Overview
ISO 6422-1:2010 defines a layout key for paper-based trade documents used in international commercial, administrative and transport procedures. Based on the historical ECE/United Nations Layout Key, this standard prescribes the image area, margin sizes and the relative placement of common document fields so that forms (invoices, bills of lading, certificates, etc.) can be produced as aligned series from a reproducible master. It supports both traditional and automated completion methods and is intended to improve document interoperability and trade facilitation.
Key topics and requirements
- Image area and paper sizes
- Primary paper size: A4 (210 × 297 mm) with available image area 183 × 280 mm.
- Provision for A5L (148 × 210 mm L) and note on common 216 × 279 mm paper (image area limited to 183 × 262 mm).
- Specified margins: left (filing) 20 ± 0.5 mm, top (gripper) 10 ± 0.5 mm.
- Design principles
- Box-design layout aligned to the forms design sheet (ISO 3535).
- Recipient address position compatible with window envelopes and postal requirements.
- A dedicated “free disposal” area for items not specified in the key.
- Standardized fields (layout key items)
- Examples include Consignor (Exporter), Consignee, Notify/Delivery address, Transport details, Date and reference number, Buyer, Country details, Terms of delivery/payment, Shipping marks/container numbers, Number and kind of packages, Description of goods, Commodity number, Gross weight, Cube, Net quantity, Value, Free disposal, Authentication (signature).
- Compatibility
- Intended for handwritten, mechanical or automatic entry and for reproduction/copied forms.
- Suitable for automated data processing (ADP) while maintaining backward compatibility with traditional forms.
Applications and users
ISO 6422-1 is used where consistent physical form layout matters for international trade:
- Exporters and importers preparing invoices, packing lists and transport documents.
- Logistics providers, carriers and freight forwarders standardizing shipping documents and bills of lading.
- Customs and government trade facilitation agencies that require standardized paperwork for clearance and statistics.
- Graphic designers, printers and forms manufacturers producing aligned series of forms.
- Document management and enterprise software vendors implementing scanning, data capture and OCR workflows that rely on predictable field locations.
Adopting ISO 6422-1 improves document readability, postal compatibility, automated capture accuracy and international acceptance of paper trade documents.
Related standards
- ISO 6422-2 - Electronic documents (complements Part 1)
- ISO 216 - Paper sizes (A and B series)
- ISO 3535 - Forms design sheet and layout chart
- UN/ECE/FAL Recommendation No. 15 - Shipping marks guidance
Keywords: ISO 6422-1, layout key, trade documents, paper-based documents, A4 image area, forms design, trade facilitation, window envelope, ISO 3535, ISO 216.
