ISO/IEC 8613-4:1994

Overview

ISO/IEC 8613-4:1994 - "Information technology - Open Document Architecture (ODA) and Interchange Format: Document profile" defines the purpose and structure of the document profile used in ODA-based interchange. The standard specifies the attributes that describe a document for reliable exchange so that receiving systems can either present the document as intended by the originator or process it (edit, reformat, archive). It applies to common office items - memoranda, letters, invoices, forms and reports - that may combine text, raster graphics and geometric graphics, and supports interchange by communications or storage media.

Key topics

• Purpose and scope of the document profile within the ODA series (facilitating presentation and processing).
• Document profile attributes - a comprehensive list of metadata and structural flags that identify document characteristics and processing expectations.
• Presence of document constituents:
  • Generic and specific layout structure
  • Generic and specific logical structure
  • Layout and presentation styles
• Security and protection:
  • Sealed and enciphered profiles
  • Pre-/post-enciphered and pre-/post-sealed body parts
  • ODA security label and encoding of sealed information
• Document application profile and defaults - defining how applications should interpret and implement profile attributes
• Content architecture classes and interchange format class, including the ODA version and alternative feature sets
• Document management attributes: description, dates/times, originators, external/local references, content attributes and security information
• Annexes: format of personal names, minimum attribute set for application profiles, and an example document profile

Applications

• Ensuring interoperability between word processors, DMS (document management systems), and archiving tools that implement ODA.
• Defining application profiles for organizations to guarantee minimum attribute support and predictable processing/presentation.
• Supporting secure document exchange workflows where parts of a document must be sealed or encrypted.
• Guiding implementers in handling resources (fonts, images), layout styles and mixed content types (text + raster + geometric graphics).
• Enabling archives and long-term preservation systems to capture necessary metadata for re-rendering or editing documents later.

Who should use this standard

• Software vendors implementing ODA/Interchange Format support
• Document management and archiving system designers
• Government and enterprise IT procurement teams requiring standardized document exchange
• Standards bodies and test labs defining conformance profiles and interoperability tests

Related standards

• Other parts of the ISO/IEC 8613 series (Parts 1–14) and ITU‑T Rec. T.414 (identical text)
• Related character, font and encoding standards referenced by the profile (e.g., ISO 8601 for dates)

Keywords: ISO/IEC 8613-4:1994, Open Document Architecture, ODA, document profile, document interchange, interchange format, document application profile, sealed profile, enciphered profile, document metadata.