Version 1.0 of HR-XML's Staffing Industry Data Exchange Standards (SIDES) was approved by the HR-XML Consortium on April 29, 2002 and has been endorsed by six leading staffing firms (Adecco, Kelly, Manpower, Randstad, Spherion, and Vedior). The new specification describes the eight major SIDES XML schemas and several reusable modules, their expected usage, and the business processes intended to be supported. SIDES is a "comprehensive suite of data exchange standards designed to offer new efficiencies and cost savings for staffing customers, staffing suppliers, and other stakeholders in the staffing supply chain. Major modules include: StaffingOrder; HumanResource; Assignment; StaffingSupplier; StaffingCustomer; StaffingAction; Extended TimeCard; and Invoice (an extended version of OAGIS 8.0 Invoice). This suite of open standards is designed to increase the efficiency of staffing processes and to reduce integration costs usually incurred by the need to implement custom interfaces to link to trading partner systems."

Bibliographic information: Staffing Industry Data Exchange Standards 1.0. HR-XML Recommendation 2002-April-29. Version: 'SIDES-1_0'. Edited by Kim Bartkus (HR-XML Consortium). Authors include: SIDES Project Leader: Ian Anson, Vedior; SIDES Technical Coordinator: Steven Huang (Staffing Industry Sponsors); Workgroup Coordinator: Kathi Dolan, Manpower; WorkGroup Leaders, Human Resources: Gail Bubsey, Kelly Services Order: Tara Ryan/Barbara Johnson, Adecco Assignment: Ronald Kruegel, Adecco. 103 pages.

From the specification v1.0 overview:

The staffing industry (staffing companies) requires a compendium of XML schemas to enable the exchange of data between its staffing customers (hiring companies), intermediaries (vendor management services) and its own members. The Staffing Industry Data Exchange Standards Version 1.0 (SIDES) comprises this compendium of relevant XML schemas, some already approved, some of which are cross process objects, and some newly created.

The cost of exchanging data between staffing suppliers (companies), staffing customers and intermediaries due to the diversity of existing front and back-office systems, and the need for many-to-many connections, is proving to be extremely high. SIDES 1.0 offers a cost effective means of exchanging data over the Internet using XML, by standardizing data elements and attributes and the way they are exchanged. SIDES 1.0 will assist in eliminating duplicate effort and streamlining processes and cross-company data exchanges. Through standardized XML data exchanges, staffing suppliers, staffing customers and third party vendor managers may share orders, assignments, resumes, etc. It enables a common standard to be applied by large and small companies alike, yet does not impact upon the competitive differences between staffing suppliers.

From the Guide to SIDES:

The Anatomy of SIDES. There are eight major modules that make up SIDES 1.0:

1. StaffingOrder describes a staffing customer's servicing need -- for example, position requirements, start and end dates, estimated bill rate, etc. The StaffingOrder XML document moves from the staffing customer to the staffing supplier and this transmission marks the beginning of the business processes addressed by SIDES.
2. HumanResource describes a staffing resource available from a staffing supplier -- for example, the person's skills, work experience, cost, etc. The HumanResource XML document moves from the staffing supplier to the staffing customer, usually in response to a StaffingOrder XML document.
3. Assignment confirms the work to be done -- for example, the agreed upon individual to perform the work, the agreed upon bill rate, etc. This XML document marks the end of the order/selection section process, and the beginning of the actual work-performed section.
4. StaffingSupplier contains information about the staffing company -- for example, government-issued employer identification number, branch addresses and contacts, information about where to make payments, etc.
5. StaffingCustomer includes hierarchical information describing a customer -- for example, government corporate identifier, Duns numbers, billing addresses and contacts, specific facility addresses, work environments, etc.
6. StaffingAction provides a basic communication mechanism between staffing customers, staffing suppliers, and intermediaries. It has uses throughout the lifecycle of the transaction -- for example, interview request and response, assignment extension, etc. The StaffingAction XML document can move in either direction as required.
7. Extended TimeCard communicates the actual time worked by a staffing resource on an assignment over a particular time period. It also captures any expenses related to the assignment. SIDES uses an extended form of HR-XML's TimeCard standard.
8. Invoice transmits amounts billed by a staffing supplier or suppliers to the StaffingCustomer. Invoice is designed so it can associate the time worked shown on TimeCard, with the bill rate as confirmed in Assignment.