ISO 15000-5:2014

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 15000-5
First edition
2014-04-15
Electronic Business Extensible
Markup Language (ebXML) —
Part 5:
Core Components Specification (CCS)
Commerce électronique en langage de balisage extensible (ebXML) —
Partie 5: Spécification des composants principaux (CCS)
Reference number
ISO 15000-5:2014(E)
©
ISO 2014

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ISO 15000-5:2014(E)

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© ISO 2014
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form
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Published in Switzerland
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ISO 15000-5:2014(E)

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .vi
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Core Component Framework . 6
4.1 General . 6
4.2 Core Components . 6
4.3 Data Types . 8
4.4 Business Information Entities . 8
4.5 Naming Convention.10
4.6 Library of Core Components .16
5 Context .16
5.1 General .16
5.2 Overview of Context Specification .16
5.3 Approved Context Categories .17
6 Conformance .20
Annex A (normative) Primitive Type definitions .21
Annex B (normative) List of approved Core Component Types (CCT) .22
Annex C (normative) List of approved Core Component Type Content and
Supplementary Components .24
Annex D (normative) List of permissible Representation Terms .26
Bibliography .27
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ISO 15000-5:2014(E)

Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of
any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or
on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation on the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions related to conformity
assessment, as well as information about ISO’s adherence to the WTO principles in the Technical Barriers
to Trade (TBT) see the following URL: Foreword - Supplementary information
The committee responsible for this document is Technical Committee ISO/TC 154, Processes, data
elements and documents in commerce, industry and administration.
This first edition of ISO 15000-5 cancels and replaces ISO/TS 15000-5:2005. It also incorporates the
Amendment ISO/TS 15000-5:2005/Amd 1:2011.
The following revisions have been made:
— removal of rules that were unclear or that were specific to the English language;
— clarification of rules that were ambiguous;
— updating of metamodels to reflect reality;
— removal of non-normative clauses.
ISO 15000 consists of the following parts, under the general title Electronic Business Extensible Markup
Language (ebXML):
— Part 5: Core Components Specification (CCS)
The following parts are under preparation:
1)
— Part 1: Collaboration-protocol profile and agreement specification (ebCPP)
2)
— Part 2: Message service specification (ebMS)
3)
— Part 3: Registry information model specification (ebRIM)
1) Revision of ISO/TS 15000-1:2004.
2) Revision of ISO/TS 15000-2:2004.
3) Revision of ISO/TS 15000-3:2004.
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4)
— Part 4: Registry services specification (ebRS)
4) Revision of ISO/TS 15000-4:2004.
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ISO 15000-5:2014(E)

Introduction
0.1 General
This International Standard describes and specifies a new approach to the well-understood problem
of the lack of information interoperability between applications in the e-business arena. Traditionally,
standards for the exchange of business data have been focused on static message definitions that have
not enabled a sufficient degree of interoperability or flexibility. A more flexible and interoperable
way of standardizing Business Semantics is required. The Core Component solution described in this
International Standard presents a methodology for developing a common set of semantic building
blocks that represent the general types of business data in use today and provides for the creation of
new business vocabularies and restructuring of existing business vocabularies.
0.2 Overview
The Core Components Specification (CCS) described in this International Standard provides a way
to identify, document and maximize the re-use of business information to support and enhance
interoperability across Business Processes. CCS focuses both on human-readable and machine-
processable representations of this information.
The Core Components approach described in this International Standard is more flexible than current
standards in this area because the semantic standardization is done in a syntax-neutral fashion. Using
Core Components as part of the ebXML framework will help to ensure that two trading partners using
different syntaxes [e.g. Extensible Markup Language (XML) and United Nations/EDI for Administration,
Commerce, and Transport (UN/EDIFACT)] are using Business Semantics in the same way on condition
that both syntaxes have been based on the same Core Components. This enables clean mapping between
disparate message definitions across syntaxes, industry and regional boundaries.
Business Process and Core Component solutions capture a wealth of information about the business
reasons for variation in message semantics and structure. In the past, these variations have led to
incompatible data models and a subsequent lack of interoperability. The core components mechanism
will allow identification of similarities and differences between these models. Incompatibility becomes
incremental rather than wholesale, i.e. the detailed points of difference are noted, rather than a whole
model being dismissed as incompatible.
0.3 Key Concepts
The CCS key concepts are based two levels of abstraction: Core Components and Business Information
Entities. These focus areas are discussed in Clauses 4 and 5: in each case, the concepts are introduced
and a normative definition is given, as well as an example, where appropriate.
NOTE The term Core Component is used as a generic term that encompasses Basic Core Components,
Association Core Components, Aggregate Core Components, and their associated Core Component Types. Equally,
the term Business Information Entity is used as a generic term encompassing Basic Business Information Entities,
Association Business Information Entities, and Aggregate Business Information Entities.
0.4 Key Core Component Concepts
The central concept of this International Standard is the Core Component. The Core Component is a
semantic building block, which is used as a basis to construct all electronic business messages.
There are four different categories of Core Components:
a) Basic Core Component;
b) Association Core Component;
c) Core Component Type;
d) Aggregate Core Component.
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Deined
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These concepts are described below and their definitions are given in Clause 3.
Party
Name (Text)
Role (Code)
Description (Text)
Postal
Address
Contact
Street Name (Text)
Type (Code)
Free Form (Text)
Job Title (Text)
Postcode (Text)
Primary (Indicator)
Country (Identiier)
Figure 1 — Association Core Component
Figure 1 is an example of an Association Core Component and shows the following:
— three Aggregate Core Components: “Party. Details”; “Contact. Details” and “Address. Details”;
— each Aggregate Core Component has a number of Properties (i.e. business characteristics);
— the Aggregate Core Component “Party. Details” has five Properties (“Name”, “Role”, “Description”,
“Defined. Contact” and “Postal. Address”);
— the Aggregate Core Component “Contact. Details” has three Properties (“Type”, “Job Title” and
“Primary”);
— the Aggregate Core Component “Address. Details” has four Properties (“Street Name”, “Free Form”,
“Postcode” and “Country”).
Ten of these Properties are Basic Core Components. They each represent a singular business characteristic
and its set of allowed values is defined by a Data Type.
In the above example:
— “Name”, “Description”, “Job Title”, “Street Name”, “Free Form” and “Postcode” are of the Data Type
Text;
— “Role” and “Type” are of the Data Type Code;
— “Primary” is of the Data Type Indicator;
— “Country” is of the Data Type Identifier.
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The other two Properties are Association Core Components. They each represent a set of complex
business characteristics and in each case their structure is defined by another associated Aggregate
Core Component. In the above example, “Party. Defined. Contact” and “Party. Postal. Address” are both
Association Core Components. The structures of these associated Aggregate Core Components are
defined by the Aggregate Core Components “Contact. Details” and “Address. Details”, respectively.
Core Components (and Business Information Entities) have Properties that are defined by Data Types.
A Data Type represents the full range of values to be used for the representation of a particular Core
Component Property. A Data Type is based on one of the Core Component Types, but can include
restrictions of the set of values of the Content Component and/or Supplementary Component(s) of that
Core Component Type.
The diagram in Figure 2 shows the relationships between the various Core Component elements.
Figure 2 — Core Component Overview
0.5 Key Business Information Entity Concepts
The key differentiator between Core Components and Business Information Entities is the concept of
Business Context. Business context is a mechanism for refining the semantic meaning of components
according to the specific requirements of their context of use. Once Business Contexts are identified,
Core Components can be designed to take into account any necessary qualification and refinement
needed to support the use of their Core Component in the given Business Context. The Business Process
definition provides a high level description of the use of a message and its contents.
When a Core Component is used in a real business circumstance it serves as the basis of a Business
Information Entity. The Business Information Entity is the result of using a Core Component within a
specific Business Context.
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A specific relationship exists between Core Components and Business Information Entities. Core
Components and Business Information Entities are complementary in many respects. Core Components
are intended to be the linchpin for creating interoperable Business Process models and business
documents using a Controlled Vocabulary.
An Aggregate Business Information Entity is a piece of business data or a group of pieces of business
data with a unique Business Semantic definition in a specific Business Context.
There are three different categories of Business Information Entities:
a) Basic Business Information Entity;
b) Association Business Information Entity;
c) Aggregate Business Information Entity.
The most primitive of these is the Basic Business Information Entity. A Basic Business Information
Entity is a Basic Core Component used in a specific Business Context.
Whenever a Property of an Aggregate Business Information Entity is of a complex nature, and has
the structure of another Aggregate Business Information Entity, an Association Business Information
Entity is used to represent that Property. An Association Business Information Entity is based on an
Association Core Component, but exists in a Business Context.
Trade_ Party
Name (Text)
Role (Code)
Postal
Responsible_ Contact Structured_ Address
Type (Code)
Postcode (Text)
Job Title (Text)
Country (Identiier)
Figure 3 — Association Business Information Entity
Figure 3 is an example of Association Business Information Entity and shows the following:
— three Aggregate Business Information Entities: “Trade_ Party. Details”, “Responsible_ Contact. Details”
and “Structured Address. Details”;
— each Aggregate Core Component has a number of Properties (i.e. business characteristics);
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— the Aggregate Business Information Entity “Trade_ Party. Details” has four Properties (“Name”,
“Role”, “Defined. Responsible_ Contact” and “Postal. Structured_ Address”);
— the Aggregate Business Information Entity “Responsible_ Contact. Details” has two Properties
(“Type” and “Job Title”);
— the Aggregate Business Information Entity “Structured_ Address. Details” has two Properties
(“Postcode” and “Country”).
Six of these Properties are Basic Business Information Entities: they each represent a singular business
characteristic and in each case their set of allowed values is defined by their Data Type:
— “Name”, “Job Title” and “Postcode” are of the Data Type Text;
— “Role” and “Type” are of the Data Type Code;
— “Country” is of the Data Type Identifier.
Two of the Properties are Association Business Information Entities: they each represent a set of complex
business characteristics and in each case their structure is defined by another associated Aggregate
Business Information Entity:
— “Trade_ Party. Defined. Responsible_ Contact” and “Trade_ Party. Postal. Structured_ Address” are
both Association Business Information Entities;
— the structures of these Associated Aggregate Business Information Entities are defined by the Aggregate
Business Information Entities “Responsible_ Contact. Details” and “Structured_ Address. Details”,
respectively.
The features of the relationship between Core Components and Business Information Entities are
described in the Figure 4.
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Core Component Library
Core Business
Core Component Type (CCT)
Speciies
restrictions on
Further
Data Type Data Type
restricts
Deines set of
Deines set
values of
of values of
Is based
Basic Core Component
Basic Business Information Entity
on
Association Business
Is based
Association Core
Information Entity
on
Component
As property
As property
aggregated in
aggregated in
Qualiies the
Aggregate Core Component Aggregate Business Information Entity
Object Class of
Aggregated in
Message Assembly
Figure 4 — Relationships between Core Components and Business Information Entities
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INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 15000-5:2014(E)
Electronic Business Extensible Markup Language
(ebXML) —
Part 5:
Core Components Specification (CCS)
1 Scope
This International Standard describes and specifies the Core Component solution as a methodology for
developing a common set of semantic building blocks that represent general types of business data,
and provides for the creation of new business vocabularies and restructuring of existing business
vocabularies.
This International Standard can be employed wherever business information is being shared or exchanged
amongst and between enterprises, governmental agencies, and/or other organizations in an open and
worldwide environment. The Core Components user community consists of business and governmental
users, business document modellers and business data modellers, Business Process modellers, and
application developers of different organizations that require interoperability of business information.
This interoperability covers both interactive and batch exchanges of business data between applications
through the use of internet and web-based information exchanges, as well as traditional Electronic Data
Interchange (EDI) systems.
This International Standard forms the basis for standards development work of business analysts,
business users and information technology specialists supplying the content for applications that will
use a Core Component Library.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and are
indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated
references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO/IEC 11179-4:2004, Information technology — Metadata registries (MDR) — Part 4: Formulation of
data definitions
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1
Aggregate Business Information Entity
ABIE
collection of related pieces of business information that together convey a distinct business meaning in
a specific Business Context
Note 1 to entry: Expressed in modelling terms, it is the representation of an object class, in a specific Business
Context.
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3.2
Aggregate Core Component
ACC
collection of related pieces of business information that together convey a distinct business meaning,
independent of any specific Business Context
3.3
Association Business Information Entity
ASBIE
Business Information Entity that represents a complex business characteristic of a specific Object Class
in a specific Business Context
Note 1 to entry: It has a unique Business Semantic definition. An Association Business Information Entity
represents an Association Business Information Entity Property and is therefore associated to an Aggregate
Business Information Entity, which describes its structure. An Association Business Information Entity is derived
from an Association Core Component.
3.4
Association Business Information Entity Property
ASBIE Property
Business Information Entity Property for which the permissible values are expressed as a complex
structure, represented by an Aggregate Business Information Entity
3.5
Association Core Component
ASCC
Core Component which constitutes a complex business characteristic of a specific Aggregate Core
Component that represents an Object Class
Note 1 to entry: It has a unique Business Semantic definition. An Association Core Component represents an
Association Core Component Property and is associated to an Aggregate Core Component, which describes its
structure.
3.6
Association Core Component Property
ASCC Property
Core Component Property for which the permissible values are expressed as a complex structure,
represented by an Aggregate Core Component
3.7
Attribute
named value or relationship that exists for some or all instances of some entity and is directly associated
with that instance
3.8
Basic Business Information Entity
BBIE
Business Information Entity that represents a singular business characteristic of a specific Object Class
in a specific Business Context
Note 1 to entry: It has a unique Business Semantic definition. A Basic Business Information Entity represents a
Basic Business Information Entity Property and is therefore linked to a Data Type, which describes it values.
3.9
Basic Business Information Entity Property
BBIE Property
Business Information Entity Property for which the permissible values are expressed by simple values,
represented by a Data Type
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3.10
Basic Core Component
BCC
core component has a unique Business Semantic definition and it constitutes a singular business
characteristic of a specific Aggregate Core Component that represents an Object Class.
3.11
Basic Core Component Property
BCC Property
Core Component Property for which the permissible values are expressed by simple values, represented
by a Data Type
3.12
Business Information Entity
BIE
piece of business data or a group of pieces of business data with a unique Business Semantic definition
Note 1 to entry: A business information entity can be a Basic Business Information Entity (BBIE), an Association
Business Information Entity (ASBIE), or an Aggregate Business Information Entity (ABIE).
Note 2 to entry: Message assembly is the process whereby Business Information Entities are assembled into a
usable document for exchanging business information.
3.13
Business Information Entity Property
BIE Property
business characteristic belonging to the Object Class in its specific Business Context that is represented
by an Aggregate Business Information Entity
3.14
Business Semantics
precise meaning of words from a business perspective
3.15
Business Term
synonym under which the Core Component or Business Information Entity is commonly known and
used in the business
Note 1 to entry: A Core Component or Business Information Entity may have several Business Terms or synonyms.
3.16
cardinality
indication of whether a characteristic is optional, mandatory and/or repetitive
3.17
Classification Scheme
officially supported scheme to describe a given Context Category
3.18
Content Component
Primitive Type used to express the content of a Core Component Type
3.19
Content Component restrictions
format restriction that applies to the possible values of a Content Component
Note 1 to entry: Supplementary Component restrictions are the format restriction that applies to the possible
values of a Supplementary Component.
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3.20
Context
circumstances in which a Business Process can be used
Note 1 to entry: This is specified by a set of Context Categories known as Business Context.
3.21
Context Category
group of one or more related values used to express a characteristic of a business circumstance
3.22
Controlled Vocabulary
supplemental vocabulary used to uniquely define potentially ambiguous words or Business Terms
3.23
Core Component
CC
building block for the creation of a semantically correct and meaningful information exchange package
which contains only the information pieces necessary to describe a specific concept
3.24
Core Component Library
CCL
collection of Core Components created by a particular organization
Note 1 to entry: A Core Component Library contains all the Core Component Types, Basic Core Components,
Aggregate Core Components, Basic Business Information Entities and Aggregate Business Information Entities
specified by that organization.
3.25
Core Component Property
CC Property
business characteristic belonging to the Object Class represented by an Aggregate Core Component
3.26
Core Component Type
CCT
Core Component which consists of one and only one Content Component that carries the actual content
plus zero or more optional Supplementary Components giving essential extra definition to the Content
Component
3.27
Data Type
DT
set of valid values that can be used for a particular Basic Core Component Property or Basic Business
Information Entity Property
3.28
definition
unique semantic meaning of a Core Component, Business Information Entity, Business Context or Data
Type
3.29
Dictionary Entry Name
DEN
unique official name of a Core Component, Business Information Entity, Business Context or Data Type
in the dictionary
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3.30
Library Class
formal definition of all information common to Core Components, Business Information Entities, Data
Types and Business Contexts
Note 1 to entry: A unique identifier is an identifier that references a Library Class instance in a unique and
unambiguous way.
Note 2 to entry: Usage rules are rules which describe how and/or when to use a Library Class.
3.31
Naming Convention
set of rules that together comprise how the Dictionary Entry Name for Core Components and Business
Information Entities are constructed
3.32
Object Class
logical data grouping (in a logical data model) to which a data element belongs
3.33
Object Class Term
component of the name of a Core Component or Business Information Entity which represents the Object
Class to which it belongs
3.34
Primitive Type
used for the representation of a value
3.35
Property
characteristic common to all memb
...