ISO 16612-1:2005 specifies the methods for the use of the Personalized Print Markup Language (PPML) and the Portable Document Format (PDF) for the exchange or identification of all elements necessary to render a variable data imaging job as intended by the sender. This document specifies document layout and content data and makes provision for product intent specifications using the Job Definition Format (e.g. paper selection, binding, finishing, etc.).

ISO 16612-1:2005 is not directly intended to address applications where printing is started before the file creation and transfer is complete (often called streaming applications). However, there are methods that allow it to be used for such applications.