GS

Functional Group Header. The X12 sub-envelope that groups Transaction Sets of the same business type inside an ISA interchange.

Definition

In the ANSI ASC X12.5 standard (Interchange Control Structures), GS opens a functional group: a coherent subset of Transaction Sets of the same type. Structure:

• GS01 — Functional Identifier Code (element 479): business type code — PO 850 Purchase Order, IN 810 Invoice, SH 856 Ship Notice/Manifest, FA 997 Functional Acknowledgment.
• GS02 — Application Sender's Code (element 142): application identifier of the sender.
• GS03 — Application Receiver's Code (element 124): application identifier of the receiver.
• GS04 — Date (element 373): issue date, CCYYMMDD.
• GS05 — Time (element 337): time (HHMM).
• GS06 — Group Control Number (element 28): control number, echoed unchanged in the closing GE.
• GS07 — Responsible Agency Code (element 455): X Accredited Standards Committee X12, T Transportation Data Coordinating Committee.
• GS08 — Version / Release / Industry Identifier Code (element 480): specification version, e.g. 008010.

Origin

The GS/GE sub-envelope has been in X12 since version 002001 (1985). Its purpose: let one interchange (ISA/IEA) transport messages of different types in parallel, by grouping them. Maintained by ASC X12 under the X12.5 Interchange Control Structures standard.

Example in context

Functional group of 850 orders, version 008010:

Reading: GS opens a Purchase Order group (PO) from ACME to BUYER, control 0001, version 008010. One Transaction Set 850 follows, then GE closes with the same number 0001.

Related terms

• ISA — the enclosing interchange envelope.
• ST — the Transaction Set after GS.
• IEA — the interchange closer.