XCBL
Encyclopedia
xCBL is a collection of XML
specifications (both DTD
and XML Schema) for use in e-business. It was created by Commerce One
Inc. and is maintained by Perfect Commerce.
This led to the creation of xCBL 2.0 which covered 12 different business document specifications, mainly meant for electronic document communication in business-to-business
(B2B) procurement
over the Internet. xCBL 2.0 was mainly based on existing Electronic Data Interchange
(EDI) standards and introduced the Schema for Object-Oriented XML
(SOX) schema library for XML validation.
tools for buyers, order and invoice management tools for suppliers and document routing tools for public and private marketplaces.
For xCBL message transport, Commerce One created an envelope messaging standard called MML (Marketsite Messaging Layer) based on the SMTP MIME
format to provide both payload (xCBL) and attachment support.
XML
Extensible Markup Language is a set of rules for encoding documents in machine-readable form. It is defined in the XML 1.0 Specification produced by the W3C, and several other related specifications, all gratis open standards....
specifications (both DTD
Document Type Definition
Document Type Definition is a set of markup declarations that define a document type for SGML-family markup languages...
and XML Schema) for use in e-business. It was created by Commerce One
Commerce One
Commerce One was a pioneering e-commerce company founded in 1994 as DistriVision in Pleasanton, California. The company was renamed Commerce One in 1997, and went public in 1999. They were one of the darlings in the hot B2B sector, and saw their stock soar from 20 to over 600 in early 2000,...
Inc. and is maintained by Perfect Commerce.
History
xCBL was originally called Common Business Library (CBL). The xCBL standardization began in 1997.This led to the creation of xCBL 2.0 which covered 12 different business document specifications, mainly meant for electronic document communication in business-to-business
Business-to-business
Business-to-business describes commerce transactions between businesses, such as between a manufacturer and a wholesaler, or between a wholesaler and a retailer...
(B2B) procurement
Procurement
Procurement is the acquisition of goods or services. It is favourable that the goods/services are appropriate and that they are procured at the best possible cost to meet the needs of the purchaser in terms of quality and quantity, time, and location...
over the Internet. xCBL 2.0 was mainly based on existing Electronic Data Interchange
Electronic Data Interchange
Electronic data interchange is the structured transmission of data between organizations by electronic means. It is used to transfer electronic documents or business data from one computer system to another computer system, i.e...
(EDI) standards and introduced the Schema for Object-Oriented XML
Schema for Object-Oriented XML
Schema for Object-Oriented XML, or SOX, is an XML schema language developed by Commerce One. In 1998 a SOX specification was submitted to the World Wide Web Consortium and published as a W3C Note. A revised version, SOX 2.0, was published as a W3C Note in 1999.SOX was one of several predecessors of...
(SOX) schema library for XML validation.
- xCBL 3.0 contained several new business specifications and categories. It also introduced the use of several XML Schema standards.
- xCBL 3.5 (October 2001) contained nine new business documents. OASISOASIS (organization)The Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards is a global consortium that drives the development, convergence and adoption of e-business and web service standards...
used this version as the starting point for defining business documents in Universal Business LanguageUniversal Business LanguageUniversal Business Language is a library of standard electronic XML business documents such as purchase orders and invoices. UBL was developed by an OASIS Technical Committee with participation from a variety of industry data standards organizations. UBL is designed to plug directly into existing...
(UBL).
- xCBL 4.0 (March 2003) is the latest version of xCBL. It consists of 44 business documents in eight categories.
Use
As an XML document standard, xCBL is used primarily in B2B procurementProcurement
Procurement is the acquisition of goods or services. It is favourable that the goods/services are appropriate and that they are procured at the best possible cost to meet the needs of the purchaser in terms of quality and quantity, time, and location...
tools for buyers, order and invoice management tools for suppliers and document routing tools for public and private marketplaces.
For xCBL message transport, Commerce One created an envelope messaging standard called MML (Marketsite Messaging Layer) based on the SMTP MIME
MIME
Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions is an Internet standard that extends the format of email to support:* Text in character sets other than ASCII* Non-text attachments* Message bodies with multiple parts...
format to provide both payload (xCBL) and attachment support.