Emerging Technologies and Business Processes – Anders Grangard & Adrian Mueller

CEN WORKSHOP eInvoicing Phase 2 Taskgroup 4 Final Report

Anders Grangard, GS1 InternationalAdrian Mueller, Expert Task Group 4

eInvoicing Workshop Meeting Brussels, 18 June 2009

©2005 CEN – all rights reserved

eInvoicing Workshop Public Meeting Brussels, 18 June 2009

© 2008 CEN – all rights reserved 22/06/2009

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Task Group 4:

Emerging technologies and business processes




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Members:Anders Grangard (GS 1 International), Andrea Caccia (Innovery), Francis Berthomieu (Orange FT Group), Otto Mueller (Dr. Otto Mueller Consulting), Klaus Foerderer (GS1 Germany), Wolfgang Eckert (Deutsche Post), Peter Potgieser (ABN Amro), Erwann Revolt (Orange FT Group), Dirk Weidenbach (xft)

Expert:Adrian Mueller (Dr. Otto Mueller Consulting)




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Task Group 4: The main objectives

Main objectives are based on the CEN/ISSS Phase II business plan:

Implementation of compliant electronic invoice systems in using emerging technologies and business processes; this will include issues such as:- assessment of business processes, i.e. b-2-b trading platforms.

Identification of new and emerging technologies with potential impact on electronic invoices and related business processes




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“Yesterday’s papers”

Different perceptions of what a “new” technology / process is

Might be well established for a big market player – but new to an SMEUsage of a technology/process in new context

Promising new technologies and processes arise frequently

Comply with legal regulations, market environment

Describe specific technologies/processes: Danger of lagging behind, republishing “yesterday’s papers”




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CWA is about:

Methodology

Categorising and assessing new technologies and processes

By scheming and explaining a four-layered framework for this categorisation and assessment:

SemanticsInteraction ModelsProcessesTechnology




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CWA is about (cont.):

Give guidance upon applying the framework for the assessment of emerging technologies and processes

Demonstrating this with examples

Existing work is referenced and quoted (CWA 15582, e-Invoicing Compliance Guidelines, …)– not reinventing the wheel




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Framework

Semantics: Common basis for communication, terms and definitions

Interaction Models:Parties involved (Bilateral, 3- or 4-Corner Model)

Processes:Process (steps) and components

Technologies:Specific implementations

Semantics

Interaction Models

Processes

Technology




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Framework: Semantics

Common basis for understanding

Between experts in different areas: legal, financial, technical, …

Proper / common usage of terms

Sample list of terms and their definitions provided as annex in the document




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Framework: Interaction Models

High level business view on how sellers and buyers organise the transfer of invoices and the exchange of related documents

Number of involved parties

Models:Bilateral model (with different flavours)3-corner model4-corner model (also multi-corner model)




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Framework: Processes

Process as such is eInvoicing, i.e. traditional billing or self-billing with electronic means

Composed of different process steps:operational components of the process

Functional modules“Atomic” building blocksSame functional module can be contained in different process steps

Business Process

Process Steps

Functional Modules




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Framework: Technology

Specific technologies

Nuts and bolts

Serve to implement the functional modules and the process steps of the processes layer




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Guidance for assessment

Pragmatic

Low learning curve

Six main steps for technologies / processes

Compare with the four layers of framework

Plus Decision Implementation / Adaptation




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Guidance for assessment (cont.)

Bottom-up approach: Step into lower layers first

Discussing examples: Technology: Communication specification AS2Processes: Adaptation of Registered E-Mail as business process to eInvoicing

Tool for getting a quick overview how a new technology/process can be utilised or adapted to eInvoicing




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Example assessment

Example chosen is AS2 (Applicability Statement 2)

AS2 is a specification for reliable transportation of data over HTTP

“New” or “old” technology depends of context

Semantics

Interaction Models

Processes

Technology




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Example assessment (cont.)

1. Technology: AS2 specified in IETF RFC 4130

2. Processes:2.1 Functional modules:

Communication, Authentication, Integrity2.2 Process steps:

First mile SendReceipt and technical verificationLast mile

include functional modules identified in 2.1benefit from AS2




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Example assessment (cont.)

3. Interaction models: AS2 can be applied within all models (2,3,4-corner)

4. Semantics:Terms and definitions of AS2-RFC in line with list of definitions (sample in Annex A)

5. Possible decision: Service provider implements AS2 for first / last mile

6. Implementation:Consider e-Invoicing Compliance Guidelines for process steps first / last mile




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Questions?