Step 2: Trade item information

The second step is about the trade data of items. An item is an object that can be ordered by means of an item number (order number) or barcode. Trade data refers to the information relevant to the ordering and delivery process. With the trade records, the data supplier notifies its customers about such matters as in which packaging forms its product is available. With the trade item records, the supplier informs customers according to which packaging form(s) the product is available. Each packaging form has its own GTIN.

The basic trade information of an item consists of:

• Item Identification               (order number / barcode (GTIN / EAN) and description)
• Order Identification             (including minimum purchase, discount group)
• Pricing Information              (incl. gross price, conversion factor, price unit, price information with effective date in the future)
• Logistics Information           (including gross package dimensions and weight)
• Item / Product Reference    (GTIN and/or GLN + product code)
• Commercial Information     (deep link)

Consult the data requirements summary to gain insight into what data is expected by your customers for uniform data exchange.

The technical data belong to the product record (Step 3) to which the trade item refers. In addition to the manufacturer’s trade records, trade items from multiple wholesalers may be linked to one product [example]. The manufacturer is responsible for the presence of the product record and the accuracy of the product data within the Data Pool. The reference from item to product can be made in two ways.

• base on (unique) GTIN/EAN
• based on GLN + Product code

Starting point is a 100 percent link between product and trade records.

GLN Manufacturer unknown

If, as a wholesaler, you do not have the necessary data from the manufacturer, the [Search GLN] page offers the possibility of finding out under which GLN the manufacturer is known and whether the manufacturer distributes its data through the 2BA Data Pool.

Manufacturer is a participant in 2BA
Download the required data through a direct download or selection profile and include the data in your master file.

Manufacturer is known but does not or not yet distribute data through the 2BA Data Pool
Please indicate to the manufacturer or importer that your organisation would like to have current product and trade data and put the party in touch with 2BA.

Manufacturer is unknown
If a manufacturer is unknown, please provide the details using the [Company Not Found] button on the [Search GLN] page. After registration, the system will return a GLN that you can use for the item product reference. In addition, indicate to the manufacturer that your organisation would like to have current product and trade data and put the manufacturer in touch with 2BA.

Global Trade Item Number (GTIN)

The GTIN (formerly EAN) is used for the globally uniform identification of trade units. Four GTIN numbering structures are available for trade item identification: GTIN-14, GTIN-13, GTIN-12, and GTIN-8. The GTIN is stored, right aligned possibly supplemented with leading zeros in a 14-digit field. The choice of numbering structure depends on the goods and application of the user. The GTIN is a unique identifier and is issued and managed by the international organization GS1.

If your organisation does not yet have GTIN numbers, we strongly advise you to start using them, since the GTIN is the only unique identification of your product.

More information on GS1:

Price to order details examples

When exchanging item data, it is extremely important that it is clear how the item can be ordered (minimum order quantity, order multiple and order unit measure), what the price of the item is (price and/or conversion price) and the quantity of that the item (the quantity of use units). Because the ‘number of units in pricebasis’ can be used in different ways, such as priced per meter and sold per piece, but also priced per 1000 pieces and sold per 250 pieces, it is important that an uniform specification of the units is used.

Price information with effective date in the future

In order to respond properly and promptly to changes in the market, wholesalers and installers want to have new price information available three months before the effective date. The Data Pool makes it possible to ‘prepare’ one or more price records per item (provided with a Price Effective Date) and make them available to the data consumers.

2BA offers the possibility to ‘prepare’ one or more price records per item and make them available to data customers. We call these future prices.

When a price is provided with a start date in the future, it is recognized within the 2BA data pool as a future price. Multiple prices can be associated with an item. All price information is immediately available to data customers after the day it is uploaded (depending on the chosen file format). Users are automatically notified by email when prices with a specific date become available. A prerequisite is that a user has included the data provider in their selection profile.

Of course, you are dependent on the possibilities of your software package. Contact your software supplier to discuss options

For more information, please refer to the documentation on file formats.

Assortments

Assortments are a collection of articles that fall within a certain group and have an umbrella name. For example, a supplier of electricity, sanitary and heating products can subdivide its range into specific groups. Assortments give users of selection profiles the option to select one or more sub-ranges instead of the entire range. Something that can make a significant difference in the amount of data to be received (and the processing thereof).