Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 491
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Human-Machine Interface
Deviation - Altitude Overshoot; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Procedure
As First Officer I received the CPDLC and programmed the FMC; the clearance came with a change to 'load new route.' At the bottom of this note; I failed to notice 'Climb via SID; except maintain 4;000 feet.' I too quickly went to the page with the new route and the 'load new route.' This page said 'Fly the CONLE 3 RNAV.' After inspecting the departure; I put 13;000 feet in the altitude window; as the hold-down altitude for the SID; having failed to notice the 'except maintain 4;000 feet' back on page one of the CDPLC. Too often now; we receive a 'load new route' clearance when it is the exact same route as is filed. Then the new route and old cleared route are on two separate pages of the CPDLC. I think this can cause confusion and omissions. I have also found when selecting the 'load new route' selection; it often drops out any loaded SID; and the corresponding legs on the SID. This is often unnecessary because the routes are exactly the same. This unnecessary step can lead to errors in lateral track and altitude deviations if they go unnoticed. I realize the importance of thoroughly reviewing all of the pages of the CPDLC and reviewing the loaded route.Additionally; when checking on with Departure the first time; I said we were climbing on the SID to 13;000 feet; since we were not yet in VNAV; and had not reached ZZZZZ. The Controller at that time did not alert us to the fact that we should remain at 4;000 feet. The next controller was the one that asked us how we were cleared; and that we should have remained at 4;000 feet. He noted that many aircraft are missing this and that it was not a big deal at this time. It seems these clearances are confusing or easily missed.
B737 First Officer reported the format of the CDPLC clearance was not confirmed by the pilots and failed to maintain 4;000 feet per the clearance.