[ebxml-mktg] UBL Schemas Released for Public Review

[Carol Geyer <carol.geyer@oasis-open.org>]

The first draft of a royalty-free data representation standard for
electronic commerce has been released by the OASIS Universal Business
Language (UBL) Technical Committee.

The UBL Library Content 0p70 Public Review release can be found at

   http://oasis-open.org/committees/ubl/lcsc/0p70/

A zip file containing the entire review set packaged for local
installation can be downloaded from

   http://oasis-open.org/committees/ubl/lcsc/0p70/UBL0p70.zip

Intended to become international standards for electronic trade, the UBL
schemas contained in the review package specify machine-readable XML
representations of familiar business documents.  The seven basic
documents covered in this release include Order, Order Response, Simple
Order Response, Order Cancellation, Despatch Advice, Receipt Advice, and
Invoice. Together, they can be used to implement a generic buy/sell
relationship or supply chain whose components fit existing trade
agreements and are immediately understandable by workers in business,
supply-chain management (SCM), Electronic Data Interchange (EDI),
accounting, customs, taxation, and shipping.

These generic schemas are intended to work in a wide variety of business
contexts through custom extensions. Automated context configuration will
be addressed in a later phase of the effort. The schemas are also
designed be used in their generic form in many ordinary business
contexts without further modification.

The business context in which the generic document types are designed to
function is detailed in the materials accompanying the release. Other
documentation includes the entire semantic model on which the schemas
are based, a description of the methodology by which the schemas were
created, and UML diagrams to aid in software design. The package also
contains alternative ASN.1 specifications for the UBL schemas that allow
ASN.1 tools to be used for UBL document transfers. Additional
supplementary materials will be made available in a following package
update to be announced separately.

The UBL schemas reflect a number of inputs, the most important of which
are the commercial xCBL schemas from Commerce One and SAP; the ebXML
Core Components Specification; early XSL stylesheet implementations; and
early feedback from the UBL Liaisons
(http://oasis-open.org/committees/ubl/lsc/).  UBL schema design follows
the UBL Naming and Design Rules developed by the UBL NDR Subcommittee
(http://oasis-open.org/committees/ubl/ndrsc/). The definition of UBL
semantic content, based on existing practice in EDI and electronic
marketplaces, has taken place in close alignment with ebXML Core
Components methodology to ensure optimal integration into the ebXML
semantic registry.

As works in progress, the materials in the Library Content 0p70 Public
Review package do not yet have the status of an OASIS Open Standard or
an OASIS Committee Specification.  The construction of experimental
prototypes based on these materials is encouraged for the purpose of
generating input back to the committee process, but implementers are
strongly advised against basing commercial or mission-critical
applications on the draft specifications.

The OASIS UBL Library Content Subcommittee invites interested parties to
comment on this release directly to the Library Content Subcommittee
Editor, Bill Meadows (bill.meadows@sun.com), using the recommended
feedback form at


http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/ubl/lcsc/0p70/UBL_Comment-0p1.rtf

This release comment period applies from Monday, January 27th until
Monday, April 14th 2003. We welcome all comments and will ensure to
advise of our dispositions to any suggestions.

The work of the OASIS UBL Technical Committee is open to public view
through the mail archives linked from the UBL home page:

   http://oasis-open.org/committees/ubl/

Formal input to UBL from industry data exchange organizations is
provided through the UBL Liaison Subcommittee:

   http://oasis-open.org/committees/ubl/lsc/

Input from the general public is accepted through the ubl-comment mail
list:

   http://lists.oasis-open.org/archives/ubl-comment/

Interested parties are invited to comment on the work of the UBL TC by
subscribing to the ubl-comment list using the OASIS list manager:

   http://lists.oasis-open.org/ob/adm.pl


____________________________________________
Carol Geyer
Director of Communications
OASIS
http://www.oasis-open.org
carol.geyer@oasis-open.org
Voice: +1 978.667.5115 x209