You want the turnover? We have the tools.
eProcurement brings suppliers sales.
Why should a supplier place his offer on the DIG catalog platform? Firstly, the relationship with existing customers is intensified because the various advantages of an eProcurement solution (including a reduction in process times) are only achieved with catalog suppliers. Secondly, catalog suppliers are also interesting for all other companies that use the DIG eProcurement platform - and more and more of them are doing so. A clear advantage in new customer business, which DIG makes easily usable with numerous services!
As already mentioned, the benefits for the customer create more loyalty to the supplier: Automated, clearly structured ordering processes bring efficiency, save costs and lead to fixed listings. Conversely, DIG also offers direct benefits to suppliers: For example, through the transfer of order data into the target system or through simple transmission of electronic invoices, which subsequently speeds up invoice processing. This deepening of the business relationship also makes supplier exchanges more difficult or less attractive. In addition, when the company's locations are expanded, the same eProcurement system and connected suppliers are usually used, which often automatically increases the volume of business. And also for new participants (companies) of the DIG eProcurement platform already integrated suppliers are interesting, because their offer can be used immediately.
Can anyone become an eProcurement supplier?
DIG makes it easy for suppliers of any size. This starts with the two catalog variants that are available: With OCI punchout, the supplier's web store is integrated into eProcurement, i.e. the catalog there is used. The content catalog, on the other hand, is made available physically in the eProcurement platform. Read more about the difference between these two variants in our solution comparison OCI Punchout/Content Catalog! In addition, different file formats can also be used: for example, a catalog can even be easily created based on an Excel template, so that really any supplier can participate in DIG eProcurement! Up to three transmission channels additionally facilitate the use in practice. In addition, DIG's supplier management team is happy to provide personal support for onboarding and other issues - a service that many suppliers appreciate.
What does that look like in practice?
Supplier selection and contract negotiations
The customer selects the appropriate suppliers, the product range, prices and other general conditions are negotiated and contractually fixed.
Information to DIG Catalog Management
After conclusion of the DIG supplier contract, the catalog is created ("setup"). This is randomly checked and then activated on the eProcurement platform.
Testing and release
After a test run, in which all functions are finally checked and test orders are carried out, the catalog goes online and is thus available to all users of the customer!
Which catalogs can be used?
The type of catalog required is agreed in advance during contract and assortment negotiations between the customer and supplier. As already mentioned, with an OCI connection, the buyer is directed to the supplier's existing online store, where he accesses the catalog data and compiles the shopping cart. This is then imported into the company's own eProcurement system. More details on the OCI punchout can be found here.
The alternative to OCI is the content catalog. In this case, all article data is physically transferred to the platform and used there for eProcurement. The article data can be exported directly from the ERP system into the standardized catalog data exchange format BMEcat (more at www.bmecat.de). The DIG.catman tool is available for convenient transfer to the platform.
However, a content catalog can also be created using an Excel-like template: All article data including associated image descriptions (but also delivery times, prices, etc.) are entered into the DIG Excel template. These are also imported into the system via DIG.catman or updated via this tool (see below for details).
Would you like to become an eProcurement supplier?
We would be happy to advise you on how to actively generate additional sales as an eProcurement supplier!
How does DIG.catman bring catalogs onto the platform?
DIG.catman facilitates both the upload and the update of catalogs. Beforehand, the data is checked locally, i.e. a validity analysis is performed. In the event of an error message, these can be corrected conveniently on the user's own computer. The tool then establishes a secure connection for transferring the data to the e-procurement system.
Adjacent optional fields are possible in DIG.catman.
- Surcharge for small quantities
- Raw material surcharges
- Variants
- Bill of materials
- SAP material number
- Intrastat data
- Stock levels
How do I get the DIG.catman?
The catalog tool DIG.catman can be downloaded free of charge - more information about the tool can be found in the User Manual! Further below you will find the User Manual for download.
Can my offer be found better?
Yeah, of course! Because potential customers can search for suppliers in several ways: Word Search, Part Number Search, Product Index Search, and Print Catalog Search. In doing so, DIG uses Elastic Search technology (which Google, among others, also uses) so that suppliers are given the opportunity to optimize the details for the products and services for the search, similar to Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
For this purpose, different fields are available in the four available search modes. In the word search, for example, the fields short text, long text, keywords, manufacturer article number and ECLASS content are searched. This means that the desired search term is best present in all fields in order to be found optimally. Thus, every supplier has the possibility to position his goods optimally in the search results of potential customers. A detailed guide helps with this.
Starting with OCI 4.0 there's the Background Search!
Get more requests to your own web store directly from the eProcurement system: Here's how the OCI punchout provides the same search convenience as content catalogs.
How to change a content catalog?
An updated catalog is also loaded back into the eProcurement system using DIG.catman and then compared with the existing catalog. In the process, changes such as new articles and prices are transmitted to the supplier in the form of a clear delta report in Excel format. After this final check, the customer receives the report for approval. As soon as this has taken place, the new catalog is activated, depending on the time setting provided for this purpose.
Send invoices electronically.
Basically DIG provides three input channels: The invoice data can be entered via EDI and by mail with PDF or XML. Which of these channels is actually open is decided by the customer as the owner of the e-procurement platform.
Files
catman-user-manual.pdf (543.4 KB)
catman use...manual.pdf.pdf (483.8 KB)
