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Useful Resources:
Product Information Exchange Standards (PIES)
Automotive and Heavy Duty parts distributors require a wide variety of product related information to purchase and inventory products, comply with regulatory requirements, and to service the needs of their customers. Price sheets, UPC codes, packaging information, regulatory codes, warranty policy and line art or images are just a few of the datum distributors request of their suppliers everyday. Product Information Exchange Standards (PIES) are recognized as the industry standard for exchanging over 140 attributes of product information in a structure electronic format. XML standards as well as a structured flat-file can be used to pass data down the supply chain, independant of the application or platform used. PIES is the e-commerce enabler of the aftermarket industry.
The PIES Standards accommodate such information as pricing information, packaging information, UPC and barcodes, product description information, warranty information, shipping information and Web Site links for product images, MSDS, installation instructions, etc.
- Distributors from all aftermarket industry segments, including automotive, accessories, performance and heavy duty, can use PIES to receive product information from their suppliers.
- PIES significantly lowers the cost and complexity of receiving electronic product information from suppliers.
- PIES enables e-commerce and data mining with a single industry standard format for data exchange
- Use of PIES reduces returns through-out the industry because buyers guides, interchange, and images can be accessed through cataloging applications, helping ensure that the right part is sold the first time.
Useful Resources:
Product Information Exchange Standards
Aftermarket Council on Electronic Commerce
Heavy Duty Exchange (HDX)
Bar Coding Standards
Bar Codes are the machine-readable symbology used to represent UPC (Universal Product Codes) numbers on many types of retail and commercial products. Pioneered by the grocery industry, bar codes are commonly used by distributors to quickly and accurately identify product during receipt as well as in picking orders.
- Bar codes standards reduce pricing and inventory control errors at the distribution center.
- Product with bar codes can be received faster, reducing stock-outs and requiring less inventory
- Automatic product identification can eliminate manual steps in the receipt of product and allow for the automatic update of inventory control systems
- Automatic product identification enables paperless warehouse operations which yield few errors in picking orders and increase picker productivity
Useful Resources:
Uniform Code Council (UCC)
AWDA Aftermarket Bar Code Guidelines
Automated Identification Manufacturers (AIM)
Shop Integration Standards
Shop Integration refers to the interconnectivity of PC-based diagnostic equipment, information servers, and business systems in a vehicle service shop. Connecting disparate pieces of front and back shop equipment, referred to as Enterprise Computing, yields productivity and efficiencies for the technician and the shop. Snap-on and the members of the Enterprise Alliance have cooperated to develop a single standard for connectivity - called i.SHOP
- Shop Integration enables e-commerce between the shop enterprise network and the customer (B to C) or auto parts suppliers (B to B)
- Shop Integration reduces redundant data by the technician entry that can result in mistakes and misdiagnosis
- Technician productivity can be dramatically affected by eliminating the "walk of death" between the technician's workstation and various information servers (PC's)
- Shop Integration enables paperless back shop operations
- Shop Integration enables customer-centric shop operations with vehicle service history and customer information available to technicians on-screen
Useful Resources:
i.SHOP Standards
ASAnetwork
EDI
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is the automatic exchange of machine-readable data between computer applications. Developed in the 1970's by the transport industry to communicate manifests and bill of lading data, EDI is the "original form of e-commerce". Ideal for high-volume, high-frequency business transactions, EDI is now commonly used by large and medium-sized companies worldwide to communicate purchasing, sales, and billing information between disparate hardware and software applications. EDI transactions are extracted from the originator's computer application and formatted to conform to a standard for that type of transaction. Software then send the "packet" containing one or more transactions to a Value Added Network (VAN) where it is routed to the recipient and checked for errors and integrity of data. Software used by the reipient receives the transactions from the VAN and decodes them for use in their unique software applications.
- EDI enables retailers to send sales and product movement data to their suppliers as a component of Vendor Managed or Assisted Inventory
- EDI reducing training and software costs by enabling a retailer to communicate with many trading partners through a single software application
- EDI reduces paper forms cost and saves 5-7 days of processing information through traditional methods
- EDI can be used to send and receive routine transactions automatically, enabling managers to focus on exceptions
Useful Resources:
Management Information Services Group (MISG)
Sterling Commerce
XML
Extensible Mark-up Language (XML) is the latest tool for exchanging data using the Internet. Standardized tags or labels make data "self describing". The Internet makes the transport of that data simple and inexpensive. XML is a viable alternative to the high start-up costs of EDI for medium and small sized businesses. As with EDI, XML field definitions and style sheets must be defined for industry specific purposes.
Useful Resources:
IBM introduction to XML
The XML/EDI Group
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