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X12 transaction guide · Government and regulatory

EDI 561 Contract Abstract

The bi-directional X12 document used to abstract a new contract, abstract changes to its terms, or correct a previous abstract.

Sent by
Contracting office
Received by
Payment, administration or logistics offices
Standard
ANSI ASC X12

What is an EDI 561?

The EDI 561 Contract Abstract is the bi-directional ANSI X12 transaction set used to abstract a new contract, abstract a change in the terms of a previously abstracted contract, or correct a previously transmitted abstract.

In government contracting, many offices need the key data of a contract: contract administration, payment, logistics and finance. A contract abstract distributes that data electronically, so payment offices can match invoices against the contract and administrators can track it. It supports invoice matching by payment offices.

How the EDI 561 worksDiagram of the EDI 561 Contract Abstract. Contracting office sends it to payment, administration or logistics offices. It usually starts the exchange. It is usually followed by 567, 568 and 997. Inside the ISA, GS and ST envelopes, X12 release 008010 requires, in the heading: BGN (Beginning Segment) and detail: the required HL loop with HL (Hierarchical Level). 7 optional loops are listed by their first segment.How the EDI 561 worksContract Abstract: who sends it, where it fits and what the standard marks required1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeEDI 561SENDERContracting officeRECEIVERPayment,administration orlogistics offices997 or 999 acknowledgment back, if the partners agreeUSUALLY FOLLOWED BY567Contract CompletionStatus568Contract PaymentManagement Report997FunctionalAcknowledgment2 WHAT X12 RELEASE 008010 REQUIRESInterchange: sender and receiver IDsISA … IEAFunctional groupGS … GETransaction set 561ST … SEHEADINGBGNBeginning Segment+ 2 optional loops, starting with:LMN1DETAILRequired loop HL · repeats many timesHLHierarchical Level+ 5 optional loops, starting with:FA1LMN1SCHRREBlue box: required loop. Optional loops are listed by the segment that starts them; when a loop is used, that first segment is required. Optional segmentsoutside loops are not drawn.Structure: required segments and loops in the X12 008010 listing for the 561. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds its own requirements.
How the EDI 561 worksDiagram of the EDI 561 Contract Abstract. Contracting office sends it to payment, administration or logistics offices. It usually starts the exchange. It is usually followed by 567, 568 and 997. Inside the ISA, GS and ST envelopes, X12 release 008010 requires, in the heading: BGN (Beginning Segment) and detail: the required HL loop with HL (Hierarchical Level). 7 optional loops are listed by their first segment.How the EDI 561 worksContract Abstract: who sends it, where it fitsand what the standard marks required1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeEDI 561SENDERContractingofficeRECEIVERPayment,administrationor logisticsoffices997 or 999 acknowledgment back, if the partnersagreeUSUALLY FOLLOWED BY567Contract Completion Status568Contract Payment Management Report997Functional Acknowledgment2 WHAT X12 RELEASE 008010 REQUIRESInterchange: sender and receiver IDs (ISA… IEA)Functional group (GS … GE)Transaction set 561 (ST … SE)HEADINGBGNBeginning Segment+ 2 optional loops, starting with:LMN1DETAILRequired loop HL · repeats manytimesHLHierarchical Level+ 5 optional loops, starting with:FA1LMN1SCHRREBlue box: required loop. Optional loops are listedby the segment that starts them; when a loop isused, that first segment is required. Optionalsegments outside loops are not drawn.Structure: required segments and loops in the X12008010 listing for the 561. Your trading partner'simplementation guide adds its own requirements.

How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends the 561, to whom, and which documents usually come before and after it. The lower part shows what X12 release 008010 itself requires: the envelopes around the 561 and the segments and loops the standard marks as required, area by area. Optional loops are listed by the segment that starts them rather than drawn in full. This is the standard's minimum, not a trading partner's requirement: each partner's implementation guide usually makes some optional loops mandatory, restricts the codes and may use a different release.

Expand diagram Download SVG

When it is used

  • Distributing new contract data to other offices
  • Distributing contract modifications
  • Correcting previously sent abstracts

Where it fits in the document flow

This document 561 Contract Abstract
Usually followed by 567 Contract Completion Status568 Contract Payment Management Report997 Functional Acknowledgment

Structure

Mandatory segments in the 561 (X12 release 008010)

The segments X12 release 008010 marks as mandatory at their level, in order. Segments inside optional loops are needed only when the loop is used. This is the standard's requirement, not your trading partner's: each partner's implementation guide names the release it uses, adds the optional segments it requires and restricts the values. The requirement status comes from one published X12 reference listing and has not been checked against a second source.

  • ST
  • BGN
  • LM
  • LQ
  • N1
  • HL
  • FA1
  • FA2
  • SCH
  • RRE
  • SE

Practical example

The 561 in practice

A contracting office awards a supply contract. It sends the payment office and the contract administration office a 561 with the contractor, line items, prices, delivery schedule and funding. When the contract is modified, a further 561 updates the abstract.

Implementation

Implementation considerations for the 561

  • Keep abstracts synchronized with contract modifications.
  • Use contract and line item numbering consistently.
  • Correct errors promptly so payments are not delayed.
  • Follow the agency's current contract data standards.

How ECOM helps

Automate the 561 with ECOM

Solution

Procure-to-Pay Automation

Automate purchasing, receiving and supplier invoicing across EDI, portals and documents.

Solution

Financial Document Automation

Automate invoices, remittances, payment files and bank statements from capture to posting.

Solution

EDI Integration

Exchange X12 and EDIFACT documents with partners and integrate them directly with your ERP.

More general questions about EDI are answered in the EDI FAQ.

Related transactions

Related government and regulatory documents

All 29 government and regulatory documents

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