This section discusses the traditional EDI standards bodies, which include both ANSI X12/DISA (www.disa.org), and UN/CEFACT (EDIFACT standard) (www.unece.org/cefact) as highlighted by Figure 2.0-1.
Figure 2.0-1 EDI Application Standards
By the end of the year (1998) there was a noticeable increase in recognition of the need for semantic harmonization to complement the syntactical harmonization introduced by XML. It is important to note that both of these standards bodies have been independently (for the most part) investigating the use of XML for EDI since 1997/1998 timeframe, however recently they have both agreed to focus all XML subcommittee efforts into the ebXML framework specification development initiative (See Section 4.2 on ebXML).
2.1 ANSI X12/DISA Background
As EDI usage increased during the late 1960's, the benefits gained from newly developed technology in the electronic transfer of business information did not go unnoticed and development of industry specific procedures began to take shape. As this development increased so too did the need for standardization.
During this time, The Transportation Data Coordination Committee (TDCC) developed standards for the transportation industry and began to work with development for non-transportation industries. The TDCC was renamed in 1969 to the Electronic Data Interchange Association (EDIA), to reflect the broader application of its work. Throughout the 1970's, the auto industry and large retail chains moved to implementing EDI systems and gradually industry specific forms were abandoned in favor of standardized forms.
In 1979 the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) chartered the Accredited Standards Committee (ASC) X12 (see www.x12.org) to develop uniform standards for inter-industry electronic interchange of business transactions - hence, EDI. X12 elected to include industry specific requirements as subsets thus aiding in the acceptance of X12 by industry EDI users. With each transition users had to endure multiple versions. In 1989 grocers merged with X12 and ANSI accepted their transaction sets and grocer-specific definitions. Individual trade groups as well as drug manufacturers complied and accepted changes needed by others. As a result, no new proprietary industry standards have been developed outside X12 since the early 1990's.
One of the most intellectually active groups with respect to new enabling technologies with the X12 body has been the Strategic Implementation Task Group (SITG). The SITG conducts research and development of new enabling technologies (see TMWG in next section).
In 1987 in response to the rapidly growing number of industries employing the X12 standards, the Data Interchange Standards Association (DISA) was chartered by ANSI to provide the committee with administrative support and to be the ASC X12 secretariat. In addition to national standardization efforts, DISA offers the opportunity for its members to participate in the international standards-setting process through its affiliation with the United Nations Rules for Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transportation (UN/EDIFACT).
2.2 UN/CEFACT Background
On the other side of the Atlantic a first set of electronic data interchange rules was developed and published in 1981 in the form of "Guidelines for Trade Data Interchange" (GTDI) which offered potential users a basis for developing their systems. Later on, in the light of experience gained by the many users of GTDI and the various projects under way, the guidelines were enhanced with a view to permitting their wider acceptance.
The next stage in the work towards a common universal set of interchange rules for trade data was a reconciliation carried out by a joint European/North American ad hoc Group, known as United Nations Joint EDI (UN-JEDI). The work was commissioned by the Working Party on Facilitation of International Trade Procedures to bring together the enhanced GTDI and a set of standards for Electronic Business Data Interchange developed in the United States. The recommendations of the UN-JEDI Group were agreed by the Working Party at its September 1986 session. They led to the development of the UN/EDIFACT syntax rules.
Within the United Nations, is the United Nations Centre for Facilitation of Procedures and Practices for Administration, Commerce and Transport (UN/CEFACT), and is located in the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE), a part of the UN network of regional commissions. The regional commissions report to the highest UN body in the area of economics, trade and development: Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). UN/CEFACT was established in 1996 in response to new technological developments, and the UN/EDIFACT Working Group (EWG) is a part of the UN/CEFACT commission.
As a definition, UN/EDIFACT rules comprise a set of internationally agreed standards, directories and guidelines for the electronic interchange of structured data, and in particular that related to trade in goods and services between independent, computerized information systems. Recommended within the framework of the United Nations, the rules are approved and published by the UN/ECE.
Within the United States, ASC X12 has been granted authority by the Head of Delegation to CEFACT to appoint experts to the CEFACT empowered groups. Prior to April 29, 1998, the Pan American EDIFACT Board (PAEB), representing one of the six regions under the regional Rapporteur structure, was the official coordinating body of UN/EDIFACT activity in North and South America.
One of the most intellectually active groups with respect to new enabling technologies with the UN/CEFACT body has been the Techniques & Methodologies Working Group (TMWG), which convened its first session on November 13, 1997 in Paris, France (see the following links:)
· http://www.harbinger.com/resource/klaus/tmwg, and
· http://www.disa.org/international/ac1home.htm).
This group works with the Strategic Implementation Task Group (SITG) of the X12 SITG.
