters should be left justified. Leading spaces, when they occur, are assumed to be significant. Trailing spaces should not be included unless needed to meet the minimum length.
B	(X12) Binary. A sequence of octets ranging in value from binary 00000000 to binary 11111111. This type has no defined length, but the length is specified with the preceding element. This type only occurs in the BIN segment.
DT	(X12) Date, in YYMMDD or CCYYMMDD format. CC is century.
ID	(X12) Code values taken from a predefined list distributed by X12.
N or Nn	(X12) Numeric data with implied decimal. The decimal is not included in the EDI file (this is what distinguishes it from R types). If included, n shows the number of digits to the right of the implied decimal. Leading zeros are suppressed unless needed to satisfy the minimum length of the element. If the value is negative, include a minus sign, which does not count toward the length. N and N0 are equivalent (it is not necessary to include the zero). This means the implied decimal is at the end of the number. N1 means there is one digit to the right of the implied decimal. Example: The element contains the value -123, which is to be interpreted as -12.3. N2 means there are two digits to the right of the implied decimal.	The element contains the value 1234567890 and the type is N9. This is to be interpreted as 1.234567890. The element contains the value 12345 and the type is N9. This is to be interpreted as 0.000012345. If the value to be represented is 100.25, and the type is N2, the transmitted data is 10025. If the value is -100.25, and the type is N2, the transmitted data would be -10025. If the value is to be interpreted as .01 and N2, the transmitted data is 1.
R or Rn	(X12) Decimal numeric data where the decimal is required in the transmitted data if the number contains a fraction, but is optional for integers. Do not include the decimal for whole numbers and do not include leading zeros. Do not include commas in the number (use 1000 rather than 1,000). The minus sign is included if it is negative. Do not include commas or plus signs. Leading zeros should be suppressed unless needed to satisfy the minimum length. Trailing zeros at the end should be omitted if the value includes a decimal point unless they show the level of precision. Signs and decimal points do not count toward length.	The data in the EDI file is 150.25 and the type is R. The value being represented is also 150.25. The EDI data contains 150.23 but the type is R1. The value being represented would be 150.2.
TM	(X12) Time, in 24-hour clock time as follows: HHMM, HHMMSS, or HHMMSSD, or HHMMSSDD, where H = hours (00-23), M = minutes (00-59), S = integer seconds (00-59) and DD = decimal seconds; decimal seconds are expressed as follows: D = tenths (0-9) and DD = hundredths (00-99).

AN

(X12) Alphanumeric, a sequence of any printable characters. Significant characters should be left justified. Leading spaces, when they occur, are assumed to be significant. Trailing spaces should not be included unless needed to meet the minimum length.

B

(X12) Binary. A sequence of octets ranging in value from binary 00000000 to binary 11111111. This type has no defined length, but the length is specified with the preceding element. This type only occurs in the BIN segment.

DT

(X12) Date, in YYMMDD or CCYYMMDD format. CC is century.

ID

(X12) Code values taken from a predefined list distributed by X12.

N or Nn

(X12) Numeric data with implied decimal. The decimal is not included in the EDI file (this is what distinguishes it from R types). If included, n shows the number of digits to the right of the implied decimal.

Leading zeros are suppressed unless needed to satisfy the minimum length of the element. If the value is negative, include a minus sign, which does not count toward the length.

N and N0 are equivalent (it is not necessary to include the zero). This means the implied decimal is at the end of the number.

N1 means there is one digit to the right of the implied decimal. Example: The element contains the value -123, which is to be interpreted as -12.3.

N2 means there are two digits to the right of the implied decimal.

The element contains the value 1234567890 and the type is N9. This is to be interpreted as 1.234567890. The element contains the value 12345 and the type is N9. This is to be interpreted as 0.000012345. If the value to be represented is 100.25, and the type is N2, the transmitted data is 10025. If the value is -100.25, and the type is N2, the transmitted data would be -10025. If the value is to be interpreted as .01 and N2, the transmitted data is 1.

R or Rn

(X12) Decimal numeric data where the decimal is required in the transmitted data if the number contains a fraction, but is optional for integers.

Do not include the decimal for whole numbers and do not include leading zeros. Do not include commas in the number (use 1000 rather than 1,000).

The minus sign is included if it is negative. Do not include commas or plus signs. Leading zeros should be suppressed unless needed to satisfy the minimum length. Trailing zeros at the end should be omitted if the value includes a decimal point unless they show the level of precision. Signs and decimal points do not count toward length.

The data in the EDI file is 150.25 and the type is R. The value being represented is also 150.25. The EDI data contains 150.23 but the type is R1. The value being represented would be 150.2.

TM

(X12) Time, in 24-hour clock time as follows: HHMM, HHMMSS, or HHMMSSD, or HHMMSSDD, where H = hours (00-23), M = minutes (00-59), S = integer seconds (00-59) and DD = decimal seconds; decimal seconds are expressed as follows: D = tenths (0-9) and DD = hundredths (00-99).