I was surprised to find that the one thing missing from the e-CMR specification is a digital CMR note. It made no sense to me. I hope you are puzzled too. I have spent months. Yes, months unravelling the published XSD message standard and have only just spotted this.
The UN/CEFACT approach and rigour they employ creating something like the e-CMR schema is a huge barrier to seeing and understanding the code. It's not just this one, the e-CMR, there are 100+ plus such specimens.
I am hoping this hard won "pearl of wisdom" will save you having to go through my pain.
Why isn't it there?
Here goes - what I think.
A paper CMR note does not fit in the UN/FACT digital world. There can be no such thing. In the rarified world of UML modelling it can not exist .... OK, it's also a multi-part paper form, but that would spoil the fun.
So why publish a UN/CEFACT e-CMR standard that doesn't have a paperless CMR?
The rationale is simple and I'm not saying it's right - but at the core of UN/CEFACT is "sending emails" as events happen - not to share documents.
Distinct data exchanges - not a single form with everything on it!! i.e. the same message with the same content passing back and fore being added to, it just doesn't fit.
My thoughts. Is it a good thing the digital CMR note can't be found? "YES" Can you avoid a digital CMR note? "NO" Can you have a UN/CEFACT compliant digital CMR note? "YES".
Have a look if you don't believe me.
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