This Guide provides recommendations for standardization committees for the description of products and their properties for the creation of computer processable product libraries, catalogues and reference dictionaries. This description will provide the details of the products and their properties in an unambiguous manner capable of computer communication in a form that is independent from any proprietary application software. The term 'product' is taken to include devices, processes, systems, installations, etc. The Guide is intended to assist the objective of enabling the flow of technical information between internal and external business partners in a cost effective and timely manner. The intention of this Guide is to provide an overview of the needs and benefits and the process of creating product libraries, catalogues and reference dictionaries.