GXS Professional Services assists in the development and implementation of your successful data synchronization project. With consultants steeped in “Six Sigma” process improvement methodology and years of data synchronization project experience, GXS can assist in achieving your business goals.

Independent case studies and industry surveys offer proof that product information management offers operational efficiencies and competitive advantages for suppliers:

• Getting products to market faster: Case studies show a 7-13% reduction in time for sales force to communicate product updates.¹
• Fewer invoice disputes: Suppliers implementing a data sync solution driven by PIM achieve a 5-10% reduction in time spent resolving invoice errors.¹
• Fewer stock-outs: Case studies show a 3-5% reduction in stock-outs.¹
• High return on investment: Average 25% savings from PIM registered across 18 business functions with an annual average of 2500 person-days saved.²

¹ A.T. Kearney, Action Plan to Accelerate Trading Partner Electronic Collaboration, Data Synchronization Proof of Concept: Case Studies from Leading Manufacturers and Retailers.

² The Yankee Group, The Cost of Waiting: Building the ROI Case to Implement Product Information Management Now, January 2005.

Overview
There are three key stages to any data synchronization project:

• Internal data synchronization
• External data synchronization
• On-going data synchronization

GXS provides a flexible assortment of consulting engagements to help your company through all or any stage in your project.

Features
GXS’s Data Synchronization consulting studies are designed to:

• Help organizations rapidly implement a data synchronization program
• Focus on simplifying the challenges of internal and external item synchronization
• Create a strategy for continuously synchronizing product and price information

Engagement 1: Data Sync Implementation Plan

• Tasks: Review GTIN structure, retailer requirement(s), and Item registration and publication process
• Deliverables: High-level implementation plan for data sync compliance and overview of GLOBALregistry requirements & process

Engagement 2: Data Sync Solution Quick Assessment

• Tasks: Evaluate data sync solutions (external, impact to organization, resource requirements); review client’s data sync capabilities and requirements; develop the business case
• Deliverables: Data sync publication & syndication recommendations for compliance with external partner’s mandates

Engagement 3: Internal Item Synchronization Quick Assessment

• Tasks: Review required data attributes; identify business process changes and integration requirements in preparation for registering items with GLOBALregistry
• Deliverables: Gap analysis of client’s internal data sync capabilities

Engagement 4: Product Information Management Quick Assessment

• Tasks: Assess client’s internal product information management capabilities; identify opportunities to enhance and improve process; rapid review of internal product data management process flows
• Deliverables: Recommendations for internal and external data sync improvements; High-level next steps to improve internal product data management process flows

Engagement 5: PIM Business Case & Roadmap Development

• Tasks: Assess client’s internal product information management capabilities; identify opportunities to enhance and improve process; rapid review of internal product data management process flow and requirements for external data sync
• Deliverables: Recommendations for internal and external data sync solution; business case/ROI study; roadmap for recommended solution