[ubl-fpsc] Combining XPath and UN Layouts

["Stephen Green" <stephen_green@bristol-city.gov.uk>]

Greetings all.

I'd appreciate comments on a few matters arose in today's UBL-FPSC call.

1) It was realised that by specifying XPaths for, say, each box/label in the UN Layout, people could set these side-by-side with XPaths for other standards and, for example, write stylesheets for multiple standards all in one. This may help implementers understand the standards more than would lengthy schema specs.

2) The above shows a (perhaps unintended) value of the UN Layouts in harmonising standards and so it would seem important to ensure that the UN Layout XPaths at least are completed (even if, say, just an Order and an Invoice). 

3) All in all, I think we do need to emphasise the value of the normative specifications, especially the normative XPath expressions and 'mappings' to UN Layouts. 

4) To me the most valuable deliverables will be the UN-Layout-label-to-Xpath-expressions since these provide implementers with a fully standard means of comparing standards, and this in an internationally acceptable way. 

5) I accept though, that to raise awareness, wow people and  provide for those less interested in the UN layouts we do need the other scenario specs, example forms and, from CraneSoftwrights/Ken, the stylesheets.

All the best.

Stephen Green