OptiCat announced the launch of its “OnTarget with Receiver Requirements” (OTRR) data validation product program, a critical program that enhances the OptiCat basic “OnTarget” ACES data validation program. This product introduction promises to remove a substantial amount of supplier and receiver time and resources associated with communicating data through the aftermarket supply chain.
“OptiCat’s OTRR program addresses the issue of data ‘ping-ponging,’” said Charley Johnson, CEO of OptiCat. “Automotive aftermarket suppliers and data receiving companies, such as automotive parts wholesalers, retailers and online sellers, go back- and-forth in order to achieve acceptable data quality consistent with receiver requirements, sometimes many times and over significant time periods.”
OptiCat’s new program allows data receivers to specify the quality levels required for their data via the OptiCat OnDemand program. The quality requirements are then visible to the suppliers via OptiCat’s integrated OnBoard/OnTarget program. If problems are found with the data that are inconsistent with receiver requirements, a notification is sent to the supplier requesting corrections before the data is sent to the receiver.
“OptiCat has worked with many data receivers to ensure the validation provided in the OTRR program is consistently calibrated with their requirements,” Bryan Thueson, OptiCat’s COO explained. “The enhancement is fully consistent with OptiCat’s mission to be the go-to source for industry-wide, high-value, data-related programs benefiting aftermarket suppliers and data receivers.”
OptiCat LLC had formally announced its basic “OnTarget” ACES data validation program back in January of 2014. This program is being used successfully by suppliers to validate their catalog data prior to providing it to data receivers in the following standardized categories:
o XSD
o Overlaps
o Note Conflicts (unless necessary and appropriate)
o Record Conflicts
o Quantity Conflicts
o Invalid Combinations
o Invalid Vehicles
“The basic OnTarget program, which continues to be available as a stand-alone product, has proven invaluable to suppliers in ‘cleaning their data’ prior to providing it to data receivers,” Johnson said. “OnTarget can be run within a supplier’s internal system. The addition of OnTarget with Receiver Requirements and its seamless integration to the OnBoard supplier data repository program, provides an opportunity for a major advance in communication of clean data between suppliers and data receivers.”
All of OptiCat’s 2014 new and enhanced products remove many of the current barriers to seamless delivery of marketing, application and product data between suppliers and channel partners.
OptiCat is a leading supplier data management company focused on the acquisition, consolidation and distribution of product attributes, application information and digital assets for automotive parts. OptiCat serves the data needs of suppliers and receivers with programs that increase data speed-to-market and accuracy, improve business performance and enhance brand value, leading to increased sales and profits for automotive aftermarket suppliers and receivers. OptiCat is owned by the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA), TecAlliance and key supplier investors.
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