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GDSN Connect
Setting Up Vendors and Searching Catalogs
Managing vendors and vendor contracts is crucial for maintaining an accurate and efficient item database. Whether you are setting up new vendors, managing contracts, or adding items to your database, GDSN Connect provides tools designed to simplify this process. Understanding the purpose of these tools and the best practices for using them will help you streamline procurement, ensure data quality, and maximize the platform's functionality
Why This Matters
Benefits to setting up and searching your vendor catalogs include:
- Save Time: Automate and simplify vendor and item management processes
- Enhancing Data Accuracy: Access real-time, accurate product data directly from vendor reports and catalogs
- Streamlining Procurement: Easily search, flag, and manage items for future purchases
- Staying Current: Keep your item database updated with the latest product specifications and pricing
Setting Up Vendors and Contracts
GDSN Connect provides various methods to set up vendors and manage contracts. The approach you take will depend on your current setup and objectives. These functions specifically apply to Group Vendors and Group Contracts.
- Setting up Vendors and Contracts - This will allow you to set up your vendors and the contracts which will allow you to search vendor catalogs.
NOTE: If the vendor has 10 or more items the recommended approach to add items is Doing a vendor item upload if Vendor has less than 10 items adding the items one by one is the recommended approach.
- Vendor Item Upload - This allows you to setup your database and automatically match items using vendor reports that contain GTINs. This can also be used prior to the initial back of house software set up vendors and products with GTINs. This will need to be repeated for each vendor.
Adding Items
After you have completed initial setup, the following approaches can be used to add additional items to your item database.
- Search a Vendor Catalog - Recommended approach to search for new and existing items from a vendor catalog.
- Vendor Item Upload - Preferred approach to setup a new vendor and updating prices for items.
- Search the Nourish to Flourish Database - Recommended approach to search for and flag items not yet procured.
Methods to Add Items
Download Co-op Catalog
By accessing catalogs from GDSN Connect, you can view real time product updates, ensuring your data remains current and accurate.
Please refer to this article for detailed instructions: Download Co-op Catalog
Search a Vendor Catalog
The catalog is a powerful procurement tool designed to make managing your items easier. It allows you to browse through available options from your vendors and quickly add pre-configured items to your local database. Think of it like an online shopping experience—it’s perfect for selecting the items you need. However, it is important to know that the catalog is intended for browsing and adding items, not for uploading or creating new ones from scratch.
Please refer to this article for detailed instructions: Adding Items from Catalog
Vendor Item Upload (from Vendor Reports)
To quickly complete bulk uploads, you can upload one or more reports from each vendor to setup all the items on that report in your local item database. These reports are typically easy to obtain from each of your distributors.
Please refer to this article for detailed instructions: Vendor Item Upload
Search the Nourish to Flourish Database (N2F)
The Nourish to Flourish (N2F) Database gives you access to over 200,000 items. Searching the N2F Database is like “shopping” for items from all manufacturers. The N2F Database makes it easy to flag new items future procurement consideration. Items can be searched by Brand, Manufacturer Product ID, GTIN, or general search term.
Please refer to this article for detailed instructions: Searching the Nourish to Flourish Database
Flag New Items for Procurement
District members of Co-Ops can flag items in GDSN Connect for their Co-Op Admin to review, streamlining the process of suggesting items for future procurement and ensuring district needs are considered.
Please refer to this article for detailed instructions: Flag an Item for Co-Op Admin Review
Reviewing Data Quality
Product Updates
The Product Updates section shows products that manufacturer have updated including ingredients, allergens, nutrients, and other product specifications. You must review these updates and accept or reject them before they will be updated within your system.
Please refer to this article for detailed instructions: Product Updates