data that describes and defines other data
[ISO/IEC 11179-1:2004, 3.2.16]
logically meaningful grouping of data
EXAMPLE Computer-aided design (CAD) files, electronic data interchange (EDI) transactions.
rules for describing items belonging to a particular class using entries from a data dictionary
EXAMPLE 1 An ISO/TS 22745-30 compliant identification guide is a data specification.
EXAMPLE 2 ISO 13584-501 defines a data specification.
reference that can be resolved unambiguously to the legal name, location and the administrator of the organization