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| Comprised of the communications transport protocol and the communications transport trailer. This layer encapsulates the interchange envelope. |
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| Comprised of the interchange control header and the interchange control trailer. Resides below the communications envelope and one or many functional groups reside below it. |
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Definition
| Interchange control header |
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Definition
| Interchange control trailer |
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Definition
| Comprised of a functional group header and a functional group trailer. Resides below the interchange envelope and may contain within it one or many transaction sets. There may be one or many functional groups within the interchange envelope. |
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Definition
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Definition
| Comprised of a transaction set header and a transaction set trailer. One or more of these will exist below the functional group and detail segments are contained within it. |
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Definition
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Definition
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Definition
| For example, benefit enrollment or claim payment. |
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Definition
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Definition
| Interchange and Application control Structures |
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Definition
| Interchange Control Structure |
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| Interchange Control Structure |
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Definition
The transmission of data proceeds according to very strict format rules to ensure
the integrity and maintain the efficiency of the interchange. Each business grouping
of data is called a transaction set. For instance, a group of benefit enrollments
sent from a sponsor to a payer is considered a transaction set.
Each transaction set contains
groups of logically related
data in units called segments.
For instance, the N4 segment
used in the transaction set
conveys the city, state, ZIP
Code, and other geographic
information. A transaction set
contains multiple segments,
so the addresses of the different
parties, for example, can
be conveyed from one computer
to the other. An analogy
would be that the transaction
set is like a freight train; the
segments are like the train’s
cars; and each segment can
contain several data elements
the same as a train car can
hold multiple crates.
The sequence of the elements
within one segment is
specified by the ASC X12
standard as well as the sequence
of segments in the
transaction set. In a more conventional
computing environment,
the segments would be
equivalent to records, and the
elements equivalent to fields.
Similar transaction sets,
called “functional groups,” can
be sent together within a transmission. Each functional group is prefaced by a
group start segment; and a functional group is terminated by a group end segment.
One or more functional groups are prefaced by an interchange header and
followed by an interchange trailer. Figure A1, Transmission Control Schematic, illustrates
this interchange control.
The interchange header and trailer segments envelop one or more functional
groups or interchange-related control segments and perform the following functions:
1. Define the data element separators and the data segment terminator.
2. Identify the sender and receiver.
3. Provide control information for the interchange.
4. Allow for authorization and security information. |
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