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| Isn't External Data Synchronization Enough? |
In an effort to support customer data synchronization mandates, many companies are doing the minimum − and that’s investing in only simple data cleansing to support a specific customers external data synchronization requirements. The bottom line is that for companies to effectively communicate with their customers and suppliers, it’s essential to have both their internal and external data synchronized.
Data synchronization is much like an iceberg − the complex data synchronization takes place below the water line, or internally. Properly synchronized data is executed in two stages; first internally and then externally.
The good news is that senior executives clearly see the big picture, but the bad news is that they mostly independently attack their initiatives, often ignoring what information currently exists. Without modifications to your internal business processes, it is likely that the hard work and investments you made to achieve initial data integrity for your external data synchronization project, will gradually unravel from timeworn internal practices that created the bad data to begin with. Unless they are transformed, these practices will most likely introduce inaccuracy back into the data once the spotlight on data integrity fades (and it will). Over time, you will revert to the nightmare of bad data with which you currently struggle each day.
 Internal Data Synchronization: Internal data synchronization is the comprehensive execution of getting to the single truth of each product’s information. When any product information element is accessed − such as a part number or dimensions − anywhere within the enterprise, it needs to consistently have the same correct value. This achievement is called “Product information truth”. Your company’s product information must be complete, relevant and dynamic before you are able to share it and synchronize it with your trading partners.
External Data Synchronization: External data synchronization is the straightforward process of assuring that relevant information is communicated between two trading partners. It uses an agreed upon protocol between trading partners and is dependent on accurate, up-to-date product information. In a complex environment with many ERP systems and disparate data stores, external data synchronization is just the tip of the iceberg.
Product Information Management (PIM) solutions help companies create universal repositories of product attributes and enables data extraction, transformation (cleansing, normalization and categorization), syndication, and synchronization − all of which reward their companies’ top and bottom lines. |
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