The data type associated with each element/attribute is specified, as described in the CDA Specification and its referenced HL7v3 Data Types Release 1. Elements that are simply tags with subsidiary content only of nested elements, e.g., RIM class clone names, have the Data Type column empty.

Many data types are non-primitive, and may include constituent component elements and/or attributes. Such subsidiary components are not specified in the templates unless specific constraints are to be applied to them.