Value Is Not a Valid HL7v2 Numeric (NM)
A field typed as NM (Numeric) must contain a number, optionally signed and with a decimal point. The supplied value contains non-numeric characters.
HL7v2 · Error
The error
is not a valid HL7v2 numeric (NM)Why it happens
Embedding units in the value (98.6 F), using a comma as a decimal or thousands separator, adding a comparator (>100), or leaving placeholder text in a numeric field.
How to fix it
Strip everything except digits, an optional leading sign, and a single decimal point. Move units to the dedicated units field. Comparators and ranges belong in a structured-numeric (SN) field, not NM.
Example
The snippet below triggers the error:
OBX|1|NM|2345-7^Glucose^LN||98.6 mg/dL|mg/dL|||||FThe corrected version:
OBX|1|NM|2345-7^Glucose^LN||98.6|mg/dL|||||FFrequently asked questions
Where should the unit go?
OBX-6 (Units) holds the unit of measure. The NM value in OBX-5 should be the bare number. Putting the unit inside the numeric field is the most common cause of this error.