XBITS: XML Book Industry Transaction Standards

XBITS (XML Book Industry Transaction Standards) is a Working Group of IDEAlliance that is designing standard XML (Extensible Markup Language) transactions to facilitate bi-directional electronic data exchanges between publishers, printers, paper mills, and component vendors. The XBITS initiative is part of a global partnership with papiNet segments including fine papers, packaging publications papers, and pulp. The end result will be a set of electronic documents that facilitate the flow of information among supply chain partners in the publishing/print industry. The effort supports efficient business-to-business (B2B) communication, improves the reach and richness of communication throughout the supply chain, and increases efficiencies in transaction activities while supporting interoperability among trading partners.

Working with the papiNet electronic standards initiative (created for the paper and forest products industry) XBITS will proactively develop, maintain and support the implementation of common electronic transaction formats for the book publishing industry. The papiNet standard is developed and maintained by a dedicated, international team of business and technical experts. The process for development of standards begins with studying and documenting the business process. Next, electronic documents needed to operate the process are defined and described. Finally, case studies and examples of live XML messages are developed. These electronic formats for business transactions and information exchange are needed to support the progressive move by business towards increased system-to-system real-time exchange of information between buyers and sellers.

The standard can be compared to your telephone's dial tone. Using XML and the Internet, the standard provides a digital dial tone that businesses can use to automate business information exchange. XBITS leverages the existing communications infrastructure and builds on it, allowing businesses to communicate complex business documents as easily as voice communication. The standard includes common terminology and standard business documents for use in both domestic and international electronic transactions. In addition, the global initiative seeks to enhance adoption of XBITS through support tools and services.

The Internet is a global infrastructure, and offers new opportunities for efficient and cost-effective execution of transactions to all. The Internet requires a standard structure for documents (also called messages) in XML (Extensible Markup Language). XBITS is providing the set of XML message standards needed for the entire book manufacturing supply chain and is open, free and easy to adopt, ultimately providing common benefits to supply chain participants. With XBITS, companies will no longer need to negotiate and agree on data definitions and formats with each trading partner, a costly and arduous task. Instead, XBITS provides a common messaging interface to enable supply chain partners to have the following:

IDEAlliance - International Digital Enterprise Alliance - is a not-for-profit membership organization. The mission of IDEAlliance is to advance and advocate interoperable solutions for all information-driven enterprises by organizing, managing, and promoting industry coalitions that collaboratively strategize, innovate, standardize and implement information technologies addressing the entire content-delivery supply chain and its business processes - from creation and acquisition to distribution and delivery in print and digital media.

Founded in 1966 as the Graphic Communications Association (GCA), IDEAlliance has a long history as an innovator and leader - sponsoring the Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML); fostering the adoption of eXtensible Markup Language (XML); and developing paper management (bar coding, electronic data interchange, and XML-based) and color profile (GRACoL -TR004) specifications for printing. Today, IDEAlliance uses Events, Networks, Working Groups, Communities of Practice, and Services & Tools to provide its members with strategies and solutions to succeed in the rapidly evolving world of content and document management, print media, and digital delivery technologies.

The purpose of papiNet is to develop, maintain, and support the implementation of global electronic business transaction standards for parties engaged in the buying, selling and distribution of forest and paper products. The aim is to improve the reach and richness of communication throughout the supply chain, increase efficiencies in transactions, and to support interoperability among trading partners. The papiNet standards are open and freely available. Critical mass is achieved by involving key players globally and across the supply chain. Nearly 50 customers, producers, and technology firms from Europe and North America are involved in the initiative with industry association partners - American Forest and Paper Association and IDEAlliance. Information on papiNet and all standards and documentation is available at www.papinet.org.

IDEAlliance
David Steinhardt, President & CEO
100 Daingerfield Road
Alexandria, VA 22314-2888
Tel: 703.837.1066
Fax: 703.837.1072
Email: dsteinhardt@idealliance.org

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