As CICA message development proliferates in ASC X12, ASC X12 has revamped and enhanced its Tools for Members program and called for technology provider contributions to help accelerate and harmonize the development of CICA components across the Committee.

"We are so pleased to have longtime X12 member GEFEG offer its new product that supports CICA message construction through the ASC X12 Tools for Members program," said ASC X12 Chair Ralph Berwanger. "We can not overstate the value of GEFEG's contribution to our standards development."

The CICA Editor belongs to the GEFEG.FX product line. GEFEG.FX supports companies in modeling, creating, testing and documenting guidelines based on international EDI business standards, like ASC X12, UN/EDIFACT, and XML business schemas. The GEFEG.FX 6.0 CICA Editor includes such features as the ability to modify CICA constructs, link CICA constructs to X12 EDI code lists, and maintain multiple versions of CICA constructs. GEFEG is actively involved in national and international standards organizations including ASC X12, ISO TC154, UN/CEFACT, AIAG, STAR, AIA, EDIFICE, and others.

"GEFEG is honored to have the opportunity to participate in this exciting new chapter of X12 history. CICA offers potential benefits to both EDI and XML implementers. We look forward to working with X12 members to assist them in taking advantage of the added value that CICA offers," said Sylvia Webb, Managing Partner of GEFEG US.

ASC X12 members meet face-to-face three times per year to develop X12 standards, with the next meeting taking place September 25-30, 2005 in Atlanta. Additional information on ASC X12 CICA, tools for X12 members, membership and upcoming meetings can be found on its web site at www.X12.org.

The first workshop will be held on August 5, 2005 at the Adam's Mark Denver Hotel. Future workshops will be held in major cities, and on-site by request. Registration details are available here or by sending email with contact details to info-us@gefeg.com

This introductory workshop focuses on the most frequently used features and functionalities of the GEFEG.FX CICA Editor. The target audience for this workshop includes programmers, systems analysts, business analysts, and other technically oriented business professionals who need to understand how to create ASC X12 CICA standards.

The GEFEG.FX CICA Editor is the world's first and only software in the world to implement the complete ASC X12 CICA standard. This means you can use the CICA Editor to create CICA based constructs and data models.

The CICA Editor belongs to the scaleable GEFEG.FX product line. GEFEG.FX supports companies in modeling, creating, testing and documenting guidelines based on international EDI business standards, like ASC X12 and UN/EDIFACT, XML business schemas, like CICA, or custom defined. The numerous benefits include high data quality, business standard to trading partner compatibility and earlier productivity to avoid costly error-search with the archival of error-free transactions at early product stages.

Additional information you can find here or email Sylvia Webb at info-us@gefeg.com

STAR is currently leading the effort to implement voluntary IT standards throughout the automotive industry. These standards are designed to support business information needs and provide secure and reliable means for dealers, manufacturers, and retail system providers to communicate.

GEFEG is an international software development, professional services, and training company. GEFEG supports companies, organizations and government agencies in the design, documentation and maintenance of B2B interfaces (both EDI and XML-based) and data models. GEFEG also contributes its expertise to the standardization of electronic business processes as an active member of many international bodies including AIAG, ASC X12, EDIFICE, and UN/CEFACT.

In cooperation with STAR, GEFEG has developed the GEFEG.FX STAR Reader. It offers easy access and viewing of STAR Standards through its tree structure, easy navigation, and clearly displayed information. The Reader provides a way to view the contents of STAR BODs. The STAR Reader belongs to the software line GEFEG.FX. GEFEG.FX supports companies in modeling, creating, testing, and documenting guidelines based on international EDI business standards from X12 and ODETTE, XML business schemas from STAR and OAGIS, or other types of messages. These services provide many benefits including business standards that improve trading partner compatibility and avoid costly error-searching as a result of the archival of error-free transactions at early product stages.

"GEFEG's experience and BOD tool kit will benefit the ongoing development efforts of the STAR architects", said Paul Elert STAR Chair.

"GEFEG's membership highlights the continuing growth of STAR in Europe and provides an opportunity for additional companies to benefit from the use of STAR standards", commented Dave Lester, STAR Membership Chair.

"GEFEG is honored to have the opportunity to work with STAR. Our principal goal is to assist STAR architects and members in implementing STAR standards with ease, quality, and efficiency", says Sylvia Webb, Managing Partner of GEFEG US.

STAR's initiatives provide the opportunity to improve daily business activities of dealers, retail systems providers, and manufacturers that lead to higher customer satisfaction, timely access to business information, and reduced operating costs.

The IRS Reader offers easy access and view of IRS and State schemas through its tree structure, easy navigation, and clearly arranged information. Additional features include:

• Clear tree structure, enriched with comments and descriptions
• All information about an element is directly available in the tree at element position
• Open and close sub-trees
• Explorer-like back and forward navigation
• View a structure diagram of a message, or parts of a message
• View a UML class diagram of a model, or parts of a model

The IRS Reader belongs to the scaleable GEFEG.FX product line. GEFEG.FX supports companies in modeling, creating, testing and documenting guidelines based on international EDI business standards, like ASC X12 and UN/EDIFACT, XML business schemas, like UBL, or custom defined. The numerous benefits include high data quality, business standard to trading partner compatibility and earlier productivity to avoid costly error-search with the archival of error-free transactions at early product stages

Please contact Sylvia Webb for additional information.

The IRS Reader is available now as a free download.