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Subject:Re: Best tool for the job, and am I insane? From:David Neeley <dbneeley -at- gmail -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Wed, 6 Oct 2004 15:57:00 -0500
Rebecca,
Is there an existing XML dialect for HR that might be compatible with
your product's database and the client's as an intermediate step? For
example, is your application datastore compatible with HR-XML?
(http://www.hr-xml.org/channels/home.htm). I would pay particular
attention to their "metrics interchange" recommendation and the
various schema that are involved: http://ns.hr-xml.org/2_3/HR-XML-2_3/Metrics/MetricsInterchange.html
Once your database information is mapped properly, the remaining work
would involve establishing a similar map of the client database
information. You would simply avoid having to do custom application
work for each client--much like the pre-XML EDI vendors did, and which
has been a driving force behind the move to XML to begin with.
Personally, I would be less concerned with the Frame info being in the
same datastore. The customer-facing documents would involve defining
the relative entities that your application uses in terms of the
standard XML. Your docs may also specify any non-standard elements
which you may have to add to the ones already present in the standard,
if any.
The entire thing can be done with open-source tools--so the costs
should be reasonable.
David
On Wed, 6 Oct 2004 10:12:59 -0400, Stevenson, Rebecca
<rebecca -dot- stevenson -at- workscape -dot- com> wrote:
>
> Hi, whirlers. I need a reality check from all you wonderful folks.
>
> The project: Create a data dictionary for our product, for use as a template in product implementations of an enterprise human resources application. We frequently end up mapping our database to client databases, and the implementation teams want a starting point that at least says what ours *is* before they wade into the client stuff.
>
> Known inputs: CSV file of database information plus Frame files of how the database fields are used in our product.
>
> Requirement: Low cost to implement and maintain/update.
>
> My thinking: Convert Frame docs to XML via Structured Frame. Somehow -- and this is my big question -- cross the CSV files with the now-handy-XML so that everything about a given field is together in one place. This can then be turned into whatever kind of doc our users need, probably an Excel spreadsheet that they can monkey with and add to as needed.
>
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