Uniform Communication Standard
Encyclopedia
The X12 national standard comprises some 300-plus general-purpose EDI
messages. Within that large base set, many verticals are built on a small subset with narrow focus. UCS, or Uniform Communication Standard, is such a subset used by the grocery and retail-oriented industries.
standards primarily for transportation. From there, a variety of EDI
implementations took root, including UCS. The original draft was designed by companies representing some of the industries noted earlier, so that by 1976 the design of an EDI
standard was underway. It would take six years before the standard saw first usage.
Electronic Data Interchange
Electronic data interchange is the structured transmission of data between organizations by electronic means. It is used to transfer electronic documents or business data from one computer system to another computer system, i.e...
messages. Within that large base set, many verticals are built on a small subset with narrow focus. UCS, or Uniform Communication Standard, is such a subset used by the grocery and retail-oriented industries.
Usage
While starting in the grocery side of business, current users of UCS include- manufacturers
- retailers
- wholesalers
- brokers
- beverage (alcohol)
- convenience stores
- food service industries
- wholesale drug
- mass merchandising
- service merchandising
- public warehousing
History
In the 1960s, the TDCC (Transportation Data Coordinating Committee, whose work later evolved into the X12 standard) began developing EDIElectronic Data Interchange
Electronic data interchange is the structured transmission of data between organizations by electronic means. It is used to transfer electronic documents or business data from one computer system to another computer system, i.e...
standards primarily for transportation. From there, a variety of EDI
Electronic Data Interchange
Electronic data interchange is the structured transmission of data between organizations by electronic means. It is used to transfer electronic documents or business data from one computer system to another computer system, i.e...
implementations took root, including UCS. The original draft was designed by companies representing some of the industries noted earlier, so that by 1976 the design of an EDI
Electronic Data Interchange
Electronic data interchange is the structured transmission of data between organizations by electronic means. It is used to transfer electronic documents or business data from one computer system to another computer system, i.e...
standard was underway. It would take six years before the standard saw first usage.