ISO 15000-5 (Core Component Specification)

Is UBL 2.1 in conformance with ISO/TS 15000-5:2005?

The questions was raised because of a statement on the UBL Home page, which states:

UBL was the first published data format specification produced in full conformance with UN/CEFACT’s ebXML Core Components Technical Specification (CCTS) Version 2.01 — ISO TS/15000-5:2005.

For a standard to claim full conformance it must satisfy 100% of all the mandatory 'requirements' found in the 'normative' sections.

ISO/TS 15000-5:2005 (and UN/CEFACT’s ebXML Core Components Technical Specification (CCTS) Version 2.01) both contain the same statements defining conformance as:

Applications will be considered to be in full conformance with this technical specification if they comply with the content of normative sections, rules and definitions.
Section 4.2 defines sections 6,7,8 and 9 as being normative.

The short answer is that UBL 2.1 is not in conformance with either version since it breaks at least one mandatory rule!

For the long answer, see the table below that list examples of requirements that are not met by UBL 2.1 to be in conformance:

ISO TS/15000-5:2005 Normative Rules	OASIS UBL 2.1 Library Entries
[B3] A Basic Business Information Entity shall be based on a Basic Core Component	Does not include any Basic Core Components
[B4] An Association Business Information Entity shall be based on an Association Core Components	Does not include any Association Core Components
[B5] An Aggregate Business Information Entity shall be based on an Aggregate Core Component	Does not include any Aggregate Core Components.
[B7] A Business Information Entity Property of an Aggregate Business Information Entity shall be based on a Core Component Property of the corresponding Aggregate Core Component	Does not include any Aggregate Business Information Entities
[B8] The Data Type, on which a Basic Business Information Entity Property *is based, shall itself be similar</strong> to the Data Type on which the corresponding Basic Core Component Property is based (i.e. it shall either** be the same Data Type or a more restricted one)	Does not include any Basic Core Component Properties
[B9] The Aggregate Business Information Entity, on which an Association Business Information Entity Property is based, shall itself be based on the Aggregate Core Component on which the corresponding Association Core Component Property is based	Does not include any Aggregate Core Components or Association Core Components
[C1] Each Core Component Type, Basic Core Component, Association Core Component or Aggregate Core Component must have its own unique semantic definition within the library of which it is a part. The definition shall be developed first and the Dictionary Entry Name shall be extracted from it. Comments can be used to further clarify the definition, to provide examples and/or to reference a recognized standard	There are no publicly published core components that allow this rule to be followed
[C18] The Dictionary Entry Name shall be concise and shall not contain consecutive redundant words	Examples of entries not in conformance: Address. Address Type Code. Code Order Reference. Sales Order Identifier. Identifier Tax Category. Per Unit Amount. Amount

ISO TS/15000-5:2005 Normative Rules

OASIS UBL 2.1 Library Entries

[B3] A Basic Business Information Entity shall be based on a Basic Core Component

Does not include any Basic Core Components

[B4] An Association Business Information Entity shall be based on an Association Core Components

Does not include any Association Core Components

[B5] An Aggregate Business Information Entity shall be based on an Aggregate Core Component

Does not include any Aggregate Core Components.

[B7] A Business Information Entity Property of an Aggregate Business Information Entity shall be based on a Core Component Property of the corresponding Aggregate Core Component

Does not include any Aggregate Business Information Entities

[B8] The Data Type, on which a Basic Business Information Entity Property is based, shall itself be similar</strong> to the Data Type on which the corresponding Basic Core Component Property *is based (i.e. it shall either be the same Data Type or a more restricted one)

Does not include any Basic Core Component Properties

[B9] The Aggregate Business Information Entity, on which an Association Business Information Entity Property is based, shall itself be based on the Aggregate Core Component on which the corresponding Association Core Component Property is based

Does not include any Aggregate Core Components or Association Core Components

[C1] Each Core Component Type, Basic Core Component, Association Core Component or Aggregate Core Component must have its own unique semantic definition within the library of which it is a part. The definition shall be developed first and the Dictionary Entry Name shall be extracted from it. Comments can be used to further clarify the definition, to provide examples and/or to reference a recognized standard

There are no publicly published core components that allow this rule to be followed

[C18] The Dictionary Entry Name shall be concise and shall not contain consecutive redundant words

Examples of entries not in conformance:

Address. Address Type Code. Code

Order Reference. Sales Order Identifier. Identifier

Tax Category. Per Unit Amount. Amount

What are the differences between ISO 15000-5 and OASIS' UBL?

The table below shows on the left side the required parts defined within ISO 15000-5:2014. The right side shows the corresponding parts, if available, within OASIS' UBL 2.0 and 2.1.

ISO 15000-5:2014	OASIS UBL 2.0 and 2.1
Syntax Neutral data model	XML only (syntax specific) Data model non-normative (optional) ^[1] 1. OASIS UBL 2.1 Specification, 2013 November, http://docs.oasis-open.org/ubl/os-UBL-2.1/UBL-2.1.html
Can be used to create other syntax solutions	Cannot be used to create other syntax solutions

Normative Categories of building blocks: ^[2] 2. ISO 15000-5:2014, Section 4 and 5	Current building blocks:
Basic Core Component (BCC)	-
Association Core Component (ASCC)	-
Aggregate Core Component (ACC)	-
Core Component Type (CCT)	Core Component Type (only basic definitions are provided)
Basic Business Information Entity (BBIE);	UBL BBIEs
Association Business Information Entity (ASBIE)	UBL ASBIEs
Aggregate Business Information Entity (ABIE)	UBL ABIEs

ISO 15000-5:2014

OASIS UBL 2.0 and 2.1

Syntax Neutral data model

XML only (syntax specific)

Data model non-normative (optional)

^[1]

1. OASIS UBL 2.1 Specification, 2013 November, http://docs.oasis-open.org/ubl/os-UBL-2.1/UBL-2.1.html

Can be used to create other syntax solutions

Cannot be used to create other syntax solutions

Normative Categories of building blocks: ^[2]

2. ISO 15000-5:2014, Section 4 and 5

Current building blocks:

Basic Core Component (BCC)

Association Core Component (ASCC)

Aggregate Core Component (ACC)

Core Component Type (CCT)

Core Component Type (only basic definitions are provided)

Basic Business Information Entity (BBIE);

UBL BBIEs

Association Business Information Entity (ASBIE)

UBL ASBIEs

Aggregate Business Information Entity (ABIE)

UBL ABIEs

Implementations are considered to be in full conformance with ISO 15000-5:2014 if they comply with the content of normative clauses, rules and definitions. ^[3]