RosettaNet Primer

Part 4: What is a RosettaNet Implementation Guide (RIG)?

Introduction

Each RosettaNet Program developing PIPs also creates a RosettaNet Implementation Guide (RIG).  Unlike the PIP (the official, normative specification), RIGs are non-normative documents.  This means implementers are not required to follow the advice provided in the guide.

Each RIG includes at least two files:

Microsoft Word Document that describes the process implementation notes for one Partner Interface Process® (PIP®).

Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet that provides a mapping guide for the PIP Business Document. 

A single PIP may have multiple RIGs that describe different implementation use cases.  For example, the PIP 3B18 - Notify of Shipping Documentation includes two different RIGs:

• eCustoms implementation in Singapore
• eCustoms implementation in Shanghai

The information included in the RIG is prepared after the PIP has been put into production to capture practical business and technical experiences gathered through actual implementation tests.  The RosettaNet program members conducing this test are referred to as the Validation Team.

RIG Contents

Each RosettaNet Implementation Guide (RIG) includes a common set of information.

Business Process Introduction

This process information expands on the description provided in the associated PIP.

The Introduction is a brief statement providing business context and common use of the PIP.

The Business Process Model illustrates one or more use cases and the related business roles for the PIP.

The Business Process Definition and Business Scenario describes the business process in much greater detail, detailing the business actions performed by each trading partner.

PIP Usage Notes

This section of the RIG provides notes from the implementers about how specific data blocks were used by the Validation Team.  It may illustrate the data structures providing a simplified business view of the PIP Business Document.

Often PIPs reuse generic data elements that can be applicable to many business processes.  This section of the RIG is especially helpful in understanding how these generic data elements are applied in the specific PIP.

Validation Modifications

PIPs are submitted for member vote prior to the validation process.  This ensures that companies will not invest time and money putting a PIP into production, only to have the members not vote to approve the standard afterwards.

During the validation process, certain changes may be required to enable the PIP to fulfill the ebusiness process needs.  The RosettaNet Engineering team collaborates with the Validation Team to quickly make any changes required to ensure compliant (no invalid modifications) implementations of the standard.

All changes made to the voted-upon standard are documented in this section of the RIG.

Lessons Learned

The Validation Team will carefully document all lessons learned with regard to the data elements, data structure, and ebusiness process.  This section of the RIG may include illustrations, screen captures, data tables, and text descriptions.

New implementers of a RosettaNet PIP are strongly encouraged to leverage this valuable section of each RIG to gain the benefits from the initial implementation by those companies who created the standard.

Mapping Guide

Each RIG includes an Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that details how the Validation Team used the data specified in the PIP.

The table below is a snapshot of the Mapping Guide for the PIP 2A16 - Distribute Engineering Information Inquiry, a validated, XML Schema (XSD) PIP that uses the TPIR-PIP specification.

Note that the yellow lines indicate header tags used to reference data blocks.  These headers do not contain any business data.

Data Elements

The Mapping Guide is structured like the RosettaNet Message Guidelines and includes a row for every data element in the PIP Business Document.  The columns provide references to the specification and may describe additional implementation experiences for each data element.

Cardinality

Each RosettaNet PIP Business Document specifies if an individual data element is mandatory or optional.  This cardinality provides a baseline for the process implementation.  The Mapping Guide will document the RosettaNet specified cardinality for each data element.  The Mapping Guide includes an additional column to highlight those optional data elements that were required by the trading partners for this implementation use case.

User Description, Values and Notes

The Mapping Guide includes user descriptions for each data element to clarify how the data was applied to this implementation use case.  In some cases, Acceptable Values are listed to clarify process-specific terms that were applied by the trading partners in the Validation Team.  Detailed Usage Notes may also be included to provide additional guidance for certain data elements.

Downloading RIGs

The RosettaNet Partner Interface Processes (PIPs) are available on the RosettaNet website (http://rosettanet.org/cms/sites/RosettaNet/).

To access the RIGS you must login to the RosettaNet.org website.  Non-members can request access to the RIGs using the “ Contact Us” link.

Once you login to the RosettaNet website, follow this path to access the RosettaNet Implementation Guides:

Support > Implementing RosettaNet Standards > RosettaNet Implementation Guides

The RIGs are organized by Cluster.  Click on the folders beside the desired PIP Cluster name to view all the available RIGs for that Cluster.  Select the download icon to access an individual RIG

TABLE OF CONTENTS

What is RosettaNet?

What eBusiness standards does RosettaNet publish?

What is a RosettaNet Partner Interface Process (PIP)?

What is a RosettaNet Implementation Guide (RIG)?

What is RosettaNet Automated Enablement (RAE)?

What do I need to implement RosettaNet?

What is the RosettaNet Standards Methodology (RSM)?

Where can I learn more about RosettaNet?

RosettaNet Primer

Part 3: What is a RosettaNet Partner Interface Process (PIP)?

Introduction

The RosettaNet Partner Interface Processes^®, called PIPs^®, are specifications defining business-to-business (B2B) processes with the associated ebusiness document(s) called a PIP Business Document.

eBusiness Document Catalogue

The RosettaNet PIP Directory is organized by high-level process areas called PIP Clusters. The cluster number is indicated by the first character in each PIP.  For example, the Purchase Order PIP is called PIP 3A4 and is part of Cluster 3.  Here is the complete list of RosettaNet PIP Clusters:

0) RosettaNet Support
1) Partner Product and Service Review
2) Product Information
3) Order Management
4) Inventory Management
5) Marketing Information Management
6) Services and Support
7) Manufacturing

Each Cluster is divided into different PIP Segments that describe another level of process categories.  The segment letter is used as the second character in the PIP name.  For example, the Invoice PIP is called PIP 3C3 meaning Cluster 3 and Segment C.  There are three different Segments in Cluster 3 as shown below:

    Cluster 3 - Order Management:

Segment 3A: Quote and Order Entry
Segment 3B: Transportation and Distribution
Segment 3C: Returns and Finance

Each cluster may have a different number of Segments.  For example, there are five different Segments in Cluster 4 as shown below:

    Cluster 4 - Inventory Management:

Segment 4A: Collaborative Forecasting
Segment 4B: Inventory Allocation
Segment 4C: Inventory Reporting
Segment 4D: Inventory Replenishment
Segment 4E: Sales Reporting

The last character of each PIP is a unique number within a single Segment to reference the individual PIP. There is no implied process order or business logic associated with this last number.

PIP Business Document

Each PIP specification includes a section describing the PIP Business Document.  These are the ebusiness documents or messages that are exchanged between trading partners.

Depending on the ebusiness process, a PIP may include one or two PIP Business Documents.

PIPs with one document are called one-action PIPs.

PIPs with two documents are called two-action PIPs.

This illustration shows the purchase order process (PIP 3A4) that includes two PIP Business Documents.

B2B Vocabulary

Each PIP defines the mandatory and optional information to support the ebusiness process.  The PIP Business Document will include these vocabulary elements:

Definition of Terms (RosettaNet Business Dictionary)

Data Blocks (Universal, Domain and Interchange)

Unique Identifiers (GS1 identifiers including GLN, GTIN, SSCC, etc. plus D.U.N.S)

Code Lists (External standardized code lists and/or RosettaNet-unique code lists)

RosettaNet Message Guidelines

Each RosettaNet PIP includes a separate human-readable file that describes all the data elements and the overall document structure.

The Message Guidelines are used by both business and technical implementers to understand the total vocabulary required for the PIP.  This file is published as an HTM-formated document that is viewable using a web browser.

Document Structure

The Message Guidelines show how each data element is structured within one or more data blocks.  This is achieved through an outlining approach.  The most indented-to-the-right text will be the actual data elements.  Many lines in the message guideline may be names that reference data blocks (groups of two or more data elements); these names do not hold actual business data.

Data Cardinality

RosettaNet Message Guidelines specify the cardinality of each data element.  Cardinality indicates  how many values for a single data element are allowed and if the data element is required for PIP compliance.

Mandatory - Implementers must include valid data for this element.  Mandatory data elements are referenced with a one (“1”) meaning only one data value is required; or as one to many (“1..n”) meaning at least one and perhaps more data values can be included.

Optional - Implementers may choose whether to use or not use optional data elements.  Optional data elements may be referenced with as zero or one (“0..1”) meaning up to one data value may be included; or zero to many (“0..n”) meaning zero, one or many data values may be included.

Conditional - These are data elements that become mandatory based on certain criteria (conditions).

Definitions and Constraints

At the bottom of the Message Guidelines is the subset of the total RosettaNet Business Dictionary (RNBD) that defines the specific data elements used in the PIP Business Document.

All the data constraints are clearly defined with references back to the specific line numbers in the Message Guidelines.

Message Headers

RosettaNet PIPs use two types of message headers that describe key information about the PIP Business Document for computer processing.

The Delivery Header is used to describe basic routing and instance information.  Information in this header includes:

Indicator if Secure Transport is being used for the message

Message Date & Time

Message Receiver Identification

Message Sender Identification (ID)

Message Tracking ID - Instance Identifier used to uniquely identify the message

The Service Header provides the process context for the message for automated computer processing.  Information in this header includes:

Action Identity - This is used to reference a prior message tracking ID when the current message is a response or reply process.

From Role - the Global Partner Classification Code listed in the PIP

To Role

PIP Code - the PIP number

Version ID - the specific PIP version number

PIP Instance Identifier - the unique identifier for this individual PIP message

Indicator if the message includes an attachment

Process Control

Each RosettaNet PIP specifies how to control the ebusiness process.  The B2B solution will be coded to handle each of the process controls automatically.  The specific process control values will vary for different ebusiness processes.

There are three major types of process controls detailed in each PIP specification.

1) Business Process Activity Controls describe the process interaction contract or agreement between the two business roles that are performing the business activities including:

Business role name

Activity name

Activity description

2) Message Exchange Controls specify rules for handing the individual PIP business documents.  These specifications include:

Time to acknowledge receipt signal

Time to acknowledge acceptance signal

Time to respond to action

(Is time to respond) Included in time to perform?

Is authorization required?

Is non-repudiation required

Is secure transport required.

3) Business Message and Communications Specification describes data security controls including:

Digital signature required?

SSL required? (encryption)

RosettaNet Process Control PIP

The RosettaNet Support Cluster 0 includes a generic PIP that provides business alerts: PIP 0A1 - Notification of Failure.  This PIP is used to automate computer responses to different types of ebusiness process failures.  By automating the identification and notification of failures, this RosettaNet PIP enables computers to efficiently manage processing exceptions while minimizing the need for manual/human intervention.

Examples of B2B failures that are reported by PIP 0A1 include:

Time to Acknowledge the message has been exceeded.  This means the trading partner’s B2B solution did not automatically send a Receipt Acknowledgment to confirm the RosettaNet PIP was received within the specified time allowed.

Time to Perform a business-process action has been exceeded.  This means the trading partner did not send a required and corresponding PIP Business Document in response to a previously received PIP Business Document.

Number of Retries has been exhausted. This means the same message was resent to a trading partner the specified number of times because a Receipt Acknowledgment was never received.

General Exception Errors automate the notification if there were problems in message packaging/unpacking, data encryption/decryption, or reading/validating the service content.

Data Format and PIP Version Numbers

The RosettaNet PIPs use the Extensible Markup Language (XML) to describe the data being exchanged between trading partners.  There are two XML formats used by RosettaNet.  The PIP version numbers indicates the data format used for each RosettaNet PIP Business Document.

XML Data Type Definition (DTD) Format

RosettaNet PIPs were originally published in the Data Type Definition (DTD) format.  PIPs that are published in DTD format are assigned version numbers that begin with a zero.

    For example:

PIP 3A4 Request Purchase Order - Version V02.01.00

XML Schema Document (XSD) Format

Starting in 2004, RosettaNet began publishing all new PIPs in XML Schema or XSD format.  This data format provided improved capabilities to validated data content and to automate business processes based on specific data in a PIP Business Document.

Most of the original DTD-based PIPs are also available in XSD format.  PIPs in XML Schema (XSD) format are assigned version numbers that begin with a one.

    For example:

PIP 3B18 Notify of Shipment Documentation - Version V11.01.00

Validated PIPs

The RosettaNet Programs that create PIPs require that the participants prove new specifications operate successfully in a production environment.  This means that each specification is tested to ensure (validate) trading partners are able to exchange the PIP Business Documents to conduct real business.  These validated PIPs can be identified by the version number.
PIPs that have been validated begin with the letter “V”.

    For example:

PIP 3C6 Notify of Remittance Advice - Version V11.01.00 - In Production

PIPs that have been approved through member vote but are still in draft format (not validated) begin with the letter “R”.

    For example:

PIP 3B11 Notify of Shipping Order - Version R11.02.00 - Waiting Validation

Downloading PIPs

The RosettaNet Partner Interface Processes (PIPs) are available on the RosettaNet website (http://rosettanet.org/cms/sites/RosettaNet/).

To access the PIPs you must login to the RosettaNet.org website.  Non-members can request access to the PIPs using the “ Contact Us” link.

Once you login to the RosettaNet website, follow this path to access the full RosettaNet PIP Directory:

Standards > RosettaNet Standards > PIP Directory

When you download a PIP Specification, it will be packaged as a single ZIP file.  These ZIP files are a generic, commercial file-packaging method allowing users to download a single file that includes a collection of different files.

The exact contents of the zip file depends on the type of XML-data format used: DTD or XSD.  Each specification zip file will include files for business review as well as the coded files for computer automation.