XML for E-Commerce
R.T.Crowley
Vice President, Marketing
Internet Commerce Corporation
201 Shannon Oaks Circle Cary, NC 27511-7610
+1-919-657-1500 voice
+1-919-657-1501 fax
www.rtci.com
Using the Internet
Refrigerator Websites
• www.smartbox.com
• Secure home delivery
system
• Order supplies via the
Web
• Deliverer gets a onetime security code
• Only one side can be
open at a time
• Perfect for shut-in
techies!
201 Shannon Oaks Circle Cary, NC 27511-7610
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www.rtci.com
The Nature of Change
To be involved in EDI
is to be passionately in
love with change.
-- Edward A. Guilbert
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Using XML for EDI
Traditional EDI:
• Handles fully 80% of all business information
exchange world-wide.
• Still viable among the Fortune 1000 and other large
companies.
• Used in some form virtually everywhere around the
world today.
• Forms the basis of the business rules to be kept as
we move to newer technologies.
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Using XML for EDI
What is XML?:
• XML is eXtensible Markup Language.
• XML is a derivative of SGML (Standard Generalized
Markup Language) like HTML.
• XML allows dynamic tagging of data to be shared.
• XML provides a document definition structure.
• XML provides multiple presentation options.
• Example of an XML tag:
<name>Stoshu Chodkiewicz</name>
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Using XML for EDI
Why use XML for EDI?:
• XML bridges the gap between traditional EDI and
Web-based applications.
• Most of high-tech industry has espoused XML:
•
Virtually all new software from IBM, Microsoft, Netscape,
Oracle, and others are enabled to use XML.
•
Companies are making larger cash investments in XML
technology than were made in OLE and ODBC.
• XML could make EC/EDI more available to the SME
and other non-traditional EDI users.
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Using XML for EDI
Who Is Doing XML/EDI?:
• ebXML Group: An international initiative established
between UN/CEFACT and OASIS to develop XML a
standard XML architecture. (Further information:
www.ebxml.org)
• ANSI ASC X12: The US national EDI standards body
has created a technical report of an experimental
syntax for using XML to conduct EDI. (Further
information: www.disa.org)
• BizTalk™: An effort from Microsoft® to create a method
to use XML to communicate between applications on
a cross-platform basis. (Further information:
www.biztalk.org)
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Using XML for EDI
Who Is Doing XML/EDI?:
• The XML/edi Group: This part of DISA provides
information on use of XML in graphic communication.
(Further information: www.xmledi.com)
• CommerceNet: This group encourages the use of the
Net for commerce of all types, and as such, has a
direct interest in the use of XML for conducting EDI.
(Further information: www.commerce.net)
• RosettaNet: This group is developing an X12-based
implementation framework like the BizTalk™
framework mentioned earlier. (Further information:
www.rosettanet.org)
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Using XML for EDI
Who Sets the XML Standard?:
• W3C: The World Wide Web Consortium (Further
information: www.w3c.org)
• W3C is the de facto standards body for the Internet
and the World Wide Web.
• It is made up of those companies with a large stake
in business via the Web, including IBM, Microsoft,
Netscape, and others.
• This group developed and sets the standards for the
XML language.
• Message standards will be set by other standards
bodies.
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Using XML for EDI
Being Radical:
• The use of EDI message standards for XML represents
probably 15% of the real benefit of XML.
• Using the old message methodologies for XML is like
going from the horse and buggy to the automobile by
keeping the buggy and motorizing the horse!
• The true benefit of XML lies in its ability to make
dissimilar databases and systems interoperable.
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Using XML for EDI
What’s in a name?
Tarheel Systems (DUNS 2736541) is
making a shipment from one division of
the company to another.
Therefore, they need to be shown as
the “shipper” in the transaction set or
message.
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Using XML for EDI
The X12 EDI Version:
The N1 Segment
N1*SH*Tarheel Systems*1*2736541*07*SH
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Using XML for EDI
The Basis of the X12-XML Version:
<N1-Name>
<EntityIDCode>SH</EntityIDCode>
<Name>Tarheel Systems</Name>
<IDCodeQual>1</IDCodeQual>
<IDCode>2736541</IDCode>
<EntityRelationCode>07</EntityRelationCode>
<EntityIDCode>SH</EntityIDCode>
</N1-Name>
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Using XML for EDI
The Full X12-XML Version:
<N1_Name X12:PROMOTEDQUAL="Shipper">
<EntityIdCode X12:ID-SEMANTIC="EntityIdCode” X12:SYNTAXID="H020N1_01">SH</EntityIdCode>
<Name X12:ID-SEMANTIC="Name" X12:SYNTAXID="H020N1_02">Tarheel Systems</Name>
<Id X12:PROMOTEDQUAL="D-U-N-S Number, Dun &amp; Bradstreet">
<IdCodeQual X12:ID-SEMANTIC="IdCodeQual" X12:SYNTAXID="H020N1_03">1</IdCodeQual>
<IdCode X12:ID-SEMANTIC="IdCode" X12:SYNTAXID="H020N1_04">2736541</IdCode>
</Id>
<EntityRelationshipCode X12:ID-SEMANTIC="EntityRelationshipCode”
X12:SYNTAXID="H020N1_05">07</EntityRelationshipCode>
<EntityIdCode X12:ID-SEMANTIC="EntityIdCode" X12:SYNTAXID="H020N1_06">SH</EntityIdCode>
</N1_Name>
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Using XML for EDI
The BizTalk™ Method:
•
Microsoft® has published a de facto “standard” for XML
documents as BizTalk Framework v1.0:
•
The Framework lays down guidelines for encoding business documents
using XML.
•
Documents must use the XML Data Reduced Subset (XDR).
•
Documents described in approved schemas, pass validation tests, and
published on www.biztalk.org can be called BizTalk Framework
Documents.
•
BizTalk Messages typically contain one document along with additional
information used by the application.
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Using XML for EDI
Microsoft® BizTalk™:
<EntityID value=“SH”/>
<Name value=“Tarheel Systems”/>
<DUNSCode value=“2736541”/>
<EntityRelationCode value=“07”/>
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Using XML for EDI
The ebXML Vision:
•
Data Tags come from a common dictionary to ensure all parties
are able to understand them.
•
The data to be shared is built up of Core Components rather
than cut down from a large, generic message.
•
This data is placed in an XML file called a Payload.
•
The Payload is appended to a Header file containing addressing
information and hash totals if necessary.
•
A DTD or XML:schema could be appended to that package if
needed by the receiver.
•
The Payload could be encrypted for security, leaving address
information properly in the clear.
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Using XML for EDI
Core Components:
• Structured packets of related data like
Name & Address or Part & Description
• Similar to segments in traditional EDI
Core Component
• Not objects in the IT sense, although
some may play that role
• Determined by a standards body as a
part of an XML messaging standard
• Hold any related information together
avoiding fragmented semantic dispersal
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Using XML for EDI
Core Component
Structure:
• DTD
Core Component
DTD
or
Core
Component
XML:schema
or
Core Component
201 Shannon Oaks Circle Cary, NC 27511-7610
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is built from the
Core Components
required by the
implementation.
• The
Core Component
DCD
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(XML:schema)
structure is
then used to sort
the data in the
message.
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Using XML for EDI
The Payload:
• The Payload, or
XML file, carries
the data for the
message.
DTD
or
Payload
or
XML File
XML:schema
201 Shannon Oaks Circle Cary, NC 27511-7610
or
• It is constructed
based on the
data structure in
the
DTD
or
XML:schema.
DCD
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Using XML for EDI
Header:
Header
• The Header is a
type of XML file
to carry address
information.
DTD
or
Payload
or
XML File
XML:schema
201 Shannon Oaks Circle Cary, NC 27511-7610
or
• It allows all the
address data to
remain clear of
the Payload for
clarity.
DCD
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Using XML for EDI
Header
S
t
y
l
e
DTD
or
Payload
or
XML File
Complete:
• The Style Sheet
presents data to
the application
in the required
form.
XML:schema
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or
DCD
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S
h
e
e
t
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• Different
Style
Sheets allow for
multiple types of
presentation.
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Using XML for EDI
Problems in XML:
• Data Typing - Currently XML provides no facility to
indicate data types.
• Semantic Relations - Currently the official XML
standard has no method to show relationships between
data elements and other structures.
• Element Length - Currently all data elements in XML
are assumed as infinite.
• Misunderstandings - Many seem to see XML as a
panacea for all the ills of EC. It is NOT!
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Using XML for EDI
Solutions in XML:
• Data Typing - XML:schema will allow a limited amount
of data typing when approved for use.
• Semantic Relations - Standards bodies around the
world are developing methods to show relationships
between data elements and other structures in XML.
• Element Length - XML:schema will allow a limited
method for sizing data elements when approved.
• Understandings - We are building a greater base of
knowledge in this and other EC technologies.
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Using XML for EDI
The Path Forward:
• The BizTalk™ Framework v1.0 was published on 20
September 1999.
• X12 Technical Report: X12-XML: An Experimental
Methodology for the Representation of X12
Semantics in XML Syntax was approved for
publication on 7 October 1999.
• The ebXML Group initial draft recommendations
were published on 1 June 2000.
• The first XML messaging standards based upon the
Core Components architecture are expected in June
or July of 2001.
• This is all still VERY new technology!
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XML for E-Commerce
A Presentation by:
R.T.Crowley
Vice President, Marketing
Internet Commerce Corporation
201 Shannon Oaks Circle
Cary, NC 27511 USA
Tel: 1-919-657-1500 - Fax: 1-919-657-1501
Email: rcrowley@icc.net - Web: www.icc.net - www.rtci.com
WWW.XMLMAGIC.COM
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201 Shannon Oaks Circle Cary, NC 27511-7610
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+1-919-657-1501 fax
www.rtci.com