Narrative:

B737-700's data block showed he was at FL230 with a clearance to descend to FL190; when I accepted the hand off from sector 22. Shortly after; conflict alert activated; showing ERJ175 climbing to FL230 in direct confliction with B737-700. As it worked out; B737-700 was stopped above ERJ175; but the transferring controller did not show it in the data block; nor did he/she call the receiving controller. When B737-700 checked on my frequency; showing he had a clearance to FL190; the aircraft checked in level at FL230. I asked him to verify his assigned altitude and he verified he was level at FL230. This situation is a reoccurring event and must be addressed. The data block should always indicate what the aircraft is doing; per the 7110.65. If procedures are in place that makes this impossible; then procedures need to be changed. In this case; the transferring controller should have called the receiving controller. This habit of 'pre-loading' data blocks is unsafe and must be stopped.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZBW Controller described an unsafe condition when traffic being transferred to his/her frequency contained inaccurate data block information activating a false 'Conflict Alert'.

Narrative: B737-700's data block showed he was at FL230 with a clearance to descend to FL190; when I accepted the hand off from Sector 22. Shortly after; Conflict Alert activated; showing ERJ175 climbing to FL230 in direct confliction with B737-700. As it worked out; B737-700 was stopped above ERJ175; but the transferring Controller did not show it in the data block; nor did he/she call the receiving Controller. When B737-700 checked on my frequency; showing he had a clearance to FL190; the aircraft checked in level at FL230. I asked him to verify his assigned altitude and he verified he was level at FL230. This situation is a reoccurring event and must be addressed. The data block should always indicate what the aircraft is doing; per the 7110.65. If procedures are in place that makes this impossible; then procedures need to be changed. In this case; the transferring Controller should have called the receiving Controller. This habit of 'pre-loading' data blocks is unsafe and must be stopped.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.