The technical data exchange between various computation software implies a multitude of owners formats and thus of the excessive implementation costs due to the number of combinations of interfaces to be realised. The solution may be the use of a neutral format almost standard, unifying at the same time the exchange and offering a perennial solution for the recording of the data (ISO standard format).

STEP (Standard Transfer Exchange Protocol), neutral format of standard exchange (ISO 10303) providing standardised tools for read/write such as STEP-Tools or Express Data Manager from EPM facilitating the implementation of interfaces. The data model in EXPRESS is separated from the data stored STEP part 21.

XML becomes a standard (native format for Microsoft Word 2000) can also be used as storage format and data exchange. XML offers a complete range of products allowing the read/write in XML, as free products. XML makes it possible to implement interfaces in Open Source for a lower cost.