ECCMA Updates Member Profiles. From the Executive Director

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1 NEWSLETTER INSIDE THIS ISSUE: ECCMA Updates Member Profiles Who s Who Industry Corner Recap Meetings Project Updates From the Executive Director t is very exciting to see the rapid growth in eotd implementations as well as the progress in the development of ISO We ve had our heads down working on the NATO eotd Application Guide that we expect to make available in December. We are looking for reviewers and anyone interested in reviewing the draft should contact me (you have to agree to submit a comment form by November 5). Dr. Radack and I are also working on an outline for a book on Master Data Quality that we expect to complete early next year, so 2008 will be a busy year as well. When we set out on this journey, our goal was to find a way to improve the quality and lower the cost of master data in an environment where suppliers were often not forthcoming with characteristic data. Many feared that this data would be used to commoditize their products and services. I can still remember my first survey of the top 10 U.S. vendors measured by the number of NSNs they had been issued. The environment has certainly changed, and it is making our job easier. Faced with the sharing of data amongst buyers, suppliers and manufacturers have quickly realized that it is better to be the authoritative source of their own data than to allow others to exchange what is often inaccurate and out of date. Many suppliers and manufacturers are even publishing their catalogues and specifications on the Web. The last step in this process is to move from inefficient web scrubbing tools to more efficient query and data exchange protocols such as eotd-q-xml and eotd-r-xml. The move from publishing a web catalogue to responding to a specific query is technically simple, and helps suppliers better understand data requirements. The flip side of the process is that the person requesting the data needs to be more accurate in specifying their data requirements. It really is a matter of if you are careful in what you ask for you might just get it. I was reminded by a close friend of the story of Many Moons By James Thurber Mr. Peter Benson! in which a Princess wants the moon--an apparently impossible request--until someone asks her to describe the moon. "It is as big as the nail on my finger, she says. I know this is so, because when I put my small finger in front of the moon, my fingernail covers it." "What do you think the moon is made of?" The princess laughed and said, "Of course, it is made of gold." The jeweler made a round moon of gold, a little smaller than the fingernail of the Princess. Then he put the moon on a gold chain so that Lenore could wear it on her neck. She was so happy that she quickly got well. Not that all our data problems will be solved that easily; but it starts with being able to clearly and unambiguously communicate our data requirements in a form that the person we are asking can process the request at minimum cost. Respectfully submitted Peter Benson We expect to initiate translation of the NSN data into eotd-r-xml before the end of this year, as a sufficient number of ECCMA members responded to our . ECCMA Newsletter 1

2 NEWS Over the past year, ECCMA has been working on a NATO project that will develop the necessary resources to allow the use of the eotd (ECCMA Open Technical Dictionary) in CAD/CAM programs. The data used in this project is from parts used in Sheron Koshy the manufacture of a military vehicle. We created eotd Identification Guides in eotd-i-xml from the data received and are working on creating eotd-r-xml. Over the last couple of months, we concentrated on creating the eotd-r-xml from the data and should complete about 70 of them by the end of this month. Upon completion of the project, the eotd-i-xml and eotd-r-xml will be uploaded to the upcoming Implementor's Area and will be available for download by ECCMA Members. If you have any questions with reference to eotd xml schemas or implementation of the eotd, please sheron.koshy@eccma.org. Sheron Koshy, ECCMA India Over the last month we have seen almost 6,000 terms added to the eotd dictionary. The additions came from projects ECCMA is working on as well as terms submitted from the ECCMA Content Standard Councils (CSC). Dan King We currently have three CSCs established; they are in the Natural Resource industry (NRICSC), the Service Industry (SICSC) and the Oil and Gas Industry OGICSC). (MROCSC). MRG is planning an internal meeting at the end of this month to start organizing the group and to set preliminary objectives and goals. After their meeting, ECCMA and MRG will be sending out a press release regarding the formation of the CSC and their plans for future development. If you are interested in learning more about the CSC s or would like to participate please contact me at dan.king@eccma.org. You can also contact the Chair of each council using the contact details below. NRICSC Max Batinti Director, Quadrem Content Services mbatinti@quadrem.com SICSC Pieter Strydom Operations Director, Starnode pieter.strydom@starnode.com OGICSC Jerry Hubbard Executive Vice President, Energistics Jerry.Hubbard@energistics.org +1 (713) Or Dave Wallis European Representative, OFS Portal dwallis@ofs-portal.com ECCMA is also working with Management Resource Group (MRG) on the creation of the Maintenance, Repair and Operations Content Standard Council Dan King, ECCMA ECCMA Newsletter 2

3 Smart STEP Codification Meeting Smart STEP Codification Meeting Held Held in in Luxembourg Luxembourg On September 19, NATO Allied Committee 135 (AC/135) convened a meeting to review the contract to the contract to execute Phase 2 of the Smart STEP Codification (SSC2) project, an effort that will develop applications and procedures to obtain eotd data from supplier databases and files. The meeting was held in Capellen, Luxembourg, at the NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency (NAMSA). The prime contractor is CTC, and ECCMA and LSC Group of the United Kingdom are subcontractors. SSC is a term that encompasses the project AC/135 has undertaken to develop applications and procedures to obtain eotd data from supplier databases and files. The prime contractor is CTC, and ECCMA and LSC Group of the United Kingdom are subcontractors. AC/135 has appointed a steering group to monitor this contract, and at this meeting it was represented by: Colonel Marek Dalkowski of Poland, chairman of the steering group; George Bond of United Kingdom, chairman of AC/135; Steven Arnett of the United States; Svend-Erik Mathiasen of Denmark; Serge Desvergez of France; and Gilles Vergnerie of NAMSA. Mr. Vergnerie of NAMSA manages this contract on behalf of AC/135. Representing the contractor side were Peter Benson, executive director of ECCMA, Dr. Gerald Radack, chief computer scientist of CTC, and Dr. Timothy King of LSC Group. The day began with a presentation by Mr. Arnett in which he reviewed the status of the eotd project and the ISO Standards 22745, 29002, and 8000 that will help ensure the quality of data. The SSC2 project has three aspects that are important to the future of eotd: Patria Case Study This study involved applying the principles of eotd and ISO to an actual weapons system, the ROSOMAK Armored Modularized Vehicle designed in Finland by Patria Inc. and being produced in Poland for Polish forces. Because the system is being produced in Poland for Polish forces, the project has involved close cooperation between the eotd/iso project team and the Finland and Poland National Codification Bureaus (NCBs). CTC delivered the case study several weeks before the September 19 meeting, so AC/135 had had plenty of time to review it. While the study showed overall success of this project, it also highlighted the challenges the eotd team will face in obtaining master data from supplier files. eotd Application Guide ECCMA has drafted a comprehensive document that shows National Codification Bureaus and suppliers how to code and exchange master data in eotd format. The Steering Group was generally satisfied with the draft, but suggested it be divided into two documents, one for NCBs and one for suppliers. Partly as a result of the work the team has done with Patria, the eotd/iso team emphasized that the focus for obtaining supplier data has shifted from Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems and design engineering data to By: Steven Arnett Product Data Management (PDM) systems. Smart STEP Codification Conversion Tool LSC Group s role in this project is to develop an application to convert eotd-r-xml master data into Modified Segment V (MSV) format. This conversion tool is being developed to make it easier for National Codification Bureaus to process data derived from eotd into their systems. It will also be available to vendors of NCS software like ESG and AURA. Segment V is the coded form of descriptive data used in the NCS. In addition to its technical advantages, having an MSV will provide bureaus with a higher comfort level regarding eotd data because it looks much like that data they already work with every day. Dr. King presented a prototype of the conversion tool at the meeting that showed it is on track to be fully developed and delivered before the contract expires. By the end of the meeting, the steering group had reached consensus that a solid foundation has been laid for meeting the goals of the SSC2 contract. A final contract review will occur just prior to the AC/135 Main Group meeting in Athens, Greece, on November 5. Mr. Arnett is the deputy chief of the United States NCB at the Defense Logistics Information Service and is a member of the eotd/iso project team. He can be reached at steven.arnett@dla.mil. The logo for Smart STEP Codification ROSOMAK AMV The logo of AC/135 ECCMA Newsletter 3

4 ECCMA Member Profile Krishna A N Shastry I have noticed that often most of the clients seem to think data quality problems are something that can be fixed quickly, which is not usually the case. Title (Position): CTO, Griha Software Technologies Pvt. Ltd. Country: India Years in Data Quality: I have spent about seven years in catalog content management and data quality services. Q: Other Professional Organizations with which you are involved: Griha Software Technologies Pvt. Ltd. #951, Vijayalakshmi Complex 24th Main, 2nd Phase J.P. Nagar, Bengaluru India UNSPSC.org, Energetics, ecl@ss, SAP Developer Network Q: Describe your career path. How did you get to where you are today? I started my career in a data digitization and conversion company which eventually evolved into a catalog management services provider. I held various positions in operations, deliveries, marketing and technology. It helped me to be exposed to the service needs of clients from different verticals who had unique data quality problems. I joined Griha Soft in 2003 and since been working as a CTO. Q: What about your particular career path do you find is of most value in your role as a cataloger? I would say it is the variety of projects that I had the opportunity to work on since the beginning of my career. I witnessed the growth and consolidation of several catalog data management standards in the past decade and the huge role played by the technology in bringing them to industry. Q: What is the biggest challenge catalogers face today? I have noticed that often most of the clients seem to think data quality problems are something that can be fixed quickly, which is not usually the case. Also, the data issues often do not receive the attention they deserve in comparison to other components of e-procurement function. Q: What is most rewarding about your job? It is the feeling of accomplishment upon a client s successful go live. Also, the opportunity to interact with people right from the top management to those at shop floor at our customer organizations. Q: What are your favorite outside interests? Travel, reading and spending time with family. Q: Are you working on any projects that include the use of eotd, if so what are they? I just completed a project with one of our associates which had extensive eotd usage. It was for the U.S. government s transportation arm. Want to be Included? If you would like to be included in a future Member Profile, please contact editor@eccma.org. ECCMA Newsletter 4

5 Who s Who? ECCMA would like to welcome some new members and acknowledge members who have renewed their 2007 membership! We thank you for your support of open source content standards and your participation in ECCMA. We will continue to strive to fulfill your needs as a member of the association. Anglo American Executive Director Peter Benson peter.benson@eccma.org Chief Operating Officer Daniel King daniel.king@eccma.org Diageo Defense Logistics Information Service (DLIS) Program Coordinator Melissa Scheib melissa.scheib@eccma.org Information Dynamics (Pty) Ltd President ECCMA India Sheron Koshy sheron.koshy@eccma.org Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. SSG Standard Solutions Group AB United Stationers Supply Company ECCMA 2980 Linden St. Ste. E2 Bethlehem, PA Once again, we would like to take this time to thank everyone who has participated in the Newsletter. All of your support and time are greatly appreciated. We hope you will continue your participation. If you have any questions or feedback please e e--mail them to editor@eccma.org. ECCMA Newsletter 5

6 eotd Training Courses ECCMA s Executive Director, Peter Benson, will be leading eotd training courses in The two and a half day training course will cover a review of the eotd, ISO and ISO It will be focused on the implementation of the eotd by application and service providers, plant managers and procurement and commodity managers. The course covers: Using ISO 8000 to get the data you need Using ISO 8000 to increase your market visibility Defining data requirements for customer, supplier, material, asset and service masters Evaluating data quality Developing a data quality plan Data quality work flow Identifying and resolving duplicates Developing consistent ERP search strings (short descriptions) Developing consistent ERP purchase order descriptions (long description) Strategies for reducing free text spend and increasing contracted spend Working with manufacturers and suppliers to validate data Working with manufacturers and suppliers to obtain missing data Mapping metadata Building eotd Identification Guides in XML Generating requests for data in XML Responding to requests for data in XML Managing supplier enablement programs Complying with ISO 8000 in order to obtain an ECCMA 8000 Master Data Quality certificate Managing an ISO 8000 certification program Course Planning for 2008: India in January Mark Your Calendars! *Any additional courses will be announced in our December newsletter. About The Course The course includes presentations, on-line demonstrations as well as exercises and workshops. The course typically starts on Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. and finishes Thursday at noon. It includes lunch, a training manual, a CD and an ECCMA Technical Short Course completion certificate. For more information or to register for the next scheduled course please contact Peter Benson at peter.benson@eccma.org. Recently added to our Alumni List: Ric Starck, Synergetics Melissa Scheib, ECCMA 2 1/2 Day Training Course! Melissa Scheib, ECCMA ECCMA Newsletter 6

7 By: Ric Starck ECCMA member since 2006 Synergetics Incorporated Director Research & Development DOD 1520 S. College Avenue Fort Collins, CO recently attended and graduated from the ECCMA Technical Short Course, Improving the Quality of Master Data. This course was very informative and essential to anyone who works within a datacentric environment. In my specific situation, this course demonstrated the necessity for quality master data and the ability to exchange data between the Department of Defense and commercial vendors. ISO 8000 certification and compliance is essential to the quality and growth of the business venture. Quality data certification is no longer a nicety, but a progressive requirement that demands a cohesive aligned strategy. ISO 8000 is a framework for assessing data quality by resolution of data element tags and the process for identifying the key source of the data. Each day, more and more companies are beginning to understand how important data tags are and how dangerous it is to use third party tags. ISO 8000 and specifically the eotd have matured into a standard way of doing business. The eotd identifiers are in the public domain and their definition is searchable on the Internet. Because of this, eotd is increasingly important for companies and their data retention policies and procedures. Synergetics Integrated Mobile Database (IMD) software suite has the ability to extract data from raw sources, compress, index and produce portable media versions of the original data. The software comes with low-level and GUI interfaces to efficiently search and export data. Of the export options, EOTD-r-xml can be selected for ISO 8000 compliance. Synergetics understands the value of ISO 8000 in terms of client satisfaction and corporate excellence. Synergetics supports ECCMA and its mission to develop and maintain open standard dictionaries that are used to unambiguously label information. ECCMA Newsletter 7

8 ECCMA Member Profile Fluffy Dempers Title (Position): Director Country: South Africa Years in Cataloguing: I was involved with NATO cataloguing for approximately 30 years as a user of the standard. Since 1999 when I joined Information Dynamics, I became more intensely involved with the utilisation and management of the NATO and commercial cataloguing standards, as well as the development of solutions that support these standards. Q: Describe your career path. How did you get to where you are today? My main background is in military logistic management. I have managed various Airforce logistic operational support units as well as support supply, maintenance and manufacturing Depots. Since 1999 I have been involved in the management of various content standardisation / cleansing / management projects (military & industry) as well as assisting in the development of content solutions for clients. Q: What about your particular career path do you find is of most value in your role as a cataloguer? Most valuable is my technical and operational background spanning all the logistic phases from development to phase-out, in both a supplier and buyer role. This exposure gave me a good understanding of the content requirements needed for the support of business processes over the total content life cycle. Q: What is the biggest challenge cataloguers face today? There are many challenges facing cataloguers and content managers today. The following are some of the more important ones in my view: Descriptive Depth. Determining and cataloguing to a required descriptive depth (Item of Supply Concept) that will support and reflect the organisational needs thereof within business processes and NOT that of an individual or cataloguer. Shifting Priorities. Moving away from creating content as main priority to capturing, maintaining and distributing of content as the main priority, using collaboration with Manufacturers / Vendors / Suppliers to create the standard based content and capture it at source. Content Life Cycle Management. Managing the configuration of catalogue data over the total content life cycle (aligning catalogue data with ERP / Legacy System data: -what is in the catalogue = what is needed by the organisation = what is in the ERP/ Legacy systems =what is in the warehouse = what needs to be procured=what needs to be phased out) Collaboration of Content. Collaboration of this content to all users and relevant business processes (create once use many times) in support of the business objectives. Q: What is most rewarding about your job? The implementation of a solution that empowers all users within all organisation levels to easily obtain, collaborate, analyse and manage content over its total content life cycle. Q: Favourite outside interests? Golf, rugby, family and outdoors, not necessarily in that order. Q: Are you working on any projects that include the use of eotd, if so what are they? We have completed two projects based on eotd in We are in the process of releasing a new Standard Based Content Management Solution and are in discussion with existing and new clients regarding their content management needs utilising the newly released solution. Information Dynamics (Pty) Ltd Unit 1, 9 Pieter Street, Regency Court Highveld, Centurion, Gauteng, South Africa 0169 ECCMA Newsletter 8

9 Implementing eotd in MC CATALOGUE By Zdeně k Buř ival, Miroslav Moravec,, AURA, s.r.o. ogistics is a wide-ranging discipline and requires considerable information support. AURA, s.r.o. (Ltd.) has specialized in this area from its very beginning in AURA s first products for information support to logistics were warehouse management systems. From the early 1990s on, AURA has been focused on military logistics. Our main project for the military is the Information System for Logistics (ISL) for the Czech MoD and Armed Forces. In the scope of the ISL project, we have developed the first version of MC CATALOGUE the successful software tool for material codification according to the standards of the NATO Codification System (NCS). This tool is already in use by a number of NATO and non-nato countries that have decided to implement the NCS. Systematically, we have increased our experience and expertise in NATO Codification and cataloguing to provide, besides the codification software, consultations in this area. As a company deeply involved in all aspects of cataloguing, we clearly recognise what benefits the eotd (ECCMA Open Technical Dictionary) could bring to all participating parties: manufacturers, supplier and users of codified products. Bringing the cataloguing process closer to manufacturers not only speeds it up and simplifies it, but also significantly contributes to the quality of cataloguing data. To be prepared for implementation of eotd standards in NATO Codification, our MC CATALOGUE has implemented the feature for importing codification data produced in the eotd-rxml format. These data are then imported to MC CATALOGUE with all possible validations and verifications. The result is shown on the following screens: Source XML data contain many identifiers and it is necessary to receive corresponding names from the eotd. MC CATALOGUE is able to access ECCMA Web Services to obtain these data and to cache them in an internal storage. We plan to enrich MC CATALOGUE with some new functions in the near future. One of them is the import and usage of the offline eotd (in case the NCB network is not connected to the Internet). Another is the import of the eotd-i-xml (XML FIIGs) to allow codifiers to answer MRCs faster and more effectively. We plan to continue promoting and improving implementation of the eotd in our software products and services. The next planned step is testing these new features together with one of the larger Czech manufacturers. For further information contact Mr. Zdenek Burival, zdenek.burival@aura.cz ECCMA Newsletter 9

10 PI-LOG RELEASES MULTI- LANGUAGE eotd VERSION OF RAMIS CATALOGUE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE 3 September 2007 Pi-log, a leader in cataloguing technology, has signed a deal in Russia on the strength of their latest Pi-Log Ramis Master Data Management software. The sophisticated new software addresses cross border communication barriers with its multilanguage capability. the capacity to search and compare items across languages and alphabets. The underlying model of the eotd is designed specifically for this capability. Usage is simple, says Wynand Nortjé, Technical Director of Pi-Log International. With its strong Data Quality The Pi-log software caters to global corporations that need to manage data across languages. It is the world s first practical implementation of the Electronic Open Technical Dictionary (eotd) that provides language translations in a commercial off-the-shelf master data management solution. International global companies with a central standardisation drive require a solution across the normal language and alphabet barriers, so that users can work on a single solution simultaneously. They need to enter and view data in their native language and alphabet and have translation model, all that s required for the software to work successfully is a set of eotd Implementation Guides that is translated into all the required languages. The software is also unique in that multiple languages with different alphabets can be used for both the system prompts as well as in the data. For example, both the Russian alphabet as well as the standard Latin alphabet can be used for the European languages. ECCMA Newsletter 10

11 Continued from previous page Nortjé noted that this release of the software was particularly challenging. The simultaneous display of the different alphabets on the same screen in an interactive manner presented a unique set of problems that had to be solved. Furthermore, the underlying algorithms have to operate faultlessly, regardless of the language or alphabet used by the cataloguer. The powerful search technology also had to be expanded to search and compare items across the language and alphabet borders. Anna Shevchenko, project manager of the Russian Client and Wynand Nortjé discussing some details of the P-Log Ramis software. In a recent demonstration of the software to a Moscow-based global company, Pi-Log demonstrated the software in Russian, French, Italian, German and English. By utilizing the eotd in these languages, users could catalogue data in the system in their native languages. Upon completion of the cataloguing process, the data was immediately available in all other selected languages. Thank You Joe Cassel The ECCMA Board of Directors and Staff would like to thank Joe Cassel for serving as an ECCMA Director. Joe regrettably resigned from the ECCMA Board as his new appointment with DLA does not allow him to serve on any external boards. ECCMA started working with Joe when he was the Commander at the Defense Logistics Information Service (DLIS). Joe retired from the Marines after 25 years of service and was highly commended for his outstanding leadership and management skills. Joe joined Electronic Data Systems (EDS) Corporation where he has served as the Program Manager for Defense Medical Logistics Standard Support (DMLSS). While at EDS Joe introduced ECCMA to the EDS leadership and drew their attention to the opportunities to use the eotd and the associated ISO standards in data integration projects where data quality was an issue. Joe has been selected to lead the J6 Information Operations lead ( at New Cumberland, PA, with information management and information technology responsibility for the Defense Distribution Center effort covering 26 major sites worldwide. Joe's in-depth IT background, coupled with his ability to bring out the best in those that work with him will prove to be an invaluable asset. Again, we would like to thank Joe for his support and dedication to open standards and we wish him the best of luck in his new position with DLA at New Cumberland. Call For New Board of Director Any member in good standing may apply for appointment to the Board of Directors. The directors sign an Oath of Office on their appointment; they are listed on the ECCMA website and provided with an ECCMA address. The Directors are responsible for the development of ECCMA policy and work directly with the Executive Director. The Directors currently hold a quarterly telephone conference call (Tuesday 9:30-10:30 EST) limited to one hour. If you would be interested in serving on the ECCMA board, please send ECCMA a copy of your resume for circulation to the Directors or contact the We promise it won t be this bad! office at (610) ECCMA Newsletter 11

12 Quadrem Data Solutions By: Massimo Batinti, Quadrem t some point in time we all have had to struggle with inconsistent, incomplete and non-comparable item descriptions. This may have been a personal online shopping experience or, perhaps, one more critical such as the identification and procurement of spare parts to support the production assets for your company. The impact of dirty data to a company s operations is significant. For example, industry experience has shown that percent of the items procured are duplicated or substitutable items within the operations. If more was known about the materials procured, the quantity and expense of a significant portion of procurement activities could be reduced. Poor master and catalogue data descriptions are a root cause of process malfunctions and asset mismanagement. Without a consistent and standards-based data management process, your purchasing organization can't find the needed information to accurately order. The result? "Guesswork" purchase orders that lead to: Obsolete and duplicate materials Longer order fulfillment cycles Higher inventory, equipment maintenance and procurement costs Lower plant and equipment availability Inability to perform better spend analysis for on- or off-contract items Inability to increase procurement advantages and effectiveness through volume purchasing and increased leverage on vendors Inability and failure of applications to transmit data seamlessly application-toapplication requiring continued manual intervention that only adds to the cost of doing business High volumes of materials being returned to the vendor or the warehouse because the item or material is incorrect or the incorrect quantity has been delivered High incidence of OEM purchases rather than through general suppliers Inadequate material descriptions also create frustration for purchasing professionals trying to meet their customers' needs. They can't find the right materials and supplies through accepted channels. So, to get the job done, they resort to "maverick" purchasing from suppliers outside the scope of negotiated strategic contracts. The way in which a company creates, manages, uses and stores master data and catalogue information directly affects its bottom line profits, and is critical to improving productivity, reducing costs and supporting compliance. During most ERP implementations and upgrades, system integrators exclude MRO Master Data and Catalogue cleansing from their scope and responsibility. As a result, most companies face one of the greatest risk factors of the project: Without good, clean data, ERP implementations/upgrades will fail. Data quality is a business issue and business leadership needs to take responsibility for the identification of data quality issues, establishing minimum acceptable levels of data quality and facilitating data quality improvement initiatives. Organizations must stop looking solely at IT for resolution of data quality issues, and IT must educate the business about where accountability should lie. Research demonstrates that too often the charge is being let by IT alone, leading to limited funding and business engagement. Data Management Study Gartner April Ted Friedman The Benefits of Good Quality Master Data and Catalogues Increase contract compliance by 20% Ability to determine and procure the required part or product with certainty Reduced maverick and free text purchases Ability to track and monitor supplier performance against contract and delivery compliance of orders placed Increased visibility across the enterprise with regards to search, spend and rationalization opportunities Increase service levels by 20% Have the correct part or product in stock and delivered at the needed time Curb false stock-outs (when the ERP indicates nil stock on hand, and stock is in inventory) Reduction in expedited orders and associated costs (normally arising from poor visibility and stock outs) Reducing the risk of plant downtime Optimized use of ERP Search, Inventory, Financial modules Decrease Inventory Costs by up to 15% ~ If you know what you are buying then you can: Buy only the correct materials Buy only what will be consumed Reduce the number of materials onhand Decrease Carrying Costs Reduce invoicing issues Standardise data to meet ERP and strategic sourcing initiatives Eliminate orders for duplicate or obsolete materials Shorten order fulfillment times Avoid errors that cause repeat shipments Prevent situations that cause offcontract spending Continued on next page ECCMA Newsletter 12

13 Reduce the cost of data creation and management Solving the Challenges of Master and Catalogue Data Creation and Management Whether your data resides on a hosted catalogue or within your ERP system, Quadrem is able to deliver high-quality data that conforms to your defined descriptive patterns, class codes and other internal requirements. Quadrem will help you lay a foundation of consistent, standards-based data, so you can aggregate information for spend analysis and eliminate order errors, post-purchase reconciliations, returns, and off-contract purchasing. Typically, legacy data is free-form having evolved over time and through a combination of catalogue philosophies or approaches and, perhaps in the course of merger or acquisition, of multiple sources. Most company s legacy data is comprised of tens if not hundreds of thousands of records and each one must be reviewed, evaluated and standardised in order to ensure a homogeneous master data free of duplication and ambiguity. Quadrem s services are provided utilizing either a Cradle to Grave methodology or one where only the required services are provided and tailor-made to suite your unique operating environment. Consulting services Quadrem analyzes your current master and catalogue data and will help you draft a plan for optimisation, classification and implementation. Schema selection and customisation services Quadrem assists with selection, customisation and enhancement of classification, cataloguing and codification schemas. Data creation, maintenance and manipulation Quadrem will realign legacy data to the adopted standard and create new material masters as needed, as well as provide ongoing maintenance services. Data enhancement Quadrem researches and completes missing item data with information required to describe the item in accordance with the adopted schema. Data consolidation (MDM) Quadrem enables you to consolidate multiple data streams for disparate ERPs and truly manage the data at the Enterprise level. Standards and languages Quadrem delivers data solution to a wide range of markets in various languages, using different standards: Data types include, material masters, service masters, vendor masters and mnemonics as well as hosted catalogues Languages include, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German and Italian Standards include, eotd (ECCMA Open Technical Dictionary), SMD (Standard Modifier Dictionary), NATO, UNSPSC (United Nations Standard Product & Service Code), ecl@ss, FSC, NAICS, UN/ECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe), as well as customer specific internal standards. Leverage the expertise of an industry leader For more than 6 years, Quadrem has worked with organizations like yours to implement successful ebusiness initiatives. We ve established processes that solve data complexities and enable both suppliers and buyers around the world to load and manage standardised data accurately. Quadrem continues to play a leadership role in ebusiness organizations such as Electronic Commerce Code Management Association (ECCMA) and Commerce Net. Quadrem was also one of the first companies in the world to create its own Standards Council, a process now followed by other global organizations as a commercial best to ensure that messaging, business process and security standards will meet the business needs of today and endure the test of time. Purchase the Right Item, at the Right Time and in the Appropriate Quantities ECCMA Newsletter 13

14 Newsletter Don t Forget Upcoming Conferences! ISO TC 184/SC / /06 The ISO dates are subject to confirmation by the committee. ECCMA Master Data Quality Conference / /15 The 2009 ECCMA conference will be our 10 th anniversary so make sure you add the date on your calendar as you won t want to miss it! We Want To Hear From You Want to send in your cataloging projects, news or tips to share with other readers? We d love to hear from you! Here s how to get involved: Send your materials by mail or . Upon receipt of materials they will be reviewed. We will let you know if we use something you submitted. Materials that do not fit in the Newsletter may be considered for our website. Send submissions to: ECCMA, 2980 Linden St. Ste E2, Bethlehem, Pa or them to editor@eccma.org. If you have a particular month you want to be featured in, please print on front of the envelope or type it in the subject line of your message. Submission Deadlines Please note: change of dates for December and February! Issue Closing Date Issue Closing Date Issue Closing Date December 17 December 10 February 18 February 11 April 21 April 14 ECCMA Newsletter 14