How does my world get access to the GDSN - and how can a mapping service help?
Everything starts with a small and at first glance simple requirement. You are the producer of a product. You have invested all your knowledge and passion in your product and now you want to sell this product. You find a few dealers and the talks are very successful. You are standing in front of the signature of your trade listing and a subordinate clause mentions: “Oh, before we forget it. We use the GDSN standard. Can you transfer your product master data to us via GDSN? ”GDSN? What is GDSN? Which attributes must be included in the product master data? Some time ago you invested a lot of money in a SAP system. This GDSN can definitely do that. Alternatively, maybe the PIM system? Do you even have centralized data management in your company in order to be able to deliver all the required attributes?

Paths to the GDSN

From our experience, the analysis of the internal data storage system is often sobering. A lot of time and money was invested in an internal infrastructure, but the Global Data Synchronization Network - GDSN for short - is not supported - as the saying goes "out-of-the-box". However, there are many options for entering the GDSN:

1. You can enter your data manually via a user interface of the individual data pool providers or make it available via Excel upload. Use the internet and your browser to do this.

The top class of data synchronization, however, is the automated connection of your systems to the GDSN - the so-called machine-to-machine connection. Here a connection is established from your systems to the GDSN. How can you make sure of that?

2. You can expand your internal system and independently convert your data into the GDSN data format and send it to the data pool provider via digital communication.
3. You use an external service - a so-called “Mapping Service” - that takes care of the data conversion.

Mapping Service - a team sport

In my report I would like to show you how atrify offers this external service - i.e. the mapping service. What does it mean for you when you book such a service and what is in store for you.

The automatic connection of your systems to the GDSN is not the game of a lone fighter, but a classic team sport. You are the expert in your own data storage systems and we need exactly this knowledge for a smooth process. You know what an attribute extension means in your system if, for example, GDSN mandatory attributes are missing. And you also know which export options are available in your system in order to send us all the necessary data.

It is our goal to relieve you of as much work as possible and to develop a high-quality solution. The data conversion takes place on our servers and after the project we take care that the data stream flows behind our interface. I am convinced that such a project can only be successfully completed with good, trusting and, above all, open cooperation.

But now I would like to tell you more about the project flow of such a mapping service . Our projects are divided into several phases. We learned, sometimes painfully, that changing the project phases entails risks and disadvantages that we want to avoid for the success of the project.

Pre-analysis phase

Together with you, we clarify basic questions that are important for the future project. Here are some sample questions that need to be clarified:

  • How do you want to connect your system to ours in the future (AS / 2 / sFTP)?
  • How many records will flow per day / month / year?
  • Which data formats do we use to exchange information?
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