This specification covers an analytical data interchange protocol for chromatographic data representation and a software vehicle to affect the transfer of chromatographic data between instrument data systems. This protocol, which is designed to benefit users of analytical instruments and increase laboratory productivity and efficiency, provides a standardized format for the creation of raw data files or results files in the ".cdf" extension. The contents of the file include typical header in formation like instrument, column, detector, and operator description followed by raw or processed data, or both. Once data have been written or converted to this protocol, they can be read and processed by software packages that support the protocol. The end purpose of this protocol is intended to (1) transfer data between various vendors' instrument systems, (2) provide LIMS communications, (3) link data to document processing applications, (4) link data to spreadsheet applications, and ( 5) archive analytical data, or a combination thereof.