Comment about UBL 2 Ordering Process diagram

["Stephen Green" <stephen.green@documentengineeringservices.com>]

I was asked recently abbout the Ordering process of UBL and I mention
a couple of comments since things are moving toward UBL 2.1 and maybe
the speec could be improved with a little clarification on Ordering.

I note first that we did of course agree that UBL 2.0 would not limit
the schema uses regarding the processes outlined:

To quote the UBL 2.0 spec
Section 4: UBL 2.0 Context of Use
http://docs.oasis-open.org/ubl/os-UBL-2.0/UBL-2.0.html#CONTEXT
"The processes described in this section, and the business rules
associated with them, define a context for the use of UBL 2.0 business
documents. They are normative insofar as they provide semantics for
the UBL document schemas, but they should not be construed as limiting
the application of those schemas."

This means the Ordering process isn't described as a limitation on the
processes used with any UBL Ordering schema.


The spec does seem to be ambiguous about the Ordering process.
[Below I refer to processes completing when I say 'completion' not to
be confused with the order itself being 'completed' - the process could
'complete' even with a cancellation of the order.]

According to the UBL 2.0 spec
"Figure 8. Ordering Process"
http://docs.oasis-open.org/ubl/os-UBL-2.0/art/UBL-2.0-OrderingProcess.jpg

the ordering can complete in several ways which depend on which document
is used to respond to the order. If an OrderResponse is the document sent
in response then there are three ways to complete:

1. if the OrderResponse is sent without any modification then the order can
be completed by Buyer doing nothing (except of course sending signals where
appropriate e.g. with ebXML)

2. if the OrderResponse is sent with modification then there are two ways
to complete the process

2a. Buyer send an OrderCancellation

2b. Buyer send an OrderChange


An order rejection by the Seller is typically performed using the
OrderResponseSimple. I'm not sure it *can* be done using the OrderResponse
document schema without customizing the schema.

What isn't clear from the diagram is how the different responses relate to the
different paths to completion. The diagrams might be clearer and less
ambiguous about paths to completion if the 'ReceiveResponse' box was split
into two or more boxes showing how different kinds of response determine
different process paths. The ReceiveReponse should only lead to the 'accept
order?' gateway (yes/no) if the OrderResponse did *not* include any
modifications
otherwise how is the Seller to know whether the modifications were accepted?
It isn't clear about this. Neither exit from the gateway requires any further
message to the Seller. Really it only makes sense if the diagrammed Documents
prior to the 'ReceiveResponse' task are more specific. An OrderResponse with
modifications ('AddDetail' followed by OrderResponse document in diagram)
has to be shown following a different path to an OrderResponse without
modifications ('Accept Order' followed by OrderResponse) and different again
from a rejected Order ('Reject Order' followed by OrderResponse). In the latter
case I would suggest only OrderResponseSimple can follow the 'Reject Order'
task, by the way, though I might be corrected on that. I don't think an
OrderResponse can be used to reject an order outright can it? Not without
customisation?




Best regards

-- 
Stephen D. Green

Document Engineering Services Ltd



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