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A Look Inside Commerce XML (cXML) Version 0.91
By Mark Merkow, CCP, CISSP
May 27, 1999

Basic and Common Elements
CXML type entities use these following standards as guidelines:

  • isoLangCode represents the ISO Language Code (ISO 639)
  • unitOfMeasure follows the UN/CEFACT Recommendation 20 standard
  • URL definitions follow the HTTP/1.1 standard

Order Definitions
cXML OrderRequest and OrderResponse messages are analogous to Purchase Order and PO Acknowledgement documents in the off-line world. Message pairs are still being defined to include support for change orders and change order acknowledgements.

Within the OrderRequest message, an OrderRequest Header describes information that''s needed for the entire order, including order totals, ship-to addresses, bill-to addresses, payment information, etc. Line item details are contained in the ItemOut elements and include item Id, unit price, description of item, unit of measure, quantity ordered, classification details, and may include buyer accounting distribution details. OrderResponse messages indicate to the buyer that the OrderRequest was successfully parsed and forwarded on for processing, but does not indicate any status of details within the order itself. For specifics about OrderRequest and OrderResponse processing, refer to the draft specification.

PunchOut Definitions
cXML provides an efficient mechanism that enables buyers to ''punch out'' from a shopping session to a remote host to view or select catalog items without losing what''s already been selected and added to their locally hosted shopping cart.

The PunchOutSetup request and response messages are used to communicate the required information that enables the originating system to identify itself to the remote host, communicate setup information, and receive a response that direct the buyer''s session to a remote HTML browsing session.

cXML uses hidden form fields to maintain the state of the buyer''s shopping cart while keeping the data within it opaque to remote host servers. Using the PunchOutOrderMessage, the contents that are placed in remote shopping carts during a punch out session are transferred back into the buyer''s current shopping cart in preparation for check-out processing.

From the buyer''s point of view, PunchOut processing supports multi-partner and multi-catalog shopping without requiring preparation of separate purchase orders for each supplier selected during the session.

Catalog Definitions
cXML catalog definitions contain three elements - Supplier, Index, and Contract - for describing the data that''s persistent or cached within the buyer''s system.

Supplier elements describe data about the supplier that the buyer may need to know. Index elements describe data about the supplier''s inventory of goods and services (item descriptions, part numbers, classification codes, etc.) Contract elements describe data about any flexible aspects of inventory that may already be negotiated between the buyer''s and the supplier''s organizations.


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