Global Data Synchronization in ECOD ECOD SA2 Products
Thousands of suppliers and retailers, straddling the globe, have recognized the strategic significance of synchronizing their master data. It s about time the Polish market also benefited from this procedure - emphasizes Engineer Elzbieta Halas, PhD, CEO of GS1 Poland.
ECOD SA2 Cooperation - Integrated Solution for Data Management What is the ECOD SA2 Products? Comarch, as a leading EDI provider in CEE and SA2 Worldsync, as a leading global provider of data synchronization solutions started the cooperation of their businesses in order to emphasize the importance of data accuracy in business processes and electronic data interchange. As a result, ECOD SA2 Products has been developed. This ECOD SA2 Products is a jointly offer an integrated solution, which enables Comarch ECOD users for synchronization of product data between producers and commercial networks via GS1 s Global Data Synchronization Network GDSN. The ECOD SA2 solution is based on the integration of the Comarch ECOD EDI platform with the SA2 Worldsync master data catalogue, which is certified by GS1 and which is in operation on three continents: Europe, North America and Asia/Pacific. Thanks to a single sign on procedure for login to the ECOD application and the SA2 Worldsync catalogue, access to product data from 2,500 SA2 suppliers worldwide, data maintenance and publication can be completed in a smooth and simple way. What does the ECOD SA2 Products include? The ECOD SA2 solution consists, among others, of: Standardized description of product master data, such as product dimensions, packaging units, text descriptions, logistic information etc. Single point of entry, i.e. suppliers send data once data distribution to the recipient retailers is executed automatically by SA2 Worldsync Single point of access, i.e. retailers maintain one subscription at SA2 data validation and confection is executed automatically by SA2 Worldsync Data validation to ensure high data accuracy Machine-to-machine item data synchronization via XML or EANCOM / PRICAT A Web Catalogue (for search and browse using standard web browsers) Web Forms tool for semi-automized and for manual data entry and maintenance using standard web browsers) Training and educational programs Implementation support Launching deployment programs for suppliers and retailers Consultation on software integration Automized connection with other certified GDSN catalogues (1Sync, GXS, etc) 3
ECOD SA2 Products as enhancement for EDI ECOD SA2 Products and EDI Comarch ECOD provides you with a complex EDI services. To increase the benefits which you may gain from electronic data interchange, ECOD offers you additional module ECOD SA2 Products. This solution increases the accuracy of the product data inside the electronic documents and reduces the costs of product data management. Benefits for ECOD EDI users from the ECOD SA2 integrated solution: High quality product data for electronic document interchange One point of access to EDI and to product data synchronization with the business partners Verification of correctness of product data when entering to the ECOD SA2 solution (hundreds of validation rules) which means the product data correctness in electronic documents Huge benefits from the electronic data synchronization combined with benefits from electronic document interchange. 4
Business Advantages for Users Electronic data synchronization by using the ECOD SA2 integrated solution offers the data recipients (retailers) and the suppliers a number of significant benefits. These are, among others: A significantly reduced workload related to the entry and quality control of the master data, which comes from various retailer specific - product cards; finally ECOD SA2 integrated solution replaces the need to exchange retailer specific product cards. Reduced transaction costs. The retailers do not need to synchronize the data with each supplier individually, it can be done via a single point of access with the selected central catalogue A significantly improved quality and accuracy of data in the communication process. Extensive savings guaranteed by the GDSN for both parties in the information exchange process, according to the table below (source: AT Kearney): Suppliers (Producers) 3-5% reduction in on-shelf shortages A quicker (by 14 days) introduction of new products onto the market (14 additional days for sales of products in high demand) 7-13% reduction in sales departments work time spent on providing the customers with product data, exchange of information, clarification of issues, etc. Reduction in the Call Center s time devoted to providing the customers with basic product information 5-10% reduction in the workload of sales and accounting department s employees related to the necessity of clarifying discrepancies in invoices Reduction in the amount of incorrect invoices resulting from incorrect data Elimination of errors in product data currently occurring in 8% of all orders. 0.2-0.7% reduction in external logistics costs 0.5% reduction in supply Recipients (Retailers) 3-5% reduction in on-shelf shortages A quicker (by 14 days) introduction of new products onto the market (14 additional days for sales of products in high demand) 10-30. 000 saved hours of work in the shop, resulting from the reduction in erroneous scans and shelf labels Saving 5-10 000 hours of marketing activity, entry of data on new products and their update Saving 1000-2000 hours of the finance department s work devoted to the clarification of discrepancies in invoices related to erroneous basic product data. Saving 1000-2000 hours of warehouse employees work devoted to clarifying the discrepancies in products. 0.5-1% reduction in the internal costs of transport 1% reduction in supply 5
Description of the solution ECOD SA2 Products The SA2 Worldsync Catalogue The ECOD SA2 Products is based on the integration of the Comarch ECOD platform and the SA2 Worldsync Product Data Catalogue. A user of Comarch ECOD WWW has the possibility to smoothly and easily click from the EDI application view to the Product Data Catalogue delivered by SA2 Worldsync. Similarly, companies using the EDI automated solutions will have the possibility to send product data through electronic documents (such as EANCOM-PRICAT or XML) via the ECOD platform to the Worldsync Product Data Catalogue. The ECOD SA2 integrated solution guarantees the 100% consistent product master data throughout the entire supply chain process. The quality of the validated product information increases with the reduction of the amount of work. As a result, the current problems occurring in commercial documents due to incorrectly prepared basic data are significantly reduced. The SA2 catalogue is a central data pool, which enables the exchange of data, especially product data (Master Data), between manufacturers (data suppliers) and retailers (data recipients). The participants of product information synchronization: Thanks to the SA2 Worldsync Catalogue, the data suppliers can use either EDI message formats or the SA2 tool Web Forms - an internet application, seamlessly integrated with the ECOD WEB application. The data recipients can define their subscriptions (= criteria for data selections) by either using EDI message formats or the SA2 tool Web Forms an internet application, seamlessly integrated with the ECOD WEB application. Unlike other catalogues which are in operation across the world, SA2 Worldsync runs hundreds of automatic data validation rules which avoid typical mistakes occurring during data entry. Another SA2 s unique characteristics is the possibility to manage confidential private labels / retailer brands, meaning the product groups dedicated solely to selected recipients. 6
The product data delivered The synchronization of basic product data concerns, among others: The GTIN (EAN bar code) The name and product description The product dimensions The product weight The standard product classification The product s packaging types The content of hazardous substances The recycling information And many other product-specific data. The delivery of product data by the supplier can be carried out in the following ways: Automatic machine-to-machine connection with the use of electronic messages (PRICAT or XML) WebForms manual data entry and maintenance including online full data validation semi automated upload of Excel, XML and text files including mass data validation The downloading of product data by the recipient can be carried out in the following ways: WebForms Catalogue (via standard web browsers) Data search and browse Data export module (XML, Excel) Automatic machine-to-machine subscriptions (PRICAT, XML) in order retailers to be automatically updated with any new or modified product information from an individually defined set of suppliers or product categories. The internet based WebForms tools of SA2 are user friendly and highly self explanatory. All required data validations are built in online and hence avoid suppliers from sending inaccurate product data to any retailer. 7
Global Data Synchronization (GDSN) Inefficient process implementation in the supply chain can lead to a decrease in annual profit by approximately 3.5%, as stated by AT Kearney s survey. The electronic exchange of documents based on coherent and unambiguous master data is the answer, guaranteeing an improvement in data synchronization. What guarantees the correctness of product data is the use of Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN), thanks to which all participants of business processes use standardized, uniform product data. This is high quality data which enables efficient cooperation with business partners, regardless of the country or continent. The GDSN is based on the joint operation of data catalogues, which contain information on products as delivered by manufacturers. They select one of the GS1 certified catalogues such as SA2 Worldsync and by entering the product data they automatically make their product data available to all partners who use any other certified catalogue. 8
Global Data Synchronizator Other data pools, e.g. GXS or 1Sync Other SA2 Products Data Pool AS2, FTP, other AS2, FTP, other PRICAT, XML WEB FORMS PRICAT, XML WEB Catalogue Senders Recipients Senders (Supplier) Recipients (Retailer) Exchange of data between the catalogues in the Global Data Synchronization Network 9
Professional Support The comprehensive Comarch ECOD Call Center system has a strong surplus value, which Comarch offers to its customers. We offer both IT solutions as well as continuous support of their operation. Your company s employees as well as all your business partners can count on the professional support of Comarch specialists. ECOD Call Center is a team of almost forty specialists who support the work of thousands of companies in the ECOD system. The ECOD Call Center provides the following services, among others: Processing of telephone requests Technical support for the application s operation Telephone training for the application s operation Issue reporting and resolution Support of projects realization. Call us or send an enquiry: ECOD Call Center phone: +48 12 646 10 40 (Mon-Fri- 8:00 am-8:00 pm) e-mail: ecod@comarch.pl Alternatively, you can contact one of our Comarch sales advisors directly. 10
Comarch Headquarters Al. Jana Pawla II 39 a 31-864 Krakow Poland phone: +48 12 64 61 000 fax: +48 12 64 61 100 e-mail: info@comarch.pl Comarch Inc. 10 W 35th Street Chicago, IL 60616 United States phone: +1 800 786 4408 fax: +1 800 684 5916 e-mail: info@comarch.com Comarch Software AG Chemnitzer Str. 50 01187 Dresden Germany phone: +49 351 3201 3200 fax: +49 351 438 97 10 e-mail: info@comarch.de Comarch OOO Prechistenskiy Pereulok 14/1 119034 Moscow Russia phone: +7 495 783 36 71 Poland Gdansk, Katowice, Krakow, Lublin, Lodz, Poznan, Szczecin, Warsaw, Wroclaw Belgium Brussels France Lille Germany Dresden, Frankfurt/Main Lithuania Vilnius Panama Panama City Russia Moscow Slovakia Bratislava UAE Dubai Ukraine Kiev, Lviv USA Chicago, Miami www.sa2.com SA2 Worldsync Head Office (Germany) Maarweg 149-161 50825 Cologne, Germany phone: +49 221 770 0 fax: +49 221 770 2315 SA2 Worldsync is a leading provider of master data solutions. The company helps more than 2,700 suppliers in 20 countries align and synchronize master data (such as product, case and pallet information) with retailers through the Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN). Furthermore SA2 Worldsync operates a GDSN-certified data pool and offers a range of additional services to support new industry directions, such as price and product image synchronization. Customers of SA2 Worldsync include leading international retailers, such as Tesco, Ahold, METRO Group, Markant, Best Buy and COOP Suisse as well as many large suppliers, including SCA Hygiene, Sony Home Video and Dr. Oetker. www.services.comarch.com www.comarch.eu www.comarch.pl www.comarch.de www.comarch.ru Comarch is a leading Central European IT business solutions provider specializing in forging business relationships that maximize customer profitability while optimizing business and operational processes. Comarch s primary advantage lies in the vast domain of knowledge accumulated in and applied to our software products. These products incorporate highly sophisticated IT solutions for businesses in all vertical sectors. Comarch has a multinational network of offices employing over 2800 highly-experienced IT specialists in Europe, the Middle East and the Americas. Comarch Spółka Akcyjna with its registered seat in Kraków at Aleja Jana Pawła II 39A, entered in the National Court Register kept by the District Court for Kraków-Śródmieście in Kraków, the 11th Commercial Division of the National Court Register under no. KRS 000057567. The share capital amounts to 7,960,596.00 zł. The share capital was fully paid, NIP 677-00-65-406 Copyright Comarch 2009. All Rights Reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced in any form without the prior written consent of Comarch. Comarch reserves the right to revise this document and to make changes in the content from time to time without notice. Comarch may make improvements and/or changes to the product(s) and/or programs described in this document any time. The trademarks and service marks of Comarch are the exclusive property of Comarch, and may not be used without permission. All other marks are the property of their respective owners. EN 2009-06