A specific amount of data, usually contained in authorization and clearing messages, that has a defined length, format, structure and allowed content and is identified by a specific number. The main data elements used to construct the messages exchanged between the clearing bank and the ISO 8587 issuer (1987 and 1993) and the association documentation refer to them by data element number. The use of structured data elements allows automatic processing of messages by both the communication network and the data recipient.