OpenDocument is advanced as an application-independent format by a vendor-neutral OASIS Technical Committee with the participation of multiple office application vendors. The basis for the OASIS OpenDocument TC's work indeed was the OpenOffice.org XML file format, but even the OpenOffice.org XML file format was developed as an application-independent file format that is not usable by the OpenOffice.org application only.

The OpenOffice.org XML specification went through a one-year review phase within OASIS. This review resulted in more than 100 changes to the schema, and additional specification and editorial work. After its approval by the Committee members, OpenDocument also went through a one-month public review phase, and a final approval process by the full OASIS membership, which represents over 600 organizations.