e-documents are an essential part of the e-business revolution, so what is an 'e-document'? e-documents are documents sent by email, replacing the existing printed, faxed and EDI documents which form the current B2B communications.
The main advantages of e-documents are that they are broadly cost free to send via the internet, and that they can be read directly into the recipients business application thereby automating B2B supply chain communications between differing computer systems. Just sending the text of an invoice by email is not enough to enable the document to be printed with an appropriate form overlay, or to be read into the receiver's computer system. Some structure for the data plus a format is required to enable the data to be understood. The need for a standard has long been recognised but only recently has XML emerged as the front runner for internet data communications.
XML (eXtensible Markup Language) enables the data to be arranged into a format (specified by a schema) which can be read by current versions of most internet browsers, in addition a style sheet can be specified for printing the data in the correct format, including the form overlay. The style sheet is not sent with the data, but is retrieved from the internet, or from the local cache.
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CPPD/XML enables System i spooled files to be converted to XML and sent as email by an SMTP server enabling the receiver's computer to print and import the data into an XML enabled application. No additional System i software is required. CPPD/XML can be used in conjunction with CPPD to trial the principles of e-documents by sending XML to a limited number of customers/suppliers while continuing to fax or print to the remainder.
Cobwebb Communications provide a complete service including pre-sales support and XML scheme/style sheet design to enable customers to update existing systems to output e-documents with minimum technical knowledge.
CPPD/Email
Sending System i spooled files by email is the first step towards full e-document XML implementation.CPPD/Email allows you to select any System i spooled file, reformat the data using CPPD/Document Management and send the spooled file as an email ASCII text attachment using an SMTP server. The user receives the email as an attachment, which can be printed or imported into an application using a suitable PC interface. |
