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EMS
In order to simplify the transmission of data and have the receiving computer know exactly what the data means,
standardized record layouts have been designed for each different type of transmission and document.
For each type of document, several different types of records may be needed to include all necessary information.
Generally each document has at least three associated record types:
•
A document header
supplies information that applies to the document as a whole, such as
reference number and total dollar amounts.
All headers also contain a field specifying the number of overall records
that apply to the particular document. The count must not include the
header record, rather only the number of records that follow.
•
Document detail records
contain specific information regarding the transaction, such as the
specific magazine and issue to be invoiced, credited, etc. The detail
record may be in the form of a single record for each line item, or
multiple line items on a single record.
•
Comment records
can be used to include a message to further clarify a specific detail
transaction. The comment record is not meant to be understood by the
recipients computer -- it is there for a person in the recipient's
organization to interpret.
Each type of record will be identified by a three position record code. Records used for a particular type of
document will generally have the same first two leading values. For example, the 08x series will be used for
Magazine Credit Memos.
A family is defined as a series of coordinated record formats which when taken together represent a full document or
a series of related data. For example an 070 family consists of:
• 070
Magazine Invoice Header
• 072
Magazine Invoice Detail (Ship To / Bill To)
• 075
Magazine Invoice Comment
• 078
Magazine Invoice Detail
• 079
Mag Invoice Detail (Ship To/Bill To)
Each family header record allows the sender to enter a 4-position alpha numeric control id that allows EMS and
subsequently them to receive positive/functional acknowledgements that a specific family for a specific receiver was
received by EMS and subsequently transmitted to a recipient. The method used by the sender to manage this control
id is totally up to the sender. However, it is recommended that for all control id’s except for the 280 listed below,
that each of the 4 positions be constructed using characters 0 to 9 and Capital A to Capital Z (not special characters
or a blank); this will provide approximately 1.6 million unique combinations. Because this feature was added after
many family header records were already in use and to keep EMS upward compatible with its existing users, this
control id field was placed in positions 75 to 78 of all families except:
•
280 Credit Memo family – the control id is only 3 positions and resides in positions 78 to 80. To keep
it consistent with the remainder of the system, it is recommended that there be an implicit first position
of a “blank”. This would provide the sender with 46,000 unique combinations for this family, which
should be sufficient for several years, at which time they could be recycled.
•
010 Message – Will not have a control id as it is not a family and there isn’t anyway to make it upward
compatible
•
The new variable records – if a family header uses a variable record, it will be placed in the first four
data positions of the variable portion of the record.
The record layouts have been designed to be flexible enough to support the variations in practice among the various
participating organizations. Consequently, not all fields incorporated in the layout may be needed by each party.
D#201 Rev: 7/9/02
2.0-2
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