Product data message

Version: Process description SALES005 v1.0.1

In the production message, product-specific information is exchanged between the manufacturer or importer. Products are classified according to product classes. For these classes, relevant characteristics and values are described by the producer of importer. The manufacturer or importer is, naturally, the source best equipped to adequately describe such information, so as to prevent redundant and incorrect information.

The products are described according to the ETIM classification. Per group and class the relevant technical characteristics are laid down, such as; shape, application or function. An trade item is often a product for sale or under trade, and trade information is provided such as price and packaging. At the regulatory level, there is a cohesion between the product message and the trade item message. In the price catalogue message references might be made at the trade item’s regulatory level to product identification and the basic technical product data.

1 General playing rules

• The exchange of product data is most successful when both the producer and the purchaser have adopted in their internal application the same and most recent version of the classification;
• The classified product data is laid down and maintained by the manufacturer or importer of the product;
• Product data is compiled in three steps:
  • Brand, series and type, including general matters such as description;
  • Denoting of the class;
  • The filing of the relevant characteristics for that particular class.
• If the value of a product is as of yet unknown, or the characteristic for that particular product is not relevant, the box ‘No Value’ can be used;
• Two phases in the exchange of product data can be distinguished:
  • Initial phase. The initiative is with the purchaser of the product data. He/she shall request the product data from the supplier. The supplier shall forward these then to the purchaser;
  • Modifying phase. Here the initiative is with the supplier of the product data. The modification shall be forwarded to every purchaser. Next to that, the sender of the message is to respect the agreed upon service levels in contracts and orders with the receiver and/or relevant legislation. This includes the work already in progress (products that have already been ordered and order(s) accepted by the supplier), a contractual supply obligation and time frames for delivery that have been determined by law;
• The supplier is responsible for the forwarding of the product data message;
• Attachments shall be used to include supporting documents in the product or price catalogue message. This might be documents such as manuals and marketing information. Attachments shall not be used to further classify the product. The export and import of product data is an indication of the product’s lifecycle. The new product shall gradually be made available to the chain while the supply of the old product shall gradually be reduced. During a certain period, both the old and the new product shall exist next to one another.
   

1.1 Plan of Attack

Below you will find the various steps to be completed within this particular case:

• Both the supplier as the customer wish to possess the same product information. In order to ensure this is the case, they update their systems with common and up-to-date classification tables;
• The supplier uses the mutation code ‘modification’ or ‘original’ to indicate whether the document only exchanges modifications, or whether it is the updated file that is being exchanged (possibly discontinued products are not recorded in the document);
• In case there is an exchange of modifications, the supplier can accordingly indicate whether the product is new item not available yet, new/available (up-to-date), discontinued, deletion, or deletion announcement only. Classifying something as ‘destroy publication’ indicates that wrong data can be deleted.
• The customer shall update his file with the muted product data. In practice, it is possible for the supplier to send the product data to a data pool, a brokering, or a purchasing organisation.
  

1.2 Status and mutation code

To ensure synchronisation between the product records of both supplier and customer, it should be clear for the receiver how to process the supplied information. The mutation code can be made known at message level; the mutation shall apply to all products or trade items within that particular message. The status code is applied to indicate wat happens in the transition phase if the product data is modified.

At the header the mutation code can indicate the nature of the modification of the stock at message level within the product message:

Table 1 - Mutation code at the header

Mutationcode	Meaning
4	Modification (only the mutations are being exchanged)
9	Original (the complete and updated file is being exchanged)

The status code is used to provide information about the mutation at line level:

Table 2 - Statuscode at line level

Status code	Meaning
125	125 Trade item is new item not available yet: the trade item shall in the near future be incorporated within the catalogue
126	New/available
94E	The trade item is deletion announcement only: the trade item shall in the near future no longer be available for delivery. If this is the case, it is possible to add a ‘follow-up’.
130	Discontinued
155	Destroy publication
175	Suspended (e.g. seasonal items)