XML invoice specification

I am writing an application which produces invoices. I was wondering it there was any agreed upon DTD for开发者_开发百科 invoices? It seems like everybody has their own format. Perhaps there is a collection of XSLTs for tranforming a common standard into lesser known formats?

I haven't been involved in this kind of stuff since 2001, so forgive me if my knowledge is stale.

Back in the day, ebXML and RosettaNet were the places to go for this kind of stuff. It appears that ebXML invoice specs live on under OASIS UBL TC. I have no idea if RosettaNet is still alive in any form.

There's also a lot of software in the field. Take a look at DataDirect, BizTalk, and WebMethods

The OASIS Uniform Business Language (UBL) schemas are indeed top contenders for standardizing XML-based invoices, orders, bills of lading, catalogs, and many other standard trade documents. See the UBL FAQ for the relationship between UBL and UN/CEFACT, ebXML, etc.

There are some very handy UBL-related form layouts and XSLT examples at Displaying UBL documents and UN Layout Key forms - Crane Softwrights Ltd. Their open-source package can generate html or pdf from a UBL file.

In addition, Tradeshift - Business Network for free online invoicing & more is based on UBL and offers essentially a free online business network (supporting relationships like a social network does). It allows you to either fill things like invoice forms out online, or to generate UBL files, and upload them for sending to other businesses who are on the network, Or if they aren't on the network, it can send them an email with a pdf version of the invoice. They have various APIs also.