1. Status of Collaboration With UN/CEFACT
Tim McGrath
UBL Plenary
New York, May
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2. State of Play
At the UN/CEFACT Forum in Dublin (26-30 March 2007), work continued to foster integration on a common set of electronic business document standards based on the input and experience of UBL. This involved constructive meetings with working groups focused on harmonization, supply chain, e-procurement, e- government and technical methodologies.
A cross-domain project has been approved to further review public sector e-procurement requirements, providing a path for input from an envisaged workshop on "Implementation of electronic public procurement in Europe" (CEN/ISSS WS/ePPE). This will include profiles developed in the context of implementations of UBL in Northern Europe and Spain.
We see the first candidate release of UN/CEFACT's Cross Industry Invoice schema as an opportunity to further this collaboration

3. Liaison Activities Anders Grangard (UBL liaison point wthin CEFACT)
Updated Work Plan for 2007
Awaiting FMG comments

4. ATG2 - XML Syntax
NDR 3.0 (dependent on CCTS 3.0) is the target for convergence on common NDRs.
Local versus Global
Extensions
Discussion on both indicate that these are issues for modeling, not for syntax
Next interim meeting June 25 in Waldorf

5. ATG2 – Local vs Global “All global” is an option
“All local” is not an option
“All global” is an option
but may entail excessively long tag names (if we rely on tagnames for contextualization)
“Hybrid” approach
based on distinguishing composites from aggregates (at the modeling level)
agreed to be feasible
BUT
cannot be adopted until the necessary modeling definitions are applied.
by default the results would be all global (all associations are currently treated as composites)
requires changes to CCTS
UBL NDR now appreciates the business requirements for the hybrid approach, and we will support its incorporation into the next version of CEFACT NDRs as soon as CEFACT formally adopts it and there is support for it in a released version of CCTS
So, no change required yet.

6. ATG2 - Extensions
All parties represented (UBL, ACORD, GS1, OAG) use some type of 'extension' point at the root level (and xsd:any)
Most use and agreed a secondary validation is necessary (and useful)
ACORD provide customized schema derived from normative one.
All agreed any recommendations could only be 'best practice guideline' not normative.
We are all “on the same page”
ATG2 provides valuable forum for debate

7. ICG - Information Content Group
Have published specifications for a CEFACT registry
Conducted preliminary audit of CII and e- tendering schemas
Project for UN code list formalization
identified task to "gain understanding of genericode"
Updated code lists
rec 20 - UoM and rec 24 - Transport Status
Both in UBL 2.0

8. TMG - Techniques and Methodologies Group
CCTS 3.0 out for public review until May 15
UBL not commenting (but individuals may)
Context methodology requirements by May
Core Components Message Assembly
conceptual model proposed
Conformance Project,
call for contributions issued
Work on UMM
upgrade to UML 2.0
align with BRS template.
Interim meeting July 16 - Kansas

9. ICG, TMG, ATG2 - Code List Management
Fostering discussion across UN/CEFACT groups about a common approach to code list management.
This involves expertise and technologies used by (but not developed by) UBL.
Task 1: Code List Representation
Individuals and companies contributing Genericode expertise into this task include: Tony Coates (Miley Watts, UK).
Task 2: Code List Value Validation
Individuals and companies contributing UBL expertise into this task include: Ken Holman (CraneSoftwrights, Canada)

10. TBG - Trade and Business Group
Planning new management structure for TBG
proposal at next forum
Planning new workflow based on three levels of CEFACT deliverables:
Technical Specifications
UN/ECE Recommendations
Business standards (BRS, RSM and schemas)
Open Development Process only covers type 1.
Reviewing this for type 3.

11. TBG Harmonization
Currently finalizing TBG2/TBG3 submission (should be completed in May)
4000 spread sheet lines of candidate components in the queue (not including UBLs)
Weekly conference calls from April 10th
McGrath, Schoka, Forsberg, etc…
Interim meetings (6 May - Berlin, 13 August - Chicago, 12 Nov - Paris)

12. UBL Requirements for Core Component Harmonization
UBL Models sent to TBG17 on April 3rd
“Technical review” by end of April
Then joins queue
Requirements reveal different approaches
Presented to TBG17 in Dublin

13. Design Differences TBG17 Suggestion UBL Party. Details
Charge. Indicator
Tax. Jurisdiction. Text
Geographical Coordinate. Latitude. Measure and Geographical Coordinate. Longitude. Measure
Identification. Identifier
Property term used for role.
Used for number of different BBIEs and also occurrences of each BBIE.
Allows repeating occurrences of certain types of BCC
Always used
TBG17
Extensions are new ACCs (that include intension ACC)
Generalize CCs where their structure and value domain are the same
Keep it simple
Suggestion
Adds role or context to property
Qualifiers for Association
Normalized (except translations of text)
Cardinality of BCCs
BBIEs may be the same or restrict occurrences
How this affects BBIEs
Not used
Qualifiers for ABIEs
Indicator. Indicator “
Customer Party. Details
More context in UBL
Tax Scheme. Address
Location Coordinate. Degrees. Measure
Context Levels for CCs
Less context in UBL
Identifier. Identifier
Special Property Terms
UBL

14. CCTS Interpretation Differences
Country. Name. Text
Country. Name
Secondary Representation Terms
Name is a legitimate representation term
Object Class + Property Term + Representation Term (or associated Object Class) gives meaning
Object Class + Property Term gives meaning
Representation term (or associated Object Class) only defines the presentation (what it looks like)
Currency. Code
Currency Code. Code
Truncation of Property Terms
Property Term is not the same as the third part of the name.
TBG17
UBL

15. TBG 14 - Business Process Modeling
Reviewed UBL BITS scenario at request of TBG3.
Interested in entire UBL process models as part of International Supply Chain Reference Model.
Opportunity for accepting products not developed using UMM

16. TBG Government
"Further review on current procurement requirements for e-Government" project approved.
Cross domain project involves TBG6, TBG1 and CEN/ISSS/ePPE workshop.
CEN/ISSS/ePPE workshop kicks off May 11th.
Strategic opportunity and a proving ground for CEFACT collaboration.

17. Strategic Steps OIOUBL subset based on UBL (buy, ship, pay) NES
subset based on UBL (incorporating OIOUBL) (buy, ship, pay)
CODICE
extension of UBL (EU e-tendering)
CEN/ISSS
UBL candidate core components for UN/CCL
NES and CODICE documents based on candidate core components
Interoperable with OIOUBL/NES and CODICE
UN schemas for Government e-procurement
UBL core components incorporated into UN/CCL
customizations of CEN/ISSS documents based on UN/CCL

18. Government eProcurement Adoption
OIOUBL
NES
CEN/ISSS
CODICE

20. History Repeats

21. Proposed Strategy Forward thinking Achievable Proven Expedient
Leverage existing momentum
Facilitative
BUT
Not without challenges

22. TBG 1 - Supply Chain New chair (Coen Janssen, GS1 Netherlands)
Cross Industy Invoice schema at release candidate stage.
Expect approval in September
Convergence for new set of BRSs covering sourcing to payment incorporated requirements from UBL (for 2008)
Martin Forsberg (UBL NES) leads Order team
Working with TBG19 on government e-procurement requirements
Agreed to revisit the approved BRSs (Invoice and Remittance Advice) for UBL input to the second iteration of the same, and approach all the other messages (which are not approved BRSs) as open i.e. UBL requirements will be included in the first BRS iteration.

23. TBG1 Schedule
Q2 2007
Despatch and Receipt Advice BRS
Q3 2007
Despatch and Receipt Advice RSM
Ordering BRS
e-Catalogue BRS
Q4 2007
Invoice BRS
Remittance Advice BRS
Ordering RSM
e-Catalogue RSM
2008
Invoice RSM
Remittance Advice RSM
TBA
Statement

24. TBG 6 - Construction (??) 21 schemas for tendering
Working with TBG19 on government e- procurement requirements project
Other project include:
Contract financial execution and management
Security (draft)
Interim meeting June 25 - Paris.

25. TBG 3 - Transport Joint TBG2 submission to TBG17
expected completion in May
IFTM BRS
ex[ected approval in July 07
Booking, Waybill, Manifest and Status document
all to be based on IFTM BRS
scheduled to start in July 07
Agreed on path forward with UBL
collaborate on Transportation Status profile of IFTM

26. TBG 2 - Digital Paper BRS for UN/eDocs approved
waiting for release status
Modeling work taken over by domain groups
plan needed
UN/Layout Key project
needs cooperation with TC154 for UN/TDED

27. Significant Events May 14-16 September 24-28
UN/CEFACT Plenary in Geneva
Strategic decisions for future developments
September 24-28
UN/CEFACT Forum in Stockholm
Trying to colocate with UBL Plenary
Opportunity for closer engagement