ALEXANDRIA, VA -  June 7, 2004 - The OFDA Technology Committee announced that the OFDAOrder XML schema is now available for commercial usage. The Committee approved a new version of the OFDAOrder schema as an OFDAxml standard, and it is ready for widespread deployment.

This new standard was developed to simplify the process dealers go through when transmitting data across different computer and software platforms. 

The OFDAOrder schema version 2.4.2 is the first OFDAxml release, and is part of the Committee's plan to replace the current SIF text standard with a new, open XML (extensible markup language) standard for the office furniture industry.

The OFDAOrder schema incorporates the order, acknowledgement, and advance shipping notice transactions, and is designed to provide a unified way for dealers and manufacturers to communicate information throughout the order process. The new schema is available for download at www.ofdaxml.org .

“The OFDA Technology Committee is pleased to unveil our first product, the OFDAOrder schema,” said Mark Duros, OFDA director of research and technology. “OFDAOrder offers a new unified way of communicating information throughout the supply chain, and will eliminate much of the duplication and needless expense in this area that have plagued our industry for far too long. This release is a real tribute to the hard work of the committee members and their ability to take the long-term view of what's good for the industry and their own companies.”

Industry Reaction

“The OFDAOrder schema will benefit dealers immediately because they should be able to send one format to all their suppliers,” said Bruce Allum, Data One Inc. “Dealers will be able to pass more information than they were able to in the past, like requested ship time and staging.”

Once the dealers start using the format, the suppliers will be forced to catch up and also start using the format, Allum said. The schema is a basic XML format, so suppliers will have one format and will be able to communicate with all the dealers.

“This provides the industry with a standard way of passing data from point to point,” said Bobby Head, product manager at ECI2/DDMS. “This schema brings unity to an industry that has always been proprietary in nature.”

Unlike SIF, the new schema was designed to be flexible to accommodate the many needs of the entire industry. It was designed to allow for additions and options at every level, said Head.

“As a manufacturer has a need for data in or out of its system, they simply decide the proper placement and have software developers do the rest. This common schema will allow all dealers and manufacturers to pass data for everything from purchase orders, acknowledgements, and shipping notices to invoicing, catalog updates and more.”

The old SIF was not really a standard, said Diana Gentry, development and dealer consultant for Team Systems. “There were numerous interpretations of the old SIF format. The new schema has incorporated all the elements of the old SIF format, regardless of a specific manufacturer's needs. The new schema handles current issues as well as proactively thinking of future needs of the industry.”

About the OFDA Technology Committee
The OFDA Technology Committee was formed in December of 1999 with a goal of creating industry standards to simplify the process of transmitting both graphical and non-graphical data across different computer platforms and software programs. The initiative presents an opportunity for dramatic productivity gains and cost-savings for all segments of the industry. 

Spearheaded by the Office Furniture Dealers Alliance (OFDA) industry trade association, the OFDA Technology Committee is comprised of leading office furniture manufacturers and software developers.For more information on the OFDA Technology Committee, please visit www.ofdaxml.org or contact Mark Duros, OFDA Director of Technology and Research, at mduros@ofdanet.org.