XML attribute vs XML element

Question

At work we are being asked to create XML files to pass data to another offline application that will then create a second XML file to pass back in order to update some of ou

Answer 1

I use this rule of thumb:

1. An Attribute is something that is self-contained, i.e., a color, an ID, a name.
2. An Element is something that does or could have attributes of its own or contain other elements.

So yours is close. I would have done something like:

EDIT: Updated the original example based on feedback below.

  
      something
      XYX
      
         YYZ