This X12 Transaction Set contains the format and establishes the data contents of the Associated Data Transaction Set (102) for use within the context of an Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) environment. This transaction set may be used to convey associated data. Associated data is defined as an object, a set of functionally-related information not using the usual transaction set structure in segments. The complete set of information constituting an object, including the information necessary to uniquely identify an object, is defined as a package. Objects may include graphic, text, parametric, tabular, image, spectral, audio, etc. data. The character set repertoire of an object is not governed by the character set repertoire identified for any accompanying transaction sets contained in the interchange.

Associated data may be linked with other business transactions as an augmentation to other functional data. Therefore, referencing capabilities properly relating the object to the associated transaction set must be provided. Because user preferences require flexibility within the techniques for referring to an object, no particular methodology is specified. The only requirement is the assignment of an object identification number attributable to the object which should be unique for a sufficient time to avoid any confusion. Multiple references to identify all related transaction sets and objects are permitted.
The transaction set is not media dependent, is not limited to a specific transmission protocol, and can be linked to other transaction sets. Interchanges may contain functional groups containing transaction sets, packages, or transaction sets and packages. The transaction set may be included in any functional group within an interchange. Only one package may be conveyed within a single occurrence of an Associated Data Transaction Set.