ISO 12615:2004适用于术语工作和术语学的书目来源信息的记录、存储和交换。它指定了术语工作参考书目中包含的数据元素。这些参考文献可以用作计算机术语应用中的数据类别，或者用于呈现伴随其他文本内容的参考书目和参考文献列表，以及期刊文章中的引用。ISO 12615:2004不适用于记录和识别文献并由图书馆员、书目员和索引员使用的书目描述。 ISO 12615:2004还描述了不同类型的书目参考文献的源标识符及其用途。它指示如何在源标识符中反映书目参考的数据元素，以及如何组合其组成部分以提供唯一的标识符。ISO 12615:2004将有助于: 识别、跟踪和验证术语数据和其他语言资源；交叉引用包含术语数据的文档；网络中的数据流管理以及术语文档和术语学方面的其他合作工作；术语数据交换；编制技术文件；开展个别术语和术语学项目。

ISO 12615:2004 applies to the recording, storing and exchange of information on bibliographic sources for terminological work and terminography. It specifies the data elements to be included in bibliographic references for terminology work. These references can be used as data categories in computer applications in terminology or in presenting bibliographies and lists of references accompanying other textual matter, and citations in journal articles. ISO 12615:2004 does not apply to bibliographic descriptions that record and identify documents and are used by librarians, bibliographers and indexers. ISO 12615:2004 also describes source identifiers for different types of bibliographical references and their use. It indicates how the data elements from the bibliographic reference can be reflected in a source identifier, and how its constituent parts can be assembled to provide a unique identifier. ISO 12615:2004 will facilitate the following:

• identifying, tracing and validating terminological data and other language resources;
• cross-referencing to documents containing terminological data;
• data flow management in networking and other cooperative work in terminology documentation and terminography;
• exchange of terminological data;
• preparation of technical documents;
• carrying out of individual projects of terminology and terminography.