Excavation Communication is used to transmit excavation ticket information and related location details among parties involved in underground utility work. Typically sent by utility locating companies, contractors, or damage prevention centers to excavators, property owners, and utility operators, this transaction set conveys ticket information, site locations, and communication details necessary to coordinate safe excavation activities. The transaction uses the BGN (Beginning Segment) to establish context, the EXI (Excavation Ticket Information) segment to identify and describe each excavation ticket, and the N1 (Name) segment to identify the parties involved such as the excavator, property owner, and utility companies.

For example, Midwest Damage Prevention Center receives an excavation request from Thompson Construction and sends an X12 620 message to all affected utility operators in the area. The message includes a BGN segment with the ticket date and ticket number, an EXI segment containing the excavation ticket identifier and scope, multiple N1 segments naming Thompson Construction as the excavator and identifying the electric, gas, and telecommunications utilities that operate in the area, and PPA (Property Location) segments specifying the street address and geographic coordinates of the dig site. DTM segments provide the requested excavation start date, and PER segments include contact phone numbers for the excavator’s field supervisor so utilities can communicate any concerns before work begins.