Access and exchange the content you need, when you need it. Item Centre is an online tool for data recipients
(such as retailers, distributors, foodservice operators, healthcare providers and other end users) to quickly
access, search or automatically receive product data from ECCnet Registry, Planogram Content Registry and
Foodservice Content Registry.
Data received by Item Centre is the most up-to-date, bilingual, perpetually-cleansed product content possible and
meets the requirements of Canadian industry.
Item Centre Basic is the simplest version of Item Centre, enabling:
- The ability to receive and manage product data within GS1 Canada’s Item Centre interface
- Visibility to your subscribed trading partner's full product catalogue
- Collaboration with trading partners on community data found in ECCnet Registry, Planogram Content
Registry or Foodservice Content Registry
- One central location to search and access product data rather than using multiple, inefficient
methods to gather information from trading partners
- The removal of paperwork from the product listing process, which can be time consuming and lead to
errors
- Access to product content that meets industry standards for data excellence to increase confidence
in business decisions
- Streamlined change management processes
- The ability to generate listing forms
Value to Data Recipients
Data Excellence:
- Community data provided by trading partners is validated to ensure compliance with
industry-determined standards, including system rules and validations that vary by product category
and channel of distribution including Grocery, Foodservice, General Merchandise, Pharmacy and
Healthcare
Standardized Content:
- Ensure consistency and quality through standardized content from all trading partners, enabling
interoperability across systems, as well as visibility and traceability throughout the supply chain
Operational Efficiency:
- Streamline product listing and change management processes to realize cost savings and improve
speed-to-market with minimal disruption or change to your internal processes and procedures.
Subscribe to a trading partners’ content once to receive new information automatically and as it
becomes available
Information Tailored to your Needs:
- Efficient item master file management. Search thousands of products from vendors that have published
their data to you
Standard Data Formats:
- Utilize standardized listing forms for the Grocery, Foodservice and Pharmacy sectors.
Company-specific listing forms can also be developed
Security:
- Retrieve product data from an online location that is securely hosted and managed by GS1 Canada
Perpetually Updated:
- Any changes to industry-standard data requirements are automatically reflected in Item Centre
product attributes and validations
Business Processes Enabled
- Access to all community data in ECCnet Registry that meets industry standards for excellence
- Search for products and view product data in the Item Centre interface
- Extract product data into generic or customized listing forms
- View history of product changes
- Access to reports including product information extracts, product changes, system usage and trading
partner lists
- View planogram and foodservice images at various packaging levels
- GTIN discrepancy reporting so trading partners are aware of, and can respond to, product content
discrepancies
Item Centre API provides all the features of the Basic version with additional functionality including
the ability to:
- Manipulate complete or partial product data in an automated way with no human intervention
- Populate/feed product data directly into your ERP/CRM/website (or any other information management
system) in an automated way
- Integrate with existing company product management systems, meaning staff only need to learn to use
one interface
- Integrate ECCnet Registry, Planogram Content Registry and Foodservice Content Registry with internal
tools such as email marketing tools, online catalogues, printed catalogues, etc.
Value to Data Recipients
Featuring all of the value of Item Centre Basic, plus:
Scalability:
- Allow product information to be more easily embedded or interwoven throughout your applications
including websites and eCommerce services
Automation:
- Access product data stored in a catalogue application through a standard, automated
machine-to-machine mechanism which is integrated into your own internal applications with minimal
disruption
Less Training Required:
- Users access product information through the product information management tools already used
within the organization
Business Processes Enabled
All the business processes enabled by Basic plus:
- Machine-to-machine community data transfer into your internal applications through an Application
Programming Interface (API)
Item Centre Workflow is the most sophisticated version of Item Centre, including all features of the
other versions with additional functionality to:
- Increase efficiency and make listing processes less complex
- Improve staff performance and increase process transparency
- Define procedures (all the business rules, profile roles and users) and ensure everyone in your
organization is following them
- Automatically track how much time a listing process takes from the moment it is requested until the
moment it is submitted
- Trigger a review request every time a supplier makes a change in any of the community attributes
from ECCnet Registry previously identified by your organization as critical
- Receive new or updated content from Planogram Content Registry or Foodservice Content Registry as
soon as it becomes available
- Increase quality by reducing the number of mistakes made during listing processes
Value to Data Recipients
Featuring all of the value of Item Centre Basic and Item Centre API, plus:
Quality Improvement:
- Fewer mistakes, delays and rework during the listing process
Collaboration:
- Enhances operational effectiveness between different groups within the organization
Traceability:
- Track product status throughout the listing process, including changes to product information and
completion of listings
Results Measurement:
- Workflow queues and activity reports help data recipients identify and resolve process bottlenecks
Critical Change Workflow Mechanism:
- Item Centre triggers a review request every time a trading partner makes a change in any ECCnet
Registry community attributes identified as critical
Performance and Transparency:
- Improve staff performance through efficiency and increase process transparency
Enhanced Productivity:
- Input relationship data for all trading partners and company proprietary data into a single
electronic interface. Improve efficiencies in planning, ordering and inventory management
Business Processes Enabled
All the business processes enabled by Basic and API plus:
- Custom relationship data shared with trading partners (such as pricing, shipping and additional
product description data) and internal data (such as product codes, classifications and other
identifiers)
- Custom workflows for product listings and changes enable tasks to be assigned to multiple
individuals across the organization, based on their role and requirements
- Custom product data screens
- Custom user groups
- System and task alerts/reminders
- Custom data changes monitoring
- Product listing status dashboards