This describes the XML representation of the UCF's main citations database. Each of the elements, types, and attributes that make up the format are described in detail.

The URL for the Citations XML structure is as follows:

http://unifiedcompliance.com/NFI/XSDs/UCF_Citations_v2_1.xsd

UCF_Citation_Item (UCF_Citation_Item_Type)

The UCF_Citation_List is comprised of the UCF_Citation_Item containers. Each container is split into three key elements that must be present at all times:

UCF_Meta_Data

UCF_Basic_Info

UCF_References

UCF_Meta_Data (UCF_Meta_Data_Type)

For detailed documentation of Meta Data fields, please refer to the Meta Data documentation. Below is a list of the meta data fields that are included in the Citations list.

UCF_Citation_ID

UCF_Citation_ID_CheckDigit

UCF_Citation_Live_Status

UCF_Citation_Deprecated_By

UCF_Citation_Deprecation_Notes

UCF_Citation_Date_Added

UCF_Citation_Date_Modified

UCF_Citation_Release_Version

UCF_Basic_Info (UCF_Basic_Info_Type)

The UCF_Basic_Info element has exactly what you'd expect - the most critical information that pertains to all types of citations.

UCF_Citation (xs:string)

This is the carefully formed citation that links an Authority Document to a Control or Audit question. The format of the citation depends upon the Authority Document being cited.

The Unified Compliance Framework™ utilizes very specific reference formatting in our citation fields. We do this for consistency and editing purposes. Here are the formatting rules for reference citations within the UCF.  Because the formatting rules for citations are ever-evolving, we've separated the documentation for those rules into its own document "Citation Formatting".

UCF_Citation_Guidance (xs:string)

The citation guidance field is not meant to be a cut-and-paste of the original text within an Authority Document reference. It can't be for various and sundry reasons. All of which are explained in detail in our document “How the UCF interprets controls". This document explains the contents of the UCF_Citation_Guidance element in greater detail than would fit in this XSD documentation format.

UCF_References (UCF_References_Type)

UCF_AD_ID (UCF_ID_Type2)

This is the seven digit ID for the matching Authority Document that is mapped to this citation.

UCF_CE_ID (UCF_ID_Type)

This is the five digit ID for the matching Control that is mapped to this citation.

UCF_Audit_Item_ID (UCF_ID_Type2)

This is the seven digit ID for the matching Audit question that may be mapped to this citation.