The xbits standard is designed to facilitate bi-directional electronic data exchanges in the book manufacturing industry, supporting efficient B2B communication and improving transaction activities among book publishers, manufacturers, and suppliers. It enhances supply chain collaboration by streamlining processes like purchasing, shipping, and invoicing, while offering a real-time data exchange and standardized inputs for better decision-making and reduced management time. The standard is open, free to adopt, and aims to support interoperability among trading partners, thereby improving overall efficiency and transparency in the industry.

1. XBITS
(XML Book Industry Transaction Standard)
eDocuments
for Book Manufacturing Business Processes
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2. A Working Group of IDEAlliance1 and a BISG2 committee that
designs and maintains the standard XML (Extensible Markup
Language) eDocuments to facilitate bi-directional electronic
data exchanges between diverse trading partners comprised
of book publishers, manufacturers, paper mills, and
component suppliers
1 IDEAlliance (International Digital Enterprise Alliance)
2 BISG (Book Industry Study Group)
XBITS Is…
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3. XBITS Mission
The XBITS User Group is dedicated to facilitating the flow of
information among supply chain partners in the publishing
and book manufacturing industry
 Supports efficient business-to-business (B2B) communication
order processes
 Traditional long-run book manufacturing
 Inventory-managed higher-volume orders
 Content status management
 Improves the reach and richness of communication throughout
the supply chain
 Increases efficiencies in transaction activities while supporting
interoperability among trading partners
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4. What is the
XBITS Standard?
The XBITS electronic transaction standard is based upon the well-
implemented papiNet Standard originally created for the paper
manufacturing order process and has been expanded for use by other
industries.
The Standard is open, free and easy to adopt, providing common benefits to
supply chain partners and designed to facilitate real time exchange of
information between business partners.
 Business processes supported:
 Purchasing (Books and Components)
 Book and Component specifications
 Shipping (Warehouse and Drop Shipments) and Receiving
 Invoicing
 Inventory Status (Paper and Components)
 Order Status
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5. PUBLISHERS
PRINT/BIND
SUPPLIERS
COMPONENT
&
PAPER
VENDORS
XML
Trading Partner
Relationships
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6.  Improved total cost of
ownership
 Supports better decision making
through feedback &
transparency
 Emulate JIT and best practices
used in merchandising supply
chain
 Easier to manage paper and
components across multiple
printers
Component/Paper SupplierPublisher Printer/Binder
 Consistent and standardized
inputs
 Reduced time for managing
orders
 Clear view of demand for better
forecasting & planning
 Consolidated shipments
Collaboration Across The Supply Chain
Benefits All Parties
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 Consistent and standardized
inputs
 Reduced time for managing
orders
 Clear view of demand for better
forecasting & planning
 Consolidated shipments
 Improved total cost of
ownership
 Supports better decision
making through feedback &
transparency
 Emulate JIT and best practices
used in manufacturing supply
chain
 Improved total cost of
ownership
 Supports better decision
making through feedback &
transparency
 Emulate JIT and best practices
used in manufacturing supply
chain

7.  Specifications for manufacturing of all book components, binding, assembly and
packaging; metadata for content management
 Purchasing of components, raw materials and book products for first printings and
reprints in both traditional long-run and short-run digital print processes
 Real-time Order Confirmation and Status updates of manufacturing processes
 Notification from suppliers of components and raw materials received
 Advanced ship notification from component, raw material and book manufacturing
suppliers
 Inventory status, usage and disposition of raw material and components
 Invoicing of components, raw materials and finished goods
XBITS eDocuments
Specifications Orders
Confirmation
& Status
Shipping &
Receiving
InvoiceInventory
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8. PUBLISHER
SUPPLIER
Product
Components
Binding
Assembly
Packing
Tentative
Order
Firm Order
Confirm
change to
existing PO
Confirm PO
(Firm or
Tentative)
Communicate
job status
Advance Ship
Notice
Goods Receipt
Manufacturing
Invoice
Status
Usage
Miscellaneous
Invoice
Shipping
Instructions
eDocument Source Workflow
Specifications Orders
Confirmation
& Status
Shipping &
Receiving
InvoiceInventory
Change
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9. PUBLISHER
SUPPLIER
Orders
Confirmation
& STATUS
Shipping &
Receiving
Inventory InvoiceSpecifications
Book
Size, Weights
Labeling
Wrapping
Cartons
Units per carton
Size, Weight
Book Product IDs
Pallets
# Cartons
Size, Weight
Carton IDs
Spec Number, Version
References
ISBN
Title
Author
High-Level specs:
Trim Size
Page Count
Type of Component
Text
Cover,
Printed E/S
Printed Inserts, etc
Finished Size
Placement in the book
Printed Component
Manufacturing Specs
Supplied Components
Finishing specs
References
Bind Style
Cases
Board
Material
Headbands
Decorations
Mechanical binding
Book Block
Endsheet
Drilling
Ribbons
Extras
Kit Size
Components
Instructions
BookSpecification Overview
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Product Components Binding Assembly Packing

10. SUPPLIER
Tentative
Order
Firm Order
Line Items
Product Ordered
Quantity
Price
References
Order ID
Order ID
Purchase Order Number
Shipping
Instruction
Warehouse
Shipping
Instruction
Drop Shipments
Print and Bind Purchase
Order
Print and Bind Purchase
Order or
Stored Product
Confirmation
& STATUS
Shipping &
Receiving
Inventory InvoiceSpecifications
Line Items
Supplied Components
Component Type
Supplier
Quantity ordered
Expected Due date
Product to multiple
locations
Multiple products to
single location
Orders
Purchase Order Overview
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PUBLISHER

11. PUBLISHER
SUPPLIER
Confirm change to
existing PO
Confirm receipt of
PO
(Firm or Tentative)
Communicate job
status
Order ID Order ID
Purchase Order Number
Order Status
Line Items
Status
Quantity
Requested Ship Date
Shipping &
Receiving
Inventory InvoiceSpecifications
Confirmation
& Status
Orders
eDocument Overview
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Order ID
Order Status
Ordered Quantity
Requested Ship Date
Available To Ship Date
Production Dates
Press Date
Files Received
Components Received
Actual Ship Date

12. PUBLISHER
SUPPLIER
DeliveryMessageBookGoods Receipt
Ordered Shipped
Date Shipped
Pallet ID
Pallet Size
Number of Cartons
Number of books in the
carton
Carton Size and Weight
PO Number
PO Line Item Number
References
Paper / Components
3rd party PO Number
Paper ID / Part Number
Date Received
Quantity
References
Inventory InvoiceSpecifications
Confirmation
& Status
Orders Confirmation
& STATUS
Shipping &
Receiving
eDocument Overview
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13. PUBLISHER
SUPPLIER
InvoiceSpecifications
Confirmation
& Status
Orders Confirmation
& STATUS
Shipping &
Receiving
eDocument Overview
Usage Status Change
Inventory
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Paper / Components
PO Number
Product ID
Date Consumed
Quantity Consumed
Actual
Contract
References
Paper / Components
Product ID
Status Date
Quantity
References
Paper / Components
Old Product ID
Quantity
New Product ID
Quantity
Date of Change
Reason
References

14. PUBLISHER
SUPPLIER
Specifications Orders Confirmation
& STATUS
Shipping &
Receiving
Inventory
PO Number
Line Item Billing
Price
Quantity
Charge Breakout
GL codes
Invoice
eDocument Overview
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15. PUBLISHER
SUPPLIER
Compositor
Order Process
Traditional Workflow
PO, ShippingInstructions and
BookSpecification received and processed
Job is created for the order
Order
Confirmation
Sent after job
is scheduled
Preflight/Proofing
Files are sent by customer after
PO transactions
Book
Content
files
Order Status
sent when files
are OK and other
Schedule info
Manual
Communication
To Publisher
Preflight
ERROR
Shipping
Instructions
Purchase
Order
Book
Specification
Order
Confirmation
Order
Status
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16. PUBLISHER
SUPPLIER
Compositor
Order Process
Inventory Workflow
PO and Ship Instructions
received and processed
Job is created for the order
Order
Confirmation
Sent after job
is scheduled
Preflight/Proofing
Files are sent by customer after
PO transactions
Book
Content
files
Order Status
generated
as needed
Preflight
ERROR
Shipping
Instructions
Purchase
Order
Book
Specification
Order
Confirmation
Order
Status
BookSpec
Repository
ITEM
Status
ERROR
Preflight
OK
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17. Industry Implementation Status
 Purchase Order
 Order Confirmation
 Book Specification
 Shipping Instructions
 Order Status
 Delivery Message Book (ASN)
 Goods Receipt
 Usage
 Inventory Status
 Invoice
 Transactional-level eDocuments
 Business Acknowlegement
 papiNet envelope
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18. Contacts & References
 Contact
Diane Degener, Courier Corporation Email: ddegener@courier.com
Judy Varon, Hachette Book Group Email: judy.varon@hbgusa.com
 Websites
 Papinet.org
 Idealliance.org
 Bisg.org
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