AAIA ACES PIES Automotive Aftermarket Catalog
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JAN 17, 2011 www.illumaware.com 1 Where do you want your catalog to take you in 2012? With the start of each New Year, millions of people around the world set personal goals to strive for in the months ahead. If you have already set your New Year’s resoluCons, we wish you success in achieving them. We also encourage you to take a moment to set similar goals for your catalog. One of the key success factors in achieving a resoluCon is to have a partner who is equally commiGed to those goals. You already have that partner in Illumaware for your data. Whatever your data goals are for the coming year, we encourage you to share those challenges with us, so together we can take your data quality and completeness to a new level. Whether it involves leveraging some of our addiConal publishing features such generaCng paper catalogs, or brainstorming about a custom project you have been considering, 2012 is a great year to discover how far your catalog can take you. Many common goals we set in our personal lives can easily be translated into goals for your catalog. For example: Personal: Learn a new language. Catalog: Learn more about ACES and PIES XML. Personal: Get healthier. Catalog: Improve vehicle coverage and accuracy. Personal: Reconnect with old friends. Catalog: Ask your trading partners about their new iniCaCves and how you can be a part of those changes. Let us know what we can help you achieve in the coming year. ALSO IN THIS EDITION A.C.E.S. VS. P.I.E.S. XML PAGE 2 ENHANCED EPICOR SUPPORT TARGETED PAGE 4 THE ILLUMINATOR VOLUME VI Long, Short, Marketing Descriptions... Oh my! Ever wonder just how many ways there can be to describe a single part? Long descripCon, short descripCon, extended descripCon, invoice descripCon, etc. The list just goes on and on unCl it feels like one big mess. Who needs it? Your customers do. It may seem like there are far more descripCons available in Evokat than could possibly be necessary (there are even more allowed in PIES), but in truth, each one serves a valid purpose. Since PIES data can be used to support a variety of systems, including: inventory management, data warehouses, point of sale systems, and perhaps most importantly, customer‐facing applicaCons. The PIES structure allows for descripCons and aGributes of mulCple lengths and types. It may feel redundant to complete all these descripCon types, but there is only one way to make sure that the most important one is defined. (ConCnued on page 4)
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Newsletter for the Automotive Aftermarket
Transcript of AAIA ACES PIES Automotive Aftermarket Catalog
JAN17,2011 www.illumaware.com 1
Where do you want your catalog to take you in 2012?
WiththestartofeachNewYear,millionsofpeoplearoundtheworldsetpersonalgoalstostriveforinthemonthsahead.IfyouhavealreadysetyourNewYear’sresoluCons,wewishyousuccessinachievingthem.Wealsoencourageyoutotakeamomenttosetsimilargoalsforyourcatalog.
OneofthekeysuccessfactorsinachievingaresoluConistohaveapartnerwhoisequallycommiGedtothosegoals.YoualreadyhavethatpartnerinIllumawareforyourdata.Whateveryourdatagoalsareforthecomingyear,weencourageyoutosharethosechallengeswithus,sotogetherwecantakeyourdataqualityandcompletenesstoanewlevel.
WhetheritinvolvesleveragingsomeofouraddiConalpublishingfeaturessuchgeneraCngpapercatalogs,orbrainstormingaboutacustomprojectyouhavebeenconsidering,2012isagreatyeartodiscoverhowfaryourcatalogcantakeyou.
Manycommongoalswesetinourpersonallivescaneasilybetranslatedintogoalsforyourcatalog.Forexample:
Personal:Learnanewlanguage.Catalog:LearnmoreaboutACESandPIESXML.
Personal:Gethealthier.Catalog:Improvevehiclecoverageandaccuracy.
Personal:Reconnectwitholdfriends.Catalog:AskyourtradingpartnersabouttheirnewiniCaCvesandhowyoucanbeapartofthosechanges.
Letusknowwhatwecanhelpyouachieveinthecomingyear.
ALSOINTHISEDITIONA.C.E.S.VS.P.I.E.S.XML
PAGE2
ENHANCEDEPICORSUPPORTTARGETED
PAGE4
THE ILLUMINATOR VOLUME VI
Long, Short, Marketing Descriptions... Oh my!
Everwonderjusthowmanywaystherecanbetodescribeasinglepart?LongdescripCon,shortdescripCon,extendeddescripCon,invoicedescripCon,etc.ThelistjustgoesonandonunClitfeelslikeonebigmess.Whoneedsit?Yourcustomersdo.
ItmayseemliketherearefarmoredescripConsavailableinEvokatthancouldpossiblybenecessary(thereareevenmoreallowedinPIES),butintruth,eachoneservesavalidpurpose.SincePIESdatacanbeusedtosupportavarietyofsystems,including:inventorymanagement,datawarehouses,pointofsalesystems,andperhapsmostimportantly,customer‐facingapplicaCons.ThePIESstructureallowsfordescripConsandaGributesofmulCplelengthsandtypes.ItmayfeelredundanttocompleteallthesedescripContypes,butthereisonlyonewaytomakesurethatthemostimportantoneisdefined.
(ConCnuedonpage4)
JAN17,2011 www.illumaware.com 2
A.C.E.S. vs. P.I.E.S. XML
Everysupplierhas,atsomepoint,experiencedconfusionandfrustraContryingtojugglethevariousdatarequirementsplacedonhimorherbytheirtradingpartners.AtonepointinCme,majorretailersrequiredcustomizedspreadsheetsinmulCpleformatstocommunicateproductandapplicaConinformaCon.KeepingmulCpleExcelandtextfilesinalignmentwasadaunCng,ifnotimpossibletask.TheindustryrecognizedthenegaCveimpactofhavingsomuchunsynchronizedproductdataandtookstepstoaddressitwiththeintroducConofthedataexchangestandardscommonlyreferredtoasACESandPIES.AsthesestandardsconCnuetoevolveandgainacceptance,thereissomeconfusionastowhatshouldbeincludedineachtypeoffileandwhichoneismoreimportant.
Inactuality,bothfilesworkintandemtoprovideacompletepictureofyourproductofferingandshouldalwaysbeusedinconjuncCon,wheneverpossible.HereisadigestofourmostcommonquesConsregardingthesecriCcalfiles.
Q:WhatisanXMLfile?A:XMLstandsforEXtensibleMarkupLanguageandisnotuniquetoourindustry.Ithasbeenwidelyacceptedfileformatsincethe1990’sandisnowthemostcommonformatfordatatransmissionsbetweenapplicaCons.
Q:WhatprogramdoIusetoopenanXMLfile?A:Mosttexteditors,suchasNotepadorTextMate,willopenanXMLfile,althoughthesizeofsomeXMLfilescanpresentachallengetomanycomputers.OtherprogramsmustbeusedtoconfirmthatitisavalidXMLsubmission.
Q:IopenedmyXMLfile,butitdoesn’tmakesensetome.Whycan’tIreadit?A:XMLfilesareintendedtocommunicateandstoredata,nottomakedataeasilyreadable.EachdataelementinthefileisidenCfiedbyexactlywhatitis,soalastnamemightappearas“<LAST_NAME>10</LAST_NAME>”.Repeatedlylabelingeachdataelementcreatesoverheadthatourmindshavetoprocess,butitdoesensurethatyouknowwhattypeofdatayouarelookingat.
Q:WhatdoesACESstandfor?A:A.C.E.S.standsforAiermarketCatalogExchangeStandard.
Q:WhatinformaConisincludedinanACESfile?A:ACESincludesyourapplicaConfitmentinformaCon.UsingidenCfierscommontotheindustryandyourownfitmentnotes,anACESfilecommunicatesthevehiclesyourpartsfit.OtherthanvehicleinformaCon,theACESrecordincludesaPartType,andmayalsoincludeanaddiConalManufacturerLabeloradiagram.AnexampleofanACESrecordwasreviewedinVolumeIVoftheIlluminatorintheAnatomyofanACESApplicaConseries.
Q:IsmyinterchangeinformaConincludedinanACESfile?A:InterchangeinformaConwouldonlybeincludedifyouincludeditasanapplicaConfitmentnote.TypicallyinterchangeinformaConisconsideredproductinformaCon,andisthereforeincludedinaPIESfile.
(ConCnuedonpage3)
THE ILLUMINATOR VOLUME VI
JAN17,2011 www.illumaware.com 3
THE ILLUMINATOR VOLUME VI
Q:WhatdoesPIESstandfor?A:P.I.E.S.standsforProductInformaConExchangeStandard.
Q:WhatinformaConisincludedinaPIESfile?A:ThePIESstructurerepresentsfora“super‐set”ofdataelements,orinotherwords,itallowsforjustaboutanytypeofproductinformaConthatcanbedefined.Whatyouchoosetoauthorisuptoyouandyourtradingpartners.ThePIESstructureallowsformulCpleproductdescripCons,prices,packagedimensions,digitalassets,andmore.Forvariousbusinessreasons,suppliersandretailershaveextendedthePIESXMLstandardtorequireandrepurposeelementstheyfindmostadvantageous.PleasereviewthedocumentaConavailableonlinefromtheAutomoCveAiermarketIndustryAssociaCon(hGp://www.aiermarket.orgwww.aiermarket.org/Technology/PIES.aspx)formoreinformaConontheofficialstandard,andworkwithyourtradingpartnerstounderstandtheirpreferencesandcapabiliCes.
Q:WhatversionofPIESshouldIuse?A:Thatwilldependontheabilityofyourtradingpartnerstoreceiveeachtypeoffile.Asthedataneedsofourindustryarerefined,theXMLfielddefiniConsandfilestructurewillconCnuetochange.Versions6.1.2and6.2.0arethemostwidelyacceptedformatscurrently,butversion6.3hasalreadybeenreleasedandfuturereleasesarealreadybeingplanned.Ifyourtradingpartnerscanaccepta6.2versionfile,thatisourcurrentrecommendaCon.
Q:IhaveprovidedaPIESXMLfile,butIambeingaskedformoreinformaCon.Why?A:WhilethePIESformatdoeshavetheabilitytoincludealmostanypossibleproductdata,therearesCllsomelegacysystemsandprocessesthatrequireanon‐XMLbasedsubmission.CurrentindustryiniCaCves,suchasdefiningProductSpecificAGributes,mayhelptoreducetheneedforsomeoftheseaddiConalsubmissions,buttheneedmayneverbetotallyeliminated.
Q:IsendmyACESdataoutregularly.DoIreallyneedtosendaPIESfiletoo?A:ACESandPIESfilesarebothnecessarytodeliveracompletee‐catalog.TheACESdatatellsyourcustomerwhatpartstheyneed,andthePIESdatatellsyourcustomerswhytheyshouldbuyyourpartoverthecompeCCon.YoumaynothavecontroloverhowinformaConispresentedatthepointofsale,butdeliveringonlyhalfofyourdataensuresthattheotherhalfisnotpresented.
Q:HowdoIknowwhattofilloutforaPIESfile?A:Thesimpleansweristofilloutwhateveryoucan,butinrealityyouwanttoprioriCzesomefieldsaboveothers.Thebestguidancecomesfromyourtradingpartners,butingeneralterms,effecCveproductdescripConsareagreatplacetostart.IfyouuseMyCarPartstopresentyoure‐catalog,productimagesandotherrelateddigitalassetsmakeaninstantimpactandaddpizzazztothepresentaConofyourproducts.
Q:WherecanIgetmoreinformaConaboutACES,PIESorotherdataformats?A:ThetechnologysecConoftheAAIAwebsite(hGp://aiermarket.org/Technology.aspx)providesdocumentaConaswellaslinkstoaddiConalaiermarketeducaConopportuniCes.Asyourpartner,wearealwayshappytoansweryourquesConsaswell.Sinceeverytradingpartnerhastheabilitytodefinetheirownstandard,therewillneverbeasinglereferencesource.IfaddiConalinformaConisnecessary,talktoyourtradingpartnersandthenletusknowhowwecanhelpmeetthoserequirements.Chancesareit’ssomethingwe’vedonebefore.
A.C.E.S. vs. P.I.E.S. XML(ConCnuedfrompage2)
JAN17,2011 www.illumaware.com 4
Long, Short, Marketing Descriptions... Oh my!(ConCnuedfrompage1)
ThesinglemostimportantdescripConfieldistheonethatgetsyourcustomertobuyyourproduct.ThechallengeistoknowwhichofthemanydescripConsavailableistheonethatwillclosethesale.
Forexample,aneloquent“MarkeCngDescripCon”maybejustwhatthecustomerneededforanonlineapplicaCon,butithasnoimpactonapoint‐of‐salesystemthatcanonlydisplay20characters.Anabbreviated“ShortDescripCon”maybeaperfectfitforonetradingpartner,buthavingaliGlemoreinformaConina“LongDescripCon”maymakeadifferenceinanotherenvironment.PopulaCngallofthedescripContypeswiththemostappropriatedescripConspossibleistheonlywaytoensurethatyourproductsare
presentedthewayyouwantthemtobe.ThisisalotofhardworkiniCally,butitcanreallypayoffinincreasedsales.
InaddiContothemanytypesofproductdescripConsthatarespecifiedinthePIESstructure,recentaddiConstothePIESXMLstandardallowfortheinclusionof“MarketCopyContent”aswell.AsyoudetermineyourcorporatestrategyregardingwhattoincludeinproductdescripCons,anynon‐productspecificinformaConisacandidateforyourbrand’s“MarketCopyContent”.UsingthisnewdataelementisagreatwaytoavoidduplicaCnginformaConandimproveconsistency.MarketCopyelementswillbeaddedtoEvokatlaterthisyear.
THE ILLUMINATOR VOLUME VI
Enhanced EPICOR Support TargetedIllumawarehasalonghistoryofextendingfuncConalitytobeGerservetheneedsofitsusers.WhetheritistheaddiConofcustomreportstomatchtherequirementsofakeytradingpartner,oraddingaddiConalelementswithinEvokattomakemanagingyoure‐catalogeasier,weconCnuetostrivetobethebestpartnerpossible.
ThattradiConwillconCnuewithasoon‐to‐bereleasedenhancementinsupportofEPICOR‐specificLabelDescripCons.TobeGerservetheircustomers,EPICORconvertsapplicaConstoasetofcustomparttypes.ThisconversiontypicallygoesunnoCced,asthetypesareeitheridenCcalorverysimilartoAAIAdescripCons.Onrareoccasionshowever,dataincludedintheLabelDescripCon,whichisalsoincludedinanACESrecord,complicatesthisprocess.
IllumawarewillempoweruserstobeGermeetEPICOR'sdatarequirementsbyprovidinganEPICOR‐specificLabelDescripConwithinEvokat.ThisnewdescripConfieldwillappearoneachpart’sDescripConstabinthenextfewweeks,
allowingyoutopopulatetheinformaConneededtobestrepresentyourdataintheEPICOREcatalog.ThisfieldwillonlybeusedinEPICORspecificACESandPIESXMLreports.
WeconCnuetolookfor,andwelcome,opportuniCestoextendEvokatfuncConalityinwaysthatcanprovideabeGermenttomulCpleusers.Donothesitatetoaskifyouarestrugglingwithanexternalprocessorhaveanewrequirementfromatradingpartnerthatcanbeaddressedinthisway.
Contact Information 800.880.4964 Bruce SpeicherManaging Partner
Brenda HeinitzDirector of Cataloging
Adrian KlingelFounder and CTO
Brian WilliamsDirector of Operations
Ralph BowenEvokat Subscription Sales
Richelle PowellDirector of Finance
