1. Information exchange the easy way How to use metadata (ISO 11179) and a method for message development (ISO 17113) to create consistent exchange formats for B2B communication; and which tools support these standards? Frans van Basten, Digitect, The Netherlands

2. 2 © 2008 Digitect B.V., The Netherlands Brief abstract of the presentation How to use metadata (ISO 11179) and a method for message development (ISO 17113) to create consistent exchange formats for B2B communication; and which tools support these standards? Information exchange is critical for today's business. Within the business organization as well as between business partners. A generic methodical approach to information exchange, supported by intelligent tools, and based on standards, will lead to effective and efficient solutions that save time and costs and are easier to manage. A data dictionary conform ISO 11179 can help to solve the WHAT issue. All objects, properties and representations that are subject to exchange, can be described, so that a unity of language can be accomplished within a business comunity. The method for message development (ISO 17113) can solve the HOW issue: based on a relational Reference Information Model (RIM), hierarchic functional message definitions (HMD) can be defined. The message are always 100% consistent with the Reference Information Model. The functional messages can be mapped to multiple technical exchange standards, like Edifact, XML Schema and flat file formats. By adding relationships to the Meta Data standard (ISO 11179), the data dictionary can store the complete Reference Information Model (RIM) that will be the basis for developing exchange formats according to ISO 17113. Since often different tools are used for maintaining the data dictionary, developing messages and developing applications, it is important that meta data can be easily exchanged between these tools. EC-Design is an implementation of ISO 11179 and ISO 17113. It is a tool to design and specify comprehensive, interoperable and certifiable information exchanges without any knowledge of the underlying implementation technology. It can automatically generate multiple exchange syntaxes (XML, XML Schema, Edifact, flat file format). Any number of information exchanges (messages or web services) can be specified in a 100% consistent manner, based on one shared enterprise/business data model. EC-Design has a history of over 20 years. Many EC-Design users already saved time and money during analysis and implementation of information exchanges, and at the same time, greatly enhanced the quality and eased the strain of change management.

3. 3 © 2008 Digitect B.V., The Netherlands Biographical sketch Frans van Basten (1968) Graduated in 1991 at the University of Amsterdam on the subject “EDI and relational databases”. In his professional career as consultant at Nedlloyd, Bakkenist, Deloitte and Digitect he further specialized into this subject, working for many commercial and non commercial organisations like Shell, Dutch Railways, European Commission, Companies Registration Office (Ireland), Dutch Tax Authority and standardisation organisations like EAN, CEN, NEN and Odette Europe. Besides his consulting activity, he is product manager of EC-Design (1998 – 2008), a tool that implements the ISO 17113 Development of Messages standard. He likes to develop intelligent tools and to setup teams to develop functional and technical specifications using international and company standards. He likes to work on international and in-company standardisation. He also likes to teach people how to use these standards.

4. 4 © 2008 Digitect B.V., The Netherlands 4 Content Business to business (B2B) communication Meta data (ISO 11179) Development of messages for B2B communication (ISO 17113) Relation Meta Data – Development of Messages Extension to ISO 11179-3: Relationships Meta data should be easy to (re)use Interoperable Data Dictionary Architecture EC-Design implements ISO 11179 / ISO 17113 References

5. 5 © 2008 Digitect B.V., The Netherlands Business to business communication (1) Information exchange is critical For today's businesses, information exchange is critical. Within the business organisation as well as between business partners and co-competitors. Methodical approach and intelligent tools A generic methodical approach to information exchange, supported by intelligent tools, and based on standards, will lead to effective and efficient solutions that save time and costs and are easier to manage.

6. 6 © 2008 Digitect B.V., The Netherlands Business to business communication (2) '123' (= 'cat') Stakeholders: Software suppliers Service providers Business partners Consultants Solution WHAT: Data Dictionary (ISO 11179) Solution HOW: Development of messages (ISO 17113)

7. 7 © 2008 Digitect B.V., The Netherlands Meta data (ISO 11179) Object ClassPropertyRepresentation Object Class, Property and Representation, Bron: ISO 11179-3 HorseHeightHands measure Data element concept Horse height 1..1 0..* 1..1 0..* Generic data element Height hands measure 1..1 0..* 1..1 0..* Data element Horse height hands measure 1..1 0..* 1..1 0..*

8. 8 © 2008 Digitect B.V., The Netherlands Development of messages for B2B communication A community should agree on the functionality first. Functionality: Relational data model, containing objects, relationships, properties and representations Functionality of an information flow can be expressed as a hierarchic view on this relational data model Syntax and technique are enablers; they are not the solution to the problem. The functionality can me mapped to many techniques. The realisation should be derived from the functional specifications EC-Design implements the combination of ISO 11179 and ISO 17113

9. 9 © 2008 Digitect B.V., The Netherlands Development of messages (ISO 17113) Reference datamodel Transaction datamodels Message datamodels derive transaction mapping XML Schema’s Edifact UNSMs model mapping XML Tags Edifact Segments XML Schema’s Edifact UNSMs inherit inherited mapping BGM CNT PIA NAD MEA SEL DTM RFF IMD Reference Information Model (RIM) Hierarchic Message Definition (HMD) Message Types

10. 10 © 2008 Digitect B.V., The Netherlands Mapping to Technique Message Types Hierarchic Message Definition Relation Meta Data – Development of Messages Meta data (ISO 11179) Development of Messages (ISO 17113) Object Property Representation RIM.Entity RIM.Entity.Attribute RIM.Domain RIM.Relationship

11. 11 © 2008 Digitect B.V., The Netherlands Object Class Relationship 0..* 1..1 0..* 1..1FromTo Administered Item Types of administered items Extension to ISO 11179-3: Relationships

12. 12 © 2008 Digitect B.V., The Netherlands Meta data should be easy to (re)use Data Dictionary Application Meta Data tools Message Development tools System Development tools Database- tools Export file

13. 13 © 2008 Digitect B.V., The Netherlands EC-Design implements ISO 11179 / ISO 17113 (1) Design and specify comprehensive, interoperable and certifiable information exchanges without any knowledge of the underlying implementation technology. Design and specify based on international modeling standards:  UN / CEFACT Modeling Methodology (UMM)  Unified Modeling Language (UML)  ISO 11179, ISO 17113 http://www.ec-design.nl

14. 14 © 2008 Digitect B.V., The Netherlands EC-Design implements ISO 11179 / ISO 17113 (2) Automatically generate multiple exchange syntaxes (XML, XML Schema, Edifact, Inhouse file format) Specify any number of information exchanges (messages or web services) in a 100% consistent manner, based on one shared enterprise/business data model. Save time and money during analysis and implementation of information exchanges, and at the same time, greatly enhance the quality and ease the strain of change management.

15. 15 © 2008 Digitect B.V., The Netherlands EC-Design Reference Datamodel

16. 16 © 2008 Digitect B.V., The Netherlands EC-Design Transaction and Messages

17. 17 © 2008 Digitect B.V., The Netherlands EC-Design Mapping Mapping to technical syntax Correctness check  Consistency between functional model and syntax »Repeat, Data type, Status Output of specifications  Humans: RTF and HTML  Machines: translation table, W3C XML Schema, initialisation of EC-Infra

18. 18 © 2008 Digitect B.V., The Netherlands EC-Test

19. 19 © 2008 Digitect B.V., The Netherlands References Belastingdienst BKWI Branche initiatieven / CIVI CEN – Europees Normalisatie Instituut Centre for Studies in Insurance Operations (CSIO), Canada CIOP, specificaties Elektronisch Leerdossier Companies Registration Office, Dublin, Ierland Douane GS1, voorheen EAN Nederland NIB Capital NEN – Nederlands Normalisatie Instituut RAI Data Centrum UWV

20. 20 © 2008 Digitect B.V., The Netherlands Meta data aware software development EC-Design Application Data dictionary (ISO 11179) Generic Message Service Definitions (ISO 17113) Subset for each customer message subset population subset Implementation: Generic message services, that can produce customer specific messages in terms of message subset and population, by using structured metadata from EC-Design. Customer specific message services Configuration for each customer