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GDSN Community Update February 2013

 

GLOBAL OFFICE LATEST NEWS

11 Million Items in GS1’s Global Registry

The GS1 Global Registry of the Global Data Synchronisation Network continues its unmatched growth, reaching today 11 Million items.

 “This is a truly exciting time for GDSN. The continued growth in the use of GDSN by the retail supply chaindemonstrates the great value the network provides. As other sectors look to achieve similar benefits, we will see exponential growth and even more rapid adoption” - Malcolm Bowden, President of GDSN Inc.

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GDSN Major Release – Planning Update

What is Happening Now

The delivery of the draft XML Schemas achieved mid-December 2012, triggered the:

  • Review of the draft standards by the GDSN Community (GS1 IP Policy signed).
  • Review of the draft standards by the members of the OTAG for input to GDSN Inc., which will lead to determining the Production Deployment date for the Major Release.
  • Creation of the Excel Templates for use in the Simulation Pilot. The templates are based on the draft XML Standards.

What is Happening Next

Parallel work efforts have been launched and are now in progress. To participate in the Major Release Planning in any of the following work groups, use the links below:

GDSN Major Release Mission Specific Work Group Join the GSMP GDS Major Release MSWG (Requires GS1 Intellectual Property Agreement):

  • Defined requirements.
  • Reviewing Context Validations.

GDSN Industry Engagement User Group Sub-Teams Join GDSN User Group-click here  (Does not require GS1 Intellectual Property Agreement).

Business Value Team:

  • Objective: to define the Business Value of the Major Release for each GDSN Stakeholder. 
  • Target: to deliver collateral that will explain the business value of the GDSN Major Release in May 2013.

Change Management Team:

  • Objective: to deliver a Risk Assessment tool for release planning by Data Pools for their members.
  • Target: to deliver a Risk Assessment tool for release planning by Data Pools for their members in September 2013.

Simulation Pilot Team:

  • Objective: Comprised of End Users and Data Pools, this team will orchestrate an exchange of the draft standard for analysis against the requirements and the context validations.
  • Target: the completion of paper-based pilot activities by end of June 2013.

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A Data Quality Accomplished Leader Joins GS1 Global Office

Mark Widman just joined GS1 Global Office as Director of Data Quality.

He will be responsible for developing and executing the GS1 Data Quality strategy and vision, as well as collaborating with the GS1 community to lead the mission of 100% Data Quality for GS1 B2B2C applications and authentication initiatives. 

For any questions on Data Quality, reach out to Mark: mark.widman@gs1.org


LATEST GS1 DEPLOYMENTS

New Standard Provides Foundation for GS1 Source Framework

The GS1 Trusted Source of Data (TSD) 1.0 Standard was ratified in December 2012. The new standard contains two main components:

  • A standard data model focusing on basic and nutritional product information, but with the flexibility to easily add additional information in the future.
  • Messaging standards to allow data aggregators to communicate with each other via an “index” that will show which aggregator holds trusted information for a given product.

The standard will be used to develop the GS1 Source, which is a framework to support the communication of accurate product data by brand owners to online and mobile application developers, and ultimately to consumers.

Implementation in 2013

In 2013, the standard will be implemented by data aggregators. In parallel, brand-owners will continue to provide their digital product information using one of three routes:

  • Via a GDSN-certified data pool. This is the logical option for companies who already use GDSN to share product data for supply chain purposes or who want to streamline the way their share B2B and B2C data.
  • Via a third party data provider. Companies may already be using a 3rd party to manage their product data or to help tailor their product data for eCommerce.
  • Directly to a data aggregator. Data aggregators will normally accept product data in a variety of forms from manual entry to bulk upload.

Benefits for Brand Owners

When implemented, the GS1 Source framework will provide a way for product information to flow into the digital world. It is a single point of contact for companies to share their product information in digital format. Benefits are as follows:

  • Protecting the brand, as both the brand experience and the “moment of truth” (when a consumer makes a purchase decision) are increasingly moving online.
  • Increased sales due to better product information.
  • Improving the shopping experience by helping shoppers make informed decisions.
  • Connecting to the digital world in a simple, efficient and scalable way.

Benefits for Application Developers

Just as companies are able to share product information easily, application developers are able to use that information easily. GS1 Source will provide application developers with a single source of product data for their web and mobile applications. The benefits for application developers include:

  • Giving consumers an optimal experience when using applications, by ensuring product data is accurate and complete.
  • Increased efficiency of operations by having good quality data to integrate into applications.
  • For eCommerce, the ability to comply with EU Food Information Regulation with regard to distance-selling. The regulation, which will come into force in 2014 in the EU, requires that a significant amount of food information be available to the consumer before they purchase food products online.

Standards for EU Food Information Regulations:

The solution for B2C Trusted Source of Data, branded as “GS1 Source”, has been published. We wish to thank those in the community who made this possible by participating in the B2C Trusted Source of Data Mission Specific Working Group (TSD MSWG). Now, this group is working on “phase 2”.

As a result of activities in Europe and the creation of Work Request 12-000355, the TSD MSWG has an opportunity to address European Union Food Information Regulation (FIR) requirements. Although this request has strong European content, it is global in nature and the work falls within the scope of the group's charter.

It is important that brand owners and data aggregators to join the work effort to ensure your requirements are met by the standard.

Click here to find out how to join this group or contact the GSMP Help Desk for assistance.

More information :
Access the GS1 Trusted Source of Data 1.0 Standard
More information on GS1 Source
For questions about the standard, please contact Cameron Green (cameron.green@gs1.org).

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The New Global Data Dictionary is now online

The Global Data Dictionary (GDD) has been entirely redeveloped and published on the GS1 website. The new tool provides much better support for Global Data Synchronisation Network (GDSN) standards than the previous platform. It has been designed to facilitate navigation, implement new Major releases of GDSN, download code lists and improve support for Validation Rules and Context to be used in new releases of GDSN.

The GDD currently contains messages and their components for GDSN 2.8 and eCom 3.0.
The Glossary of GS1 Terms has also been updated based on the latest official GS1 documentation.
While the tool is quite intuitive, a GDD Help function has also been created to assist users in finding their way around.
To ensure smooth transition from the old to new platform, the old GDD will continue to be available until the end of January 2013. After that date, the previous content will be made available for download.
The tool has been developed on a flexible and easily extensible platform, to allow adding new functions based on user requirements.
Other GS1 standards can be supported in the future, ensuring that the GDD is a true repository of the data elements defined across all GS1 Standards.
For more information on the Global Data Dictionary please visit http://gdd.gs1.org
or contact Ewa Iwicka at ewa.iwicka@gs1.org

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GDSN Deployment of Global Product Classification - June 2012 Publication

The June 2012 Global Product Classification Publication was deployed into the Global Data Synchronisation Network on the 8th of December, 2012. This implementation of GPC brings valuable new content such as new Bricks to expand classification in:

  • Vegetables
  • Vegetable Juice
  • Citrus Fruits
  • Caulking Guns
  • Cleaning Products
  • Vitamins/Minerals
  • Baby/Infant Specialized Foods
  • Bread
  • Beauty
  • Personal Care
  • Hygiene
  • Plumbing,/HVAC
  • Tyre rim sizes

For more information, visit https://www.gs1.org/gpc

 


GS1 Offers a Global Cure for Healthcare

McKinsey & Company released a report highlighting the cost savings and patient safety benefits of adopting a single global supply chain standard in Healthcare. McKinsey interviewed more than 80 Healthcare leaders across the world and examined more than 25 cases of standards-enabled improvement.

The report, Strength in unity: The promise of global standards in healthcare, is the first of its kind to quantify the benefits of a single global standard for Healthcare supply chains.

Report findings:

  • The research has revealed “that implementing global standards across the entire healthcare supply chain could save 22,000-43,000 lives and avert 0.7 to 1.4 million patient disabilities.”
  • Addressing counterfeit drugs, a major and ever growing problem for public health and industry, the report concluded that “rolling-out standards based systems could prevent tens of billions of dollars’ worth of counterfeit drugs from entering the legitimate supply chain”.
  • At the same time the report states that “global standards could enable substantial safety benefits and enable healthcare cost reduction of $40-100 billion”. Once adopted, global standards benefits will span across supply chain stakeholders - from manufacturers to patients.
  • “The healthcare industry faces a potentially costly patchwork of requirements. Over the long term this patchwork could become unworkable. The adoption of a single set of global standards will cost significantly less than two and far less than three or more”.
  • The report concludes that the potential benefits enabled by global standards in Healthcare supply chains “could be significantly larger than anticipated, as proven by the lessons learned from the CPG/retail industry, when GS1 standards were widely adopted”. End-to-end supply chain visibility could create new opportunities in mobile health, improve treatment compliance, help avoid adverse drug interactions and much more.

For more information on McKinsey report, please visit https://www.gs1.org/healthcare/mckinsey

 


NEWS FROM DOWN UNDER

Australian National Product Catalogue Passes Quarter of a Million Milestone

On 4th December 2012, The National E-Health Transition Authority’s (NEHTA) National Product Catalogue has topped a quarter of a million Global Trade Item Numbers (GTINs) and is continuing to grow strongly.

Australia’s world-leading National Product Catalogue is a single repository for product data about medicines, medical equipment and consumables and is hosted on GS1 Australia’s GS1net data repository. With more suppliers coming on board and more Global Trade Item Numbers (GTINs) added, the number of GTINs now totals 276,121 from more than 390 suppliers.

This equates to an 80% increase in the past two years. The unique identification and bar coding of healthcare products and services can improve patient safety, and NEHTA has worked successfully with GS1 Australia and all stakeholders to operationalise and enhance the National Product Catalogue and NEHTA eProcurement solution.

Aligned with GS1’s Global Data Synchronisation Network (GDSN) standards, the NPC uses the standard identifier, the Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), as the globally unique primary product identifier for every NPC record.

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Victorian Product Catalogue System Goes Live

Health Purchasing Victoria (HPV), established in 2001 to improve the collective purchasing power of Victorian public health services and hospitals, has engaged GS1net certified to build the Victoria Product Catalogue System (VPCS).

The VPCS facilitates automated receipt of supplier data loaded to the National Product Catalogue (NPC). The NPC is a key part of the National E-Health Transition Authority’s (NEHTA’s) supply chain reform program and is hosted by GS1 Australia on GS1net.

The Victorian Product Catalogue (VPC) is maintained using the VPCS which provides reporting, workflow management, email alerts, data translation and data synchronisation. The VPCS matches and merges product and pricing information from the NPC with HPV contract information.

The VPCS will be progressively rolled out to all Victorian public hospitals and health services starting in 2013. This rollout will provide hospitals and health services with VPCS functionality and access to common product and pricing information.

The data loaded onto the NPC by suppliers feeds the VPC on an on-going basis, which means suppliers do not need to provide data to both the NPC and the VPC. 

The Victorian Catalogue Team (VCT) at HPV monitors and maintains the data quality of the VPC. Together with GS1 Australia, they work with suppliers to ensure that all product and pricing information in the VPC is correct and complete.

For more information concerning the VPCS, please contact the VCT at VCT@hpv.org.au

 


Take Control of Your Product Information

In the Kellogg’s Case Study, Take Control of Your Product Information, six companies put a magnifying glass on what they describe as the product information chain in the foodservice and grocery industries.

1 WorldSync presented the study in Las Vegas at the 2012 GS1 Connect. Focusing on a single branded consumer product, Kellogg’s Special K Strawberry Protein Meal Bar, they examined how information describing products makes its way to consumers.

Given the complexity of the supply chain and the importance of the data, the investigation highlights the need for companies to take control of their product information. Today, with the ever expanding set of online and mobile applications, this is more important than ever.

Taking control of product information means:

  • Demanding the highest levels of data quality for all item related information.
  • Executing strong data governance initiatives based on an understanding of where and how product information is used.
  • Creating standardised methods to share product information among trading partners.

In order to insure strong quality data and up-to-date information, 3 of the companies (Kellogg’s, Wakefern and Dot Foods) synchronise all their data with the Global Data Synchronisation Network™ (GS1’s GDSN®) powered by Aligntrac Solutions and the 1WorldSync Data Pool.

To download the case study, go to:http://www.1worldsync.com/documents/10192/106394/1WorldSync+Kellogg+Case+Study.pdf

 


Sweden - Coca-Cola Enterprises uses Validoo to keep Data Quality at the forefront

“We can’t afford any errors”. For Coca-Cola Enterprises in Sweden, using Validoo’s services is an obvious choice.

For Åsa Englund, responsible for the application of GS1 standards and Validoo’s services at Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) Sverige AB, it is obvious to everybody in the organisation that Validoo’s services give considerable business benefits. The Swedish facility currently uses both Validoo Item and Validoo Q-lab as well as Validoo BarcodeCheck.

 “As well as customer benefit, which is a strong driver for us, these services are very useful in optimising our stocks. When we know that all item’s data are up-to date, it saves very valuable time, we know where to find the item data and quality of data is ensured.”

Åsa Englund explains that there are differences within CCE regarding how item data is used. The organisation has traditionally been focussed on item data mainly for production, while Åsa and her colleagues in Sweden also need information that is adapted to customer needs.

She believes that more and more of Coca-Cola Enterprise’s facilities in other countries will start working along the same principles, using similar methods to those in Sweden. “It is only a question of time before other countries start to working like us with item information and quality assurance.” Asa Englund’s position is new which illustrates that the whole organisation is taking Data Quality very seriously.

 She  also notes that globalisation will force continued rapid development of Data Quality initiatives to guarantee correct and up-to-date information. “It’s fantastic to be able to take advantage of the type of services Validoo offers in Sweden. The world is shrinking and we, like many others, work to optimise production, warehousing, distribution and sales irrespective of the country of production. Global cooperation makes completely new demands on correct item information.”

For more information on GS1 Sweden’s Validoo GDSN-certified data pool and its services such as Validoo Item, please visit http://www.validoo.se/en/

 


Save the Date: B2B2C Day

On 20th June 2013, GS1 Global Office will organise a B2B2C day. This virtual event day will span every continent. GS1 will set-up 3 global webinars, covering each major time zone, focusing on key subjects about the growing demands from digital consumers for accurate product information.   

Leverage this event and organise local sessions to help your users better understand the growing potential of online and mobile commerce and address the challenges of digital business. 

Are YOU ready for B2B2C?

To participate, contact Laura Valat: laura.valat@gs1.org

 


Upcoming events

One of the best ways to learn about the benefits your business can obtain from using GS1 Standards, such as the GS1 Global Data Synchronisation Network, is to speak with other users. A variety of upcoming industry events are a great opportunity to do just that: 

GS1 Global Forum 2013
18-22 February, 2013
Brussels, Belgium
View website

GS1 Standards Event Spring 2013
18-22 March, 2013
Dallas (TX), United States
 

Global GS1 Healthcare Conference Spring 2013
23-25 April, 2013
Buenos Aires, Argentina