RosettaNet Primer
Part 5: What is RosettaNet Automated Enablement (RAE)? The SME Challenge
Early RosettaNet implementers were experiencing challenges extending their RosettaNet solutions to trading partners who were small- and middle-sized enterprises (SMEs). Many SME companies have limited information-technology (IT) capabilities and are unable to support the RosettaNet Implementation Framework (RNIF) that required system-to-system or full business-to-business (B2B) process automation. The RosettaNet Automated Enablement (RAE) Program was formed to address the challenges of exchanging standard business messages with SME trading partners. The program objectives were to reduce the time and cost of implementing a new PIP by automating the communication and deployment of Trading Partner-specific Implementation Requirements (TPIR). RAE provided an entry-level standards-based ebusiness approach that allowed RosettaNet implementers to support system-to-human processing. By using the RosettaNet PIP standards for the business information (vocabulary), SME partners can start with an RAE solution and over time upgrade their IT environments for transition to full B2B process automation. Today, RAE usually refers to usingRosettaNet to connect with SME trading partners. RAE solutions are commercially available enabling SME connectivity without full B2B process automation. Thecompleted RAE program, active during 2003 - 2006, included both milestone (process) and foundational (technology) deliverables as described below. RAE Milestone Program
The RAE Milestone Program focused on the forecast-to-cash processes. The original Partner Interface Processes® (PIPs®) were developed using the Data Type Definition (DTD) format for XML. The DTD format uses a single large (monolithic) file that included all mandatory and optional data elements. Marking out the optional elements that were not required was a very challenging effort. PIP Format Upgraded to XML Schema
The RAE program worked with the RosettaNet Engineering team to migrate these existing DTD-based PIPs into a new document format called XML Schema Document (XSD) that were structured as modular PIPs. The modular structure (many individual data files) of the XML schema format made it much easier to eliminate optional portions of the PIP that were not needed for a specific implementation use case. For the SME partners, this was very important. An original community-agreed PIP might include hundreds of data elements, but the SME’s implementation use case may need only 20 or 30 data elements. For the SME solution developers, using the simplified (XSD) PIP dramatically reduced the effort to understand the ebusiness document and to map the data elements to their business applications. In addition, the modular schema (XSD) PIP provided enhanced data processing capabilities. Syntax validation - B2B solutions could validated the data syntax to ensure correctly-formated and complete data was provided by the trading partners. Process automation - With XSD, B2B solutions can automate processes using the value of any data element within the received XSD-based PIP. This enables B2B applications to increase the B2B gateway processing sophistication before submitting the document content into the business application.
PIP Development Efforts
The Partner Interface Processes that were proven to work with SME trading partners through the RAE program are listed below: PIP 3A4 - Request Purchase Order
PIP 3B2 - Notify of Advance Shipment
PIP 3B12 - Request Shipping Order
PIP 3B13 - Notify of Shipping Order Confirmation
PIP 3C3 - Notify of Invoice
PIP 3C6 - Notify of Remittance Advice
PIP 4A1 - Notify of Strategic Forecast
PIP 4A2 - Notify of Embedded Release Forecast
PIP 4A5 - Notify of Forecast Reply
PIP 4B2 - Notify of Shipment Receipt
PIP 4C1 - Distribute Inventory Report
The work done by the RAE milestone program helped create new engineering procedures and tools for future XSD PIP development. Starting in 2004, all new PIPs were created in XML Schema (XSD) format only. Since this time, all of the original validated DTD-based PIPs have been republished in the XML schema (XSD) format. RAE Foundational Program
The foundational portion of the RAE program focused on developing new technical specifications to automate the definition and communication of Trading Partner Implementation Requirements (TPIRs). This general concept was based on the knowledge that while standards consortia like RosettaNet can define community-agreed standards, no company implemented the entire standard exactly as defined. Most companies selected only a portion of the optional data elements for various implementation use cases. Communicating this subset of the PIP specification was both manual and time consuming. Simplify PIPs using the TPIR-PIP Design Specification
The first new specification created by the RAE program is called the TPIR-PIP Design Specification. The TPIR-PIP established a standard way for implementers to decrease the total modular schema to include only the portion of the PIP needed for a specific implementation use case. Implementers can only eliminate optional data elements; all mandatory data elements must still be included and properly used to maintain compliance to the PIP specification. The TPIR-PIP allowed large companies to create simplified business processes for their SME partners. The TPIR-PIP files are machine-readable files that speed the implementation process by eliminating the manual work required for developing new B2B solutions. Provide a Forms Option using the TPIR-PF Core Specification
For companies to implement full B2B process automation, each trading partner must have the business applications that can handle the business process actions. Many SME partners do not have sophisticated software solutions that are able to automatically make process decisions. Human intervention is required before a response can be sent to complete a business transaction. The RAE foundational program created another specification that standardized the method for converting a RosettaNet PIP (schema XSD files) into a human-readable form. This system-to-human ebusiness processing was a new type of interface for RosettaNet driven by the RAE program team. This TPIR-Presentation Format (TPIR-PF) Core Specification defines this common procedure. The TPIR-PF standard does not dictate the exact software to be used for the form presentation. RAE implementers have used Adobe Reader, Microsoft Excel spreadsheets and Microsoft Word for Windows software for creating the PIP-based forms. RAE Implementations
These new specifications enable RosettaNet implementers to extend their existing B2B solutions to connect with SME partners in a standardized way. The most common implementation approach includes a ‘hub’ or SME gateway. The RosettaNet partner connects their existing B2B solution to a SME gateway using full B2B process automation methods just like they would with another large company. The SME gateway (either in-house solution or hosted by a Service Provider) then connects to the individual SME partners using the RAE standards. The SME partners may submit forms via a website or as attachments to emails. Alternatively, the SME may have the ability to manually submit files directly to the SME gateway. The SME gateway handles the format conversions to package the business document into an XSD-based PIP that is sent automatically to the RosettaNet partner. In addition, PIPs sent from the RosettaNet partner to the SME gateway are converted into the presentation forms for the SME to review and update. For the RosettaNet partner, the B2B connection appears the same as all other partners implementing the RosettaNet PIP standards. The SME gateway solution handles all the individual connections with the SME partners (spokes on the hub). This model illustrates a both a B2B gateway-to-gateway direct connection plus a SME gateway service for connecting with SME partners. This type of hub-and-spokes IT solution has been generically available for some time using non-standard documents or files. The RAE solution is unique in that the SME sends information using RosettaNet PIP-based documents (standardized vocabulary) that are converted into forms using the TPIR-PF specification or into files using the TPIR-PIP specifications. For more information about the RAE Program, view RosettaNet Primer Part 8 for a quick link. | 
