OptiCat has introduced new tools to help provide customers with the product catalog information they need. This new capability will allow suppliers to export flat files in a variety of formats, including Excel spreadsheets, utilizing supplier ACES or PIES XML files as the source documents. For suppliers needing to communicate with customers who need flat files for analysis or for compatibility with their own system, this provides a convenient and easy way to translate machine-readable XML files for customer use.

In many cases, this capability also is reversible so that flat files can be translated into ACES or PIES XML files, thus providing the ultimate flexibility for suppliers and data receivers, as long as proper data mapping has been accomplished by the supplier. In many cases, OptiCat also can provide support for this mapping service. For suppliers that are not ACES- and PIES-compliant, the company says this is a major time and money-saving service.

Bryan Thueson, OptiCat chief operating officer, commented, “For suppliers in the heavy-duty, tool and equipment and off-highway industries, where attribute data is often used to describe parts and where year, make and model information is either not available or not appropriate, these expanded OptiCat capabilities offer a relatively simple and fluid way to generate machine readable catalog information and become PIES XML compliant.”

OptiCat also has the ability to receive a prior release level PIES file and have it translated via OptiCat software into more current PIES release levels. With more updated release levels soon on the way, this will be a great help to many suppliers who, due to internal software or programming issues, will have trouble making the release level transition.