A communiqué from Craig Shrader (Intersect Technologies Inc., SPACE XML Committee Chair) updates technical committee progress on the SPACE XML specification. SPACE XML (Specifications for Publisher-Agency Communications Exchange XML) was created through an IDEAlliance committee as the XML version of the SPACE X12 specification, finalized in 1997. The committee (also known as the 'SPACEXML B-to-B Advertising Committee') first developed the SPACE standard as an EDI X.12 format in order to eliminate confusion and discrepancies in advertising pre-print processes. SPACE XML "takes the information that is exchanged between an ad agency, printer, and publisher, and puts it into a completely standardized electronic format. This allows the process of exchanging information to be well defined and creates a definitive way of conducting business. SPACE XML currently has standardized XML coding for: (1) Space reservations; (2) Insertion orders; (3) Material job tickets; (4) Change order; (5) Confirmation. Balloting on the draft XML Schema ended November 30, 2001; the current review period extends through January 31, 2002, and specification approval by the IDEAlliance Board is expected in March 2002.

From the IDEAlliance web site (Spectrum 2001 Conference Notes): "SPACE XML not only provides the conversion of SPACE from the old X12 EDI format, but also includes space reservations, and will later include financial billing and invoicing and other media such as online advertising. SPACE XML will help to eliminated redundant human checking and double checking of business communications and instructions, and will also help minimize phone calls and faxing to double check everything. This double checking and the high rate of human error provide a lot potential savings -- according to the Magazine Credit Association the industry is carrying $678,000,000 in past due accounts. The cost of catching and correcting an error increases as the error moves down the chain from media planning, to ordering, to production, and through to billing..."