An Introduction to Unicorn

Transcription

1 Electronic Data Interchange Messages for Travel, Tourism and Leisure Reference TTIR01 Version 6.2 February 2001 No part of this overview may be translated or reproduced in any form without the written permission of TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE Ltd. c/o Rowden Farm Brentor, Tavistock, Devon, PL19 0NG

2 CONTENTS 1. Introduction Electronic Data Interchange Unicorn Background Message Scope and Functionality Message Formats Unicorn Application Message Standard Implementing Unicorn Introduction Service Agreement Included Functionality Message Handling and Password Requirements Communications and Hours of Availability Charging and Account Settlement Membership of the Maintenance Authority Legal and Security Requirements Technical References Unicorn and other EDI Standards United Nations Trade Data Interchange Directory (UNTDID) United Nations EDIFACT Interactive EDI Unicorn and TTI Membership Unicorn Document Format and Cost Useful Contacts...17 Travel Technology Initiative Limited Version 6.2 Issued Feb 01 Page 1

3 1. INTRODUCTION This document provides a brief introduction to Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and an overview of the travel industry specific EDI messages known as Unicorn. The reader will gain an appreciation of EDI and the business benefits of using Unicorn. Some technical information has been included to illustrate how EDI messages are constructed and exchanged between the computers of trading partners using various data communication options. Examples of current Unicorn applications are also included, together with a synopsis of all the (138) messages currently to be found in the latest version of Unicorn (Version 6.2). Anyone interested in implementing Unicorn is strongly advised to obtain a copy of the Unicorn Application Message Standard. Unicorn is maintained by the Travel Technology Initiative (TTI) and copies can be obtained from the address on the front of this document. Other useful EDI information contacts can be found at the back. UNICORN IN EUROPE - MAJOR USAGE AREA Travel Technology Initiative Limited Version 6.2 Issued Feb 01 Page 2

4 2. ELECTRONIC DATA INTERCHANGE EDI is the exchange of information between different computer applications. EDI software sits alongside the existing computer application and sends and receives information from other computers in a standardised and structured format. EDI applications are usually technology independent and use openly agreed message codes and structures to provide a secure and seamless exchange of data between the computers of trading partners. The benefits of using EDI are usually found where human intervention cannot add value to the messaging process and where business users have a need to communicate on a many to many basis. Where output from one computer is merely input to another, albeit in a different format or order, it is highly likely that the information can be more efficiently exchanged using EDI. EDI messages evolve when trading partners come together to discuss how they might exchange trading data more efficiently. Once messages have been specified, they need to be published and maintained, a task that usually falls to an industry body, or an international organisation such as the United Nations. Messages may be proprietary, industry specific or generic. Although Unicorn is industry specific, it follows many of the generic guidelines found in the UN/EDIFACT messages. As the early use of EDI grew, so did calls for world-wide standards. Under the auspices of the United Nations and the UK's SITPRO and ECA, the UN/EDIFACT standards have evolved from the United Nations Trade Data Interchange Standards. Today the EDIFACT standard is promoted through industry specific development groups, including CEN/EBES EEG 8 which has responsibility for Travel, Tourism and Leisure in Western Europe. The main benefit of using EDI is the streamlining of business processes and the elimination of reconciliation and errors brought about by human processing of shared data. Over 90% of EDI users claim to have obtained significant benefits and intend to increase their levels of usage. The EDI community is very willing to share experiences and benefits with new users. The major development effort is in specifying and agreeing messages. Once this is done a well planned implementation of EDI can be painless and risk free. Travel Technology Initiative Limited Version 6.2 Issued Feb 01 Page 3

5 3. UNICORN 3.1 Background Unicorn was conceived by the European ferry industry to process and respond to travel requests between host reservation systems and travel agents. Since the first messages were developed in 1985, Unicorn has been expanded to cover other sectors of travel, such as air, general sales, insurance, rail and accommodation. The ability to provide travel documentation, such as paper tickets and magnetically encoded ATB2's (Automated Ticket and Boarding cards), is also provided in the message set. At the time of writing, the latest release of Unicorn (Version 6.2) has nearly a hundred and forty messages. Unicorn was developed within the guidelines defined in the United Nations Trade Data Interchange Standards (UNTDI dated 1975) which included a body of existing applications, principally within freight transport. Unicorn adopts the flexible approach of the UNTDI framework that will allow EDI to expand in the travel industry and to cross trading boundaries to other related business sectors. Wherever possible, Unicorn has adopted existing technical standards. Typically, Unicorn is used to pass messages between host computer systems, although there are applications between PCs and hosts. Unicorn is a set of EDI messages that sit above the user application and have no influence on the presentation of data at the receiving system and is not designed to interact directly with non intelligent terminals. Travel Technology Initiative Limited Version 6.2 Issued Feb 01 Page 4

6 3.2 Message Scope and Functionality Unicorn currently fulfils part of the total EDI requirements of the travel, tourism and leisure industry. It is based on the traditional EDI batch message construction (as designed for bulk data movement between computer systems), but used interactively with individual messages being sent and returned in predefined pairs. As this form of EDI usage is not truly interactive it is known as fast batch. The Unicorn message set now includes air, ferry, rail, most types of accommodation, insurance, sales of associated travel products and financial transactions such as statements and payment remittances. In addition, there are messages which allow the remote printing of travel documents, such as paper tickets and ATB2's. Unicorn messages support the following business applications: - Product information, enquiries, tariffs, schedules and availability. - Making of reservations. - Enquiry on, amendment to or cancellation of reservations. - Pricing, ticketing and production of similar documents. - Free text. Unicorn messages can be transmitted between just two trading partners or concurrently from one initiator to several providers to determine a best deal from a number of different systems. Implementations to date have consisted of message pairs, an initial message request followed by a message response, with each transmission containing only one message. However, the Unicorn message standard does not restrict usage to message pairs and multi message transmissions may be implemented if both trading partners can support it. Unicorn implementations are not restricted to traditional travel companies and intermediaries acting on behalf of either agencies or principals may implement Unicorn messages. Travel Technology Initiative Limited Version 6.2 Issued Feb 01 Page 5

7 There are currently nearly one hundred and forty Unicorn messages, covering a wide range of business functions. Message dialogues have been implemented by most users under the message pair concept but may be used as a number of messages in each transmission where this is needed by the trading partners. The following table illustrates the range of functions and industry sectors that Unicorn messages support. Functionality Accommodation Air Ferry General Sales Insurance Rail Information/Tariffs Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Inventory Availability Enquiry Inventory Alternatives Enquiry Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes New Reservation Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Reservation Recall Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Reservation Amendment* Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Reservation Cancellation* Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Ticket (Availability for Issue) Enquiry Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Paper Ticket Issue Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Tickets Issued Report Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes ATB2 Pectab Loading Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes ATB2 Ticket Issue Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Ticket Voiding Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Ticket Re-issue Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes General Printing Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Abort Transmission Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Connection Time-up Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Use of RESCON message in association with the above Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Statement of Account and Remittance Advice Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes * Includes advice of cancellation fees and acceptance of charges message. Travel Technology Initiative Limited Version 6.2 Issued Feb 01 Page 6

8 3.3 Message Formats Unicorn transmissions are formed by the collation of items of data, logically grouped into segments and exchanged with a trading partner as a message. Each message can be recognised by its standard six character name (e.g. FENQUI) as can every segment included in a message by its three character name (e.g. UNH). A transmission may be composed of one or more messages (but normally one) in a message pair organisation. They are conveyed above the data communications handling protocols employed (see also Section 5). Schematically, the hierarchical structure of an interchange can be illustrated by the diagram: Travel Technology Initiative Limited Version 6.2 Issued Feb 01 Page 7

9 Hierarchical Structure of an EDIFACT Interchange used by Unicorn 6.2 Messages are composed of appropriate data segments that represent a related business transaction. Each message starts with a message header segment (UNH) and ends with a message trailer segment (UNT). The message type identifying the business transaction is given in the message header segment (UNH). At this time Unicorn does not use the message grouping segments UNG and UNE. The segments are composed of the functionally related data elements that are always presented in the same order whenever the segment is used. Each segment commences with its three letter code and ends with a terminator indicator ('). Data elements represent the smallest unit of information and these are used as single standalone data elements or grouped into composite (related) data elements. Stand-alone data elements within a composite have (:) separators. Composites and stand-alone data elements outside a composite have (+) separators. Where the same composite or stand-alone data element is repeated they have (*) separators. Wherever possible, elements are of generic form that could be used across industry boundaries. An example of a message, sent by a UK travel agent which belongs to ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents) on 30 August 1994, enquiring of availability on a cross-channel ferry, Dover to Dieppe, sailing 1 October 1994, departing Dover 09:00 hours, as transmitted, might be: UNB+UNOA:1+SENDER+RECEIVER :1200+TRANS1++UNICORN:2 UNH+FENQUI:22+TERM INAL01+MESS1 ENQ+T AGT+ABTA1 RDQ:1+1+DOVE:DIEP :0900 UNT+5+MESS1 UNZ+ 1+TRANS1 Broken down into a more readable form by representing one segment per line, the message would appear more clearly as: UNB+UNOA:1+SENDER+RECEIVER :1200+TRANS1++UNICORN:2 UNH+FENQUI:22+TERMINAL01+MESS1 ENQ+T AGT+ABTA1 RDQ:1+1+DOVE:DIEP :0900 UNT+5+MESS1 UNZ+1+TRANS1 Transmission header Message header Business data Business data Business data Message trailer Transmission trailer 3.4 Unicorn Application Message Standard Version 6.2 of the Unicorn Application Message Standard is the current definitive document for implementing Unicorn messages. It contains a full description of the standard, all message definitions and a complete directory of data segments, data elements and code sets. The document includes a suggested Service Agreement for trading partners and examples of message transmissions and interchanges, plus some implementation guidelines. Travel Technology Initiative Limited Version 6.2 Issued Feb 01 Page 8

10 A copy of the Unicorn Application Message Standard can be obtained from TTI Limited at the prevailing publication fee. Order Forms for Version 6.2 can be requested from TTI at the address shown on the front of this document. Travel Technology Initiative Limited Version 6.2 Issued Feb 01 Page 9

11 4. IMPLEMENTING UNICORN 4.1 Introduction Implementing Unicorn messages should be approached on a normal project basis, assuming that the business justification has already been examined and agreed. It is recommended that the full implications of EDI are communicated to and understood by all the key players before the project is commenced. EDI changes the way companies do business and should not be considered as just another piece of software. Having decided to implement Unicorn, an early decision should be to purchase a copy of the Application Message Standard from the TTI. The very nature of EDI implies that one or more of your trading partners will already be using Unicorn and they should be able to assist in some early stages of the awareness curve. Alternatively, business and technical support can be forthcoming from your system supplier or from a specialist consultancy. The Application Message Standard includes an Implementation Guidelines and a section on establishing a formal Trading or Service Agreement which should be discussed with you Unicorn trading partners. 4.2 Service Agreement Although the Unicorn protocol and the Application Message Standard are intended to provide a comprehensive basis for an interchange agreement, there may be specific aspects of an implementation which individual users may wish to expand or modify. There could be a need to confirm commercial, operational and legal aspects of the trading relationship. For these purposes, all users of Unicorn should prepare a Service Agreement for each EDI arrangement. Modifications to the Unicorn protocol can only be agreed by all users of the Standard through the Maintenance Authority. Changes may be made between the individual parties to a particular agreement if they so wish. However, if further interconnections using the Unicorn standard are anticipated, it is clearly in the interest of users to maintain compatibility with the published protocol. The precise contents of a Service Agreement are a matter for the parties concerned in the proposed data interchange and the following sections are designed to help the formulation of an agreement by highlighting areas to be discussed. 4.3 Included Functionality Comprehensive details of system functionality, such as the ability to price and ticket, should be agreed, together with details of how access control will be maintained to those services and how it may be prohibited. Travel Technology Initiative Limited Version 6.2 Issued Feb 01 Page 10

12 4.4 Message Handling and Password Requirements Each trading partner will need to be aware of those parts of the Unicorn directory which will be fully, partly or not implemented. For each message, trading partners will need to know how the others' system will deal with any limitations on data to be exchanged. It should be noted that the precise input of data at the terminal is not relevant, merely how that will be presented in Unicorn. Where the use of a password is required by a system, this should be described clearly. 4.5 Communications and Hours of Availability Unicorn messages may be passed over a number of communications networks, some of which may operate different protocols. A common technique is for users to implement their own routines or a proprietary software package for formatting and de-formatting messages which can then be submitted to a proprietary communications protocol such as 2780, 3780, SNA, LU6.2 or X25 etc. The preferred protocol should be agreed in advance and detailed in the Service Agreement. 4.6 Charging and Account Settlement Where appropriate, the Service Agreement should cover the basis of charging for communications costs and services traded, together with when and where payment is to be made and the currency of valuation. 4.7 Membership of the Maintenance Authority Once Unicorn has been implemented, and becomes central to the business process, it is recommended that the user becomes a member of TTI. Travel Technology Initiative Limited Version 6.2 Issued Feb 01 Page 11

13 4.8 Legal and Security Requirements A contract to formalise and incorporate the Service Agreement should be made with each trading partner. This will probably include the following items: System availability times and access capacity, together with penalties for not maintaining the agreed service level. Responsibility for costs of development, operation and maintenance. Responsibility for data storage and public access, subject to the data protection laws of the country or countries concerned. Security of data transfer both normally and under special conditions and responsibility for any unauthorised access via the Unicorn protocol. Control of users and information provided to the system. Methods of payment. Extension of the system to new users for which one party will act as host. Procedures or arbitration in the event of any dispute. Travel Technology Initiative Limited Version 6.2 Issued Feb 01 Page 12

14 5. TECHNICAL REFERENCES Unicorn conforms to, and includes sections of, the standards known as the United Nations/ECE Guidelines for Trade Data Interchange (UNGTDI) and the American National Standards Institute Accredited Standards Committee X.12 (ANSI X.12), now incorporated in ISO Standard 9735 (UN/EDIFACT). The Data Interchange Standard referred to throughout as UNTDI of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, is itself referred to as UN/ECE or ECE. The level of document to which Unicorn refers is Document TRADE/WP.4/R dated 8 July 1986 and entitled TRADE DATA INTERCHANGE PROTOCOLS (016) Enhancement of the Guidelines for Trade Data Interchange (GTDI). Unicorn also makes reference for many of its data items to the UN/ECE Trade Data Elements Directory: referred to throughout as UNTDED. The above standards themselves refer to a number of other international standards: ISO 31/ General principles concerning quantities, units and symbols. ISO Information processing - ISO 7-bit coded char. set for information interchange. ISO 2382/ Data processing - Vocabulary - Part 01: Fundamental terms. ISO 2382/ Data processing - Vocabulary - Section 04: Organisation of data. ISO Data interchange - Structures for the identification of organisations. ISO 6937/ Information processing - Coded character sets for text communication. ISO Trade Data Elements Directory. ISO Open Systems Interconnection - Basic Reference Model. ISO Information processing - 8-bit single byte coded graphic character sets. Unicorn also conforms through UNTDED to UN/ECE Recommendations: 3 ISO Country Code - Code for representation of Names of Countries. 7 Numerical Representations of Dates, Time and Periods of Time. 8 Common Access Reference. 9 Alphabetic Codes for the Representation of Currencies. 10 Codes for Ship s Names. 16 Codes for Locations (LOCODE). 19 Codes for Modes of Transport. A number of data communication standards may be utilised in connection with the Unicorn messages. These may be proprietary or an internationally determined standard. Most used is the transport standard of X25 referred to in the user manual of the specification. That standard is the one recommended by the Consultative Committee on International Telephony and Telegraphy (CCITT) standard CCITT X25. This defines the interface between data terminal equipment and data circuit-terminating equipment for systems operating in the packet mode on public data networks. Travel Technology Initiative Limited Version 6.2 Issued Feb 01 Page 13

15 6. UNICORN AND OTHER EDI STANDARDS 6.1 United Nations Trade Data Interchange Directory (UNTDID) The Unicorn message set conforms to the UNTDID general standard defined in the document TRADE/WP.4/R Since the outset of the UNTDID in 1975, through to the incorporation of the American ANSI X12 standard, there have been many other applications developed for use around the world including Warehousing, Customs Declarations, Government Administration, Order Processing, Credit Control, Ports and Shipping, Pharmaceuticals. In these applications, many millions of data messages have been exchanged to the benefit of those companies, organisations and government departments taking part in them. EDI is designed to have the minimum impact upon in-house systems. 6.2 United Nations EDIFACT UN/EDIFACT (Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport) is a merger of two previous standards - Guidelines for Trade Data Interchange (GTDI) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) X.12. Formed in 1986, UN/EDIFACT represents a generic set of international EDI standards, whose rules are published by the UN/ECE in the UNTDID. Included in UNTDID are the syntax rules, conforming to ISO 9735, message and implementation guidelines and code directories. UN/EDIFACT operates through world-wide regional boards, each of which has industry specific message development groups. The Travel, Tourism and Leisure (TT&L) group for Europe, EEG 8, operates under CEN (Comité Européen de Normalisation) and EBES (European Board for EDI Standardisation). The most active groups in TT&L are Europe and Pan America. TTI supports these groups and the development of UN/EDIFACT messages. Unicorn, although an industry specific message set, does broadly follow UNTDID, with some documentary and minor message design differences. Although this is not of any immediate consequence, it does mean that Unicorn does not fully conform to the requirements of some other European and world message sets being developed for the travel industry. 6.3 Interactive EDI Almost all EDI implementations, including Unicorn, are currently using batch or fast batch processing. Recently, a number of user communities, notably travel, has identified a need to exchange data in real time, in the form of an interactive and conversational manner. This need for Interactive EDI (I-EDI) was initially promoted by a travel system development in the UK and continues to be formalised through the work of EEG 8 and the UN/EDIFACT technical groups. Travel Technology Initiative Limited Version 6.2 Issued Feb 01 Page 14

16 A Special Interest Group was established within UN/EDIFACT to produce new message guidelines for the development and implementation of I-EDI, which have now been incorporated into a new version of ISO I-EDI is more useful for circumstances where human intervention is required, perhaps using personal computers to conduct a conversation or dialogue with a host computer. For example, enquiring of product availability, the response to which could determine the next line of enquiry of the composition of the final transaction. I-EDI terminology will refer to scenarios, role players, dialogues and transactions. Interactive messages will not necessarily be a single definition. The message type may be determined by the scenario definition and may represent a set of messages with each member of the set representing a variation of function and/or data content. Unicorn Version 6.2 is not I-EDI. Travel Technology Initiative Limited Version 6.2 Issued Feb 01 Page 15

17 7. UNICORN AND TTI MEMBERSHIP 7.1 Unicorn Document Format and Cost The Unicorn Application Message Standard is issued and maintained by TTI, the official Maintenance Authority (see contact details in Section 8). Development and modification of Unicorn messages is an on-going process through TTI and membership is recommended for any user. There are four levels of TTI membership, Executive, Associate, Academic and Trade Body. Membership fees and benefits are shown on our website For non members of TTI the cost of supplying a copy of Unicorn Version 6.2 is currently (GBP)1500 or (GBP)1000 for an earlier version upgrade. TTI members obtain discounts ranging from 50% to 100%, depending on membership category. The Unicorn document is available as a Foresight EDISIM database file. Additional fees are payable by those organisations commercially using Unicorn. TTI introduced licence fees in January 1998 to help cover the cost of maintaining and developing the Unicorn standard. For details contact TTI.. Travel Technology Initiative Limited Version 6.2 Issued Feb 01 Page 16

18 8. USEFUL CONTACTS There are many organisations that can provide information and support of EDI. Many of the current Unicorn users will be only too pleased to share their experiences of implementing and using the messages. Membership of TTI is open to any organisation with an interest in the development and use of technological standards and there are many Working Parties to which members can contribute. The TTI organises industry wide forums and workshops and supports UN/EDIFACT through EEG 8. Further information about TTI and UNICORN can be obtained from: TTI, c/o Rowden Farm, Brentor, Tavistock, PL19 0NG, UK Travel Technology Initiative Limited Version 6.2 Issued Feb 01 Page 17