HIGH POINT, N.C. – On September 20 the Furniture Industry Data Exchange (FIDX) group met to advance plans for the future. Mary Frye, President of Home Furnishings International Association (HFIA) and Chairperson for the FIDX Executive Committee, presented a new organizational structure to help aid communications and provide leadership and methods for problem-solving. Among the changes was the addition of a Steering Committee to the already existing Executive Committee. Ron Martell, President of Micro*D, was presented as the first Chairperson for the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee will review issues raised among members of the working FIDX group Three industry trade associations – HFIA, along with the American Furniture Manufacturers Association and the National Home Furnishings Association – will continue to give direction and set FIDX policy. Martell presented an update on the UCC status of the first five XML schemas. The UCC is planning to review the schemas in early October and, if approved, they will be published in January 2002. Morris Cornwell of Broyhill Furniture Industries briefly reviewed the existing Standard Furniture Bar Code Label and encouraged everyone to review the standard as it pertains to current business needs. Manoj Nigam, President of EXIM Technologies, presented standards and a Schema for the Mail Envelope required to pass the XML data from database to database. His work will be voted on for approval at the next meeting. Rick Killen tackled the Order Status Inquiry Request and the Order Status Reports. Killen will continue development of the Order Status at the next meeting. The next meeting will be in Charlotte on December 6. Registration, inquiries and information can be found at www.fidx.org. |
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