B2B Integration : A Practical Guide to Collaborative E-commerce

182 B2B Integration — A Practical Guide to Collaborative E-commerce
• XML/EDI over the Internet offers companies cheaper e-commerce
and smarter messaging via browsers.
• XML/EDI enables contextual and intelligent searches over the Internet,
as it wraps the unstructured text with structured data in the same
document. This form of tagging makes the searches very efficient
and accurate.
6.6.5. Key features of XML/EDI server
Does the server support all XML and EDI dialects? Is it scalable to
manage high-volume relationships? How well will it be able to integrate
with other existing systems? Does it provide secured and reliable
messaging service?
These are just a few of the questions that companies come across in
their search for an XML/EDI server. EDI to XML translation and viceversa
is achieved primarily through stand-alone software products. Several
EDI vendors also incorporate XML translation functions.
Here are just a few of the desirable features of XML/EDI server that
a company should consider in its final decision.
Support both XML and EDI-based trading partners
XML/EDI server should support EDI as well as XML-based communication.
This way, a company can establish newer contacts using
XML-based messaging services over the Internet, while supporting
existing EDI-based relationships. This kind of flexible data exchange
would allow companies to achieve the best of both worlds. They can
continue benefiting from their investments in integrated EDI systems
while reaching small to mid-size enterprises and e-marketplaces with
XML. The XML/EDI server should be able to convert XML documents
into EDI documents and vice-versa, after validation and application of
compliance checks and based on all major industry protocols.
For example, it should support the following conversions:
• XML to EDI, e.g., xCBL's Invoice to X12 810;
• EDI to XML, e.g., xl2 850 to xCBL's Purchase Order;
• XML to XML, e.g., xCBL to RosettaNet or xCBL to cXML;
• XML to Flat File;