Core Components October 2001
Core Components Technical Specification, Part 1
12 October 2001
Version 1.6
1 Status of This Document
This Technical Specification is being developed in accordance with UN/CEFACT/TRADE/22 Open Development Process. It has been approved by the eBTWG Core Component Project Team for first draft public release for comment as defined in Step 5 of the Open Development Process.
This document contains information to guide in the interpretation or implementation of ebXML concepts.
Distribution of this document is unlimited.
The document formatting is based on the Internet Society’s Standard RFC format.
This version: Core Components Technical Specification, Version 1.6 of 12 October 2001
UN/CEFACT Core Component Technical Specification Page 5 of 8282
Core Components October 2001
2 eBTWG CC Project Team Participants
We would like to recognize the following for their significant participation to the development of this document.
Project Team Leader: Hartmut Hermes Siemens
Lead Editor: Mark Crawford Logistics Management Institute
Editing Team Mike Adcock APACS
James Whittle e Centre
Alan Stitzer Marsh, Inc.
Contributors: Mary Kay Blantz Iona Technologies
Sue Probert CommerceOne
Stig Korsgaard Danish Bankers Association
Andreas Schultz GDV
Arofan Gregory CommerceOne
Marianne Cockle APACS
Frank VanDamme SWIFT
Eduardo Gutentag Sun Microsystems
Paula Heilig Worldspan
Lisa Seaburg CommerceOne
Nigel Wooden Accord
Gunther Stuhec SAP AG
Hisanao Sugamata ECOM-Japan
James Wearner Boeing
Alain Dechamps CEN/ISSS
Kerstein Celis Seagha c.v.
Bill Murray General Motors
Tom Warner Boeing
Scott Coulthurst State Farm
Dale McKay Logicon/Northrop Grumman
Richard May Marsh, Inc
Herbert Thomas AustriaPro
Bernd Boesler DIN
Margaret Pemberton Diskray
Joe Zurlo LMI
UN/CEFACT Core Component Technical Specification Page 5 of 8282
Core Components October 2001
3 Table of Contents
1 Status of This Document 2
2 eBTWG CC Project Team Participants 3
3 Table of Contents 4
4 Introduction 7
4.1 Intended Audience 7
4.2 Structure of this Specification 7
4.2.1 Notation 8
4.3 Related Documents 8
4.4 Executive Summary 8
5 Working Process and Methodology 13
5.1 Discovery 13
5.2 How to use UN/CEFACT Core Components 14
5.2.1 Core Components and Semantic Interoperability 14
5.2.2 Core Components Discovery Steps 18
5.2.2.1 Core Component Discovery - Preparation Steps 18
5.2.2.2 Core Components Discovery ¾ Search Repository 20
5.3 Submission 21
5.3.1 Applying the Naming Convention to a New Item 22
5.3.2 Submitting New Aggregate Core Components 25
5.3.3 Preparation Steps for Requesting a New Basic Core Component 26
5.3.4 Preparation for Requesting a New ABIE which re-uses an Existing Aggregate Core Component 26
5.3.5 Harmonisation 27
5.3.6 Technical Assessment and Approval 28
5.3.7 Context in the Discovery Process 29
5.3.7.1 Guidelines for Analysing BIEs in Context 29
5.3.7.2 Context Categories 30
6 Technical Details 34
6.1 Core Components and Business Information Entities 34
6.1.1 Core Components 34
6.1.2 Business Information Entities 39
6.1.3 Naming Convention 40
6.1.3.1 Dictionary Information 41
6.1.3.2 Rules 41
6.1.3.2.1 General Rules 41
6.1.3.2.2 Rules for Definitions 42
6.1.3.2.3 Rules for Dictionary Entry Names 42
6.1.3.2.4 Rules for Business Terms 44
6.1.3.3 List of Representation Terms 44
6.1.4 Catalogue of Core Components 46
6.1.5 Catalogue of Business Information Entities 47
6.2 Context 47
6.2.1 Overview of Context Specification 47
6.2.1.1 Approved Context Categories 48
6.2.1.2 Constraint Language 49
6.2.1.3 Syntax Binding 50
6.2.2 Context Categories Specification 50
6.2.2.1 Business Process Context 50
6.2.2.1.1 Recommended Sets of Values 50
6.2.2.2 Product Classification Context 50
6.2.2.2.1 Recommended Sets of Values 51
6.2.2.3 Industry Classification Context 51
6.2.2.4 Geopolitical Context 51
6.2.2.5 Official Constraints Context 52
6.2.2.6 Business Process Role Context 53
6.2.2.7 Supporting Role Context 53
6.2.2.8 System Capabilities Context 53
6.2.3 Context Values 53
6.2.4 Constraints Language 53
6.2.4.1 Notes about Assembly 59
6.2.4.2 Notes about Context Rules 59
6.2.4.3 Output Constraints 60
6.2.4.4 Ordering and Application 60
7 Technical Details - Core Component Repository Storage 61
7.1 Storing Core Components 61
7.2 Storing Classes and Attributes 63
7.2.1 Supplementary Component Value 64
7.2.2 Value Component 64
7.2.3 Value Component Restriction 65
7.3 Description of diagram 66
7.4 Definition of all Classes and Attributes 67
7.4.1 Business Context 67
7.4.2 Context categories 67
7.4.3 Context categories Scheme 67
7.4.4 Context Value 67
7.5 Description of diagram 68
7.6 Definition of all Classes and Attributes 69
7.6.1 Aggregate Business Information Entity (ABIE) 69
7.6.2 Aggregate Core Component (ACC) 69
7.6.3 Assembly Component 69
7.6.4 Assembly Data Type 70
7.6.5 Basic Business Information Entity (BBIE) 70
7.6.6 Basic Core Component (BCC) 70
7.6.7 BBIE Data Type 70
7.6.8 Business Context 70
7.6.9 Business Information Entity 70
7.6.10 Core Component 71
7.6.11 Data Type 71
7.6.12 Supplementary Component Value 71
7.6.13 Value Component Restriction 71
7.7 Core Component Storage Metadata 72
7.8 Description of diagram 72
7.9 Definition of all Classes and Attributes 73
7.9.1 Administrative Information 73
7.9.2 Association Information 73
7.9.3 Change History 74
7.9.4 Descriptive Information 74
7.9.5 Replacement Information 74
7.9.6 Representation Information 74
7.9.7 Status Information 75
8 Definition of Terms 76
9 Disclaimer 80
10 Contact Information 81
Copyright Statement 82
1 Introduction 7
1.1 Intended Audience 7
1.2 Structure of this Specification 7
1.3 Related Documents 7
1.4 Executive Summary 8
3 Working Process and Methodology 13
3.1 Discovery, Harmonisation, and Assessment 13
3.1.1 Discovery of Core Components Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.1.1.1 Core Components Discovery Steps 18
3.1.1.1.1 Preparation 18
3.1.1.1.2 Search Repository 20
3.1.1.2 Submission Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.1.1.2.1 Register Re-use of an Existing ABIE 21
3.1.1.2.2 Prepare a Change Request for an Existing ABIE 21
3.1.1.2.3 Prepare a Request for a New ABIE which re-uses an Existing Aggregate Core Component 22
3.1.1.2.4 Prepare a Change Request for an Existing Aggregate Core Component 21
3.1.1.2.5 Prepare a New Aggregate CC Request 22
3.1.1.2.6 Prepare a Request for a New Basic Core Component / BBIE 26
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3.1.3 Assessment and Approval 28
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4 Technical Specification 34
4.1 Definition of Terms Error! Bookmark not defined.
4.2 Core Components and Business Information Entities 34
4.2.1 Core Component Definitions 34
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4.2.2 Business Information Entity Definitions 39
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4.2.4 Naming Convention 40
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4.2.4.3 General Rules 41
4.2.4.4 Rules for Definitions 42
4.2.4.5 Rules for Dictionary Entry Names 42
4.2.4.6 Rules for Business Terms 44
4.2.4.7 List of Representation Terms 44
4.2.5 Catalogue of Core Components 46
4.3 Catalogue of Business Information Entities 47
4.4 Context 47
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4.5 Storage and Metadata 61
5 Examples/Annexes Error! Bookmark not defined.
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[Ed. Note - Table of Contents will be corrected before relase]
4 Introduction
This Core Components technical specification describes and specifies a new approach to the well-understood problem of the lack of interoperability between applications in the e-business arena. Traditionally, standards for the exchange of business data have been focused on static message definitions that have not enabled a sufficient degree of inter-operability or flexibility. A more flexible and inter-operable way of standardising business semantics is required. The UN/CEFACT Core Component solution described in this technical specification presents a methodology for developing a common set of semantic building blocks that represent the general types of business data in use today.
The keywords MUST, MUST NOT, REQUIRED, SHALL, SHALL NOT, SHOULD, SHOULD NOT, RECOMMENDED, MAY, and OPTIONAL, when they appear in this document, are to be interpreted as described in Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) Request For Comments (RFC) 2119.1
4.1 Intended Audience
The target audience for this document includes business analysts, business users and information technology specialists supplying the content of and implementing applications that will employ the UN/CEFACT Core Component Library (CCL).
Due to the evolving nature of the UN/CEFACT Core Component Library, the specification includes material that focuses on the business community doing further discovery and analysis work. Some of the contents of this specification are not typical of this type of technical document. However, they are critical for successful adoption and standardisation in this area to move forward.
4.2 Structure of this Specification
Due to the diversity of the intended audience, this document has been divided into three main Sections and an Appendix.
· Section 5: Working Process and Methodology for Business Users¾Discovery, Harmonisation, Assessment and How to Use
· Section 6: Technical Details¾Core Components and Context
· Section 7:Technical Details¾Storage and Metadata
· Appendix A contains a full glossary of terms
Sections 5, 6 and 7 are complementary, but may also be used independently of each other. Section 5 is informative. A business audience may choose to read through the working process and methodology section (Section 5) and only reference the Technical Details (Sections 6 and 7) as needed. Sections 6 and 7 are normative. A technical audience may choose to focus on the technical details (Sections 6 and 7), referring to the methodology (Section 5) and example (Part 2) sections as appropriate, using the glossary (Section 9). Reference Documents
In addition, the Core Components Team has prepared Core Components Technical Specification, Parts 2 and 3. Part 2¾Core Components Primer details how the contents of Sections 5, 6, and 7 would be used. Part 3¾Catalog of Discovered Core Components represents work of various organisations working in a joint endeavor to develop a beginning catalog of core components.
4.2.1 Notation
[Definition] - a formal definition of a term
[Ed. Note] - A note from the editing team indicating where additional work is required before the document becomes final
[Example] - A representation of a definition or a rule
[Issue] - A recorded issue
[Note] -
[Rn: where n (1..n) indicates the sequential number of the rule] - Identification of a rule that requires conformance to ensure discovered core components are properly discovered, named and stored.
[Ed. Note - The rules designators still need corrected throughout the document to conform to the above]
4.3 Related Documents
The following documents provided significant levels of influence in the development of this document:
¾ ebXML Technical Architecture Specification v1.04
¾
¾ ebXML Business Process Specification Schema v1.01
¾ ebXML Registry Information Model v1.0
¾ ebXML Registry Services Specification v1.0
¾ ebXML Requirements Specification v1.06
¾ ebXML Collaboration-Protocol Profile and Agreement Specification v1.0
¾ ebXML Message Service Specification v1.0
ebXML Technical Reports
¾ Business Process and Business Information Analysis Overview v1.0
¾ Business Process Analysis Worksheets & Guidelines v1.0 -
¾ E-Commerce Patterns v1.0
¾ Catalog of Common Business Processes v1.0
¾ Core Component Overview v1.05
¾ Core Component Discovery and Analysis v1.04
¾ Context and Re-Usability of Core Components v1.04
¾ Guide to the Core Components Dictionary v1.04
¾ Naming Convention for Core Components v1.04
¾ Document Assembly and Context Rules v1.04
¾ Catalogue of Context categoriess v1.04