Presenter Monique L. Snowden Director of Enrollment Research & Technology Texas A&M University AAACRO SPEEDE Committee, Chair-elect
Session Description This is an introduction to the electronic exchange of student data using approved EDI and XML standards. Basic concepts and benefits of EDI and XML will be described in this non-technical session for beginners. Included will be a discussion of how to choose between EDI and XML-- comparisons, contrasts and interoperability. Intended Audience: New to the profession ANSCI (American National Standards Institute) X12 EDI: 130 Student Educational Record 131 Student Educational Record Acknowledgment 146 Request for Student Educational Record 147 Response to Request for Student Educational Record 189 Application for Admissions PESC (Postsecondary Education Standards Council) XML: College Transcript High School Transcript
The primary goal is to go from this Sender Receiver Data File Re-key Data Transcript Conventional Mail Transcript Request Processed Recipient Data Files
Coded To: Student Data File Sender Standard Format To this Secure Network Receiver Standard Format Decoded From: Recipient Data Files Request Processed Request Transfer Complete
The structuring problem Interchangeable files attempting to transfer a file only to discover that the recipient can t read the format you used Forces developers to use same tools Limits types of tools used in the organization Limits developer/knowledge worker productivity Customized page layouts limited in accessing web content via different devices Forces web authors to provide different pages for each mode of access Limits devices for accessing pages Limits reach to client-base
The structuring problem Business Integration inefficient or absence of integrated applications and databases Impedes connectivity between different applications and databases Limits the coherent view of information for a particular function/area Trading partner coordination interpretation of data/information Impedes the agreement of terms of the trading relationship Impedes the agreement of polices to apply during trading Impedes the automation of processing of data received
The structuring problem Each party accessing data may have different perspectives of what that data means Geographic colloquialisms Professional jargon Different languages The more parties involved the data the greater the opportunity for misinterpretation Many application developed for distributed networks Greater reach of networks = greater opportunity for data exchange problems
AACRAO SPEEDE Committee The AACRAO SPEEDE Committee develops and assists with the implementation and approval of standards for electronic data exchange for student transcripts, admission applications, and other educational records. Standardization of Postsecondary Education Electronic Data Exchange Standards are Essential! SPEEDE has been actively involved in the development and approval of EDI & XML standards
Imagine a world without Standards no order
Imagine a world without Standards no consistency
When and Why Electronic Data Exchange Standards? Is your data handling redundant, inefficient, inconsistent frustrating? Data standards facilitate the leveraging of efficiency, quality and transparency of electronic data exchange. Do you want to improve the quality of information? reduce costs? sharpen competitive strengths? increase trading partners? increased security? improve your customers experience?
Do you want prove to your leadership that the return on investment in technology is achievable - not elusive? Today s leaders in higher education are using data standards, resources, guidance, and collaborative environments to draw blueprints for tomorrow s success!
The Introduction: EDI EDI stands for Electronic Data Interchange Organizations that send or receive documents to and/or from each other are referred to as "trading partners Many view EDI from the technical perspective that EDI is a data format EDI is a system for exchanging business documents with external entities, and integrating the data from those documents into an organization s internal systems
The Promise: EDI electronic transmission of standard business documents in a predetermined format from one company s business computer application to it s trading partners business computer application. - Cannon, 1993 EDI was first developed by the automobile/transportation industry in the 1960s. Today, it is widely used in a variety of industries, including distribution, finance and accounting, health care, manufacturing, purchasing, retail, tax form filing, and shipping and Higher Education. EDI is a subset of electronic commerce that encompasses the exchange of business information in a standardized electronic form (layout). EDI is still used for the vast majority of electronic commerce transactions in the world
An Example EDI Transmission ST!189!082440022\ BGN!00!082440022!20061001!1830!CT\ N1!AS!!ZZ!ADAPP\ N1!AT!!73!999999\ REF!48!999999999!FFRESHMAN APPLICATION ID\ DTP!196!CM!200709\ REF!SY!999999999!STUDENT REPORTED SSN\ IN1!1!02\ IN2!05!SMITH\ IN2!02!JOHN\ IN2!03!ADAM\ REF!PSM!9999888877776666! 201005V JOHN A SMITH\ DMG!D8!19880101!M!I!E!1!!8\ IND!!AZ!!TEMPE\ N3!1234 CANYON LN\ N4!TEMPE!AZ!85280!!CY!013MARICOPA\ N3!LOCAL SAME AS PERMANENT\ COM!HP!4809650011\ COM!CP!4808942233\ COM!EM!aspiringstudent@gmail.com\ ST = Start BGN = Begin N1 = Name REF = Reference DTP = Date and Time Period IN1 = Individual Identification IN2 = Individual Name Structure DMG = Demographic IND = Individual Info N3 = Address Info N4 = Geographic Location COM = Communication and Contact Info
The Introduction: XML XML stands for EXtensible Markup Language A markup language combines text and extra information about the text. The extra information about the text's structure or presentation is expressed using markup, which is intermingled with the primary text. The term "markup" is derived from the traditional publishing practice of "marking up" a manuscript, that is, adding printer's instructions in the margins of a paper manuscript. For centuries, this task was done by specialists known as "markup men" who marked up text to indicate what typeface, font, style, and size should be applied to each part, and then handed off the manuscript to someone else for the tedious task of typesetting by hand.
The Promise: XML In the early 1980s, the idea that markup should be focused on the structural aspects of a document and leave the visual presentation of that structure to the interpreter led to the creation of Standardized General Markup Language (SGML) In the early 1990s, HTML was designed for formatting text on a Web page Adequate for web page layout Inadequate for describing the data e.g. author, document and subject Inadequate for data analysis e.g. web server and format of data returned XML simplifies SGML by focusing on a particular problem documents on the Internet XML like SGML is a meta-language that allows users to create any tags needed (thus it's extensible) and then describe those tags and their permitted uses. Key Point: XML was designed to describe data
An Example XML Document <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <Recipe name="bread" prep_time="5 mins" cook_time="3 hours> <title>basic bread</title> <ingredient amount="3" unit="cups">flour</ingredient> <ingredient amount="0.25" unit="ounce">yeast</ingredient> <ingredient amount="1.5" unit="cups">warm Water</ingredient> <ingredient amount="1" unit="teaspoon">salt</ingredient> <Instructions> <step>mix all ingredients together, and knead thoroughly.</step> <step>cover with a cloth, and leave for one hour in warm room.</step> <step>knead again, place in a tin, and then bake in the oven.</step> </Instructions> </Recipe>
EDI & XML: Compared and Contrasted Functional group, transaction set, header, detail, summary EDI transaction set (TS) made up of: Segments in predefined order (e.g., an address) Each segment made up of related data fields (e.g., street number) in specific order Each data field is defined by data type (e.g. character, numeric) and codes which can be used XML schema made up of: Simple and complex elements, analogous to segments and data fields
EDI & XML: Compared and Contrasted EDI is a well-established technology for automating processing and document interchange XML is an emerging standard designed to simplify Web-based transactions EDI documents are typically in a compressed, machine-only readable form XML is an open human-readable, text format EDI was traditionally built from the ground up without being able to share resources XML is being developed w/low-cost tools and open source projects EDI typically requires dedicated servers XML requires a reliable PC with an Internet connection EDI can involve high transaction based costs higher education solution Texas Server XML in Internet-based has low ongoing flat-rate costs
EDI & XML: Interoperability Many organizations who embrace both EDI and XML, started out in the EDI arena years and in some cases, decades ago There is a significant investment and mass built around EDI EDI will not simply disappear and be replaced by XML Many organizations create gateways and interconnectivity between EDI and XML, so that the two fronts of data exchange are available and interoperable for their business needs. The motivation for EDI organizations to utilize XML has resulted from the recognition that it is an effective method for broadening the group of trading partners including those who may not currently use EDI
Things to consider Business Needs trade, share, intra-, inter- Trading Partners Openness Scalability influence of volume Acceptance software vendors
Questions??? Monique L. Snowden Director of Information Technology Texas A&M University Office of Admissions and Records 0200 TAMU College Station, Texas 77843-0200 (979) 845-4067 voice (979) 458-1808 fax monique@tamu.edu