Catalogue Management

PiLog is regularly called upon to provide strategic and operational consultation expertise in the area of Free Format Text Purchases (RTP’s) reduction, Procurement optimisation, and to optimise, clean and restructure Material Masters, Vendor Master and Services of existing ERP implementations that are not performing optimally. In addition, this normally includes a cleanup of the PM module in terms of Plant structures, Bills of Materials and Standard Tasks as well.

PiLog has also been involved in many projects in the creation of a consolidated Materials Master Catalogue and Vendor Masters, in support of central procurement serving several Business Units, each with their own ERP and own catalogue. This scenario is particularly challenging and requires specific experience and unique methodologies to achieve success.

It is because of our experience in large data projects, that we have developed specific methodologies and niche software modules to ensure that the maximum value is added during the project and that the entire project team representing the customer as well as PiLog can exercise the necessary controls. In addition, special methodologies and software modules have been developed to ensure that after the project the customer is placed in a position where the data can be maintained in the ERP and across business units, at the same quality and standards established during the project through the utilisation of our niche cataloguing software. It is not only about cleaning data, it is about investing in the foundation that will ensure that the maximum benefits can be derived from collaborative procurement.

Master Data Cleansing is all about the following:

• Effective cleansing and structuring of a Material Master is a highly specialised field, requiring the use of International standards, such as eOTD, USC, EAN, ISO 8000, etc. The consistent and correct application of these standards on large volumes of data requires specialised processes, methodologies and software tools.
• The Material Master forms the basis for a myriad of business objectives. PiLog understands the complex task of translating selected business objectives into Master Data requirements and subsequently designing a project that is focused at delivering optimal results in a cost effective manner.
• For a large number of line items, effective cleaning of the Material Master does require the cleaning and standardisation of the Manufacturers and/or Suppliers. It therefore follows that a Vendor/Supplier cleanup and standardisation is a logical consequence in the process.
• PiLog has its own specialised Data refinery, PiLog Data. PiLog has developed superior technology and methodologies that are aimed at delivering the best possible quality, consistently and cost effectively.
• In answering the market need for the cataloguing of services in a consistent and repetitive manner, PiLog developed the world’s first internationally proven standard for services cataloguing, the USC. Although this has now been accepted to be part of the ECCMA eOTD, the specific methodologies required to implement it successfully remains with PiLog.
• The Material Master, as well as other Master Data tables, requires standardised base tables for amongst others, Unit of Measure, Unit of Purchase, Material Types and Material Groups. This is also a specialty of PiLog.

PiLog has internationally, field proven, niche Master Data management solutions that are scaleable and modular and can be tailored to exactly meet the needs of customers for a global solution. These solutions were designed to cater for multiple business units utilising multiple languages across international boundaries.

PiLog, together with its international subsidiary companies, is one of the few companies in the world that specialise in Master Data across all the disciplines, especially in the complex task of Material Master and Services Masters for the improvement of supply chain management and particularly procurement. Most international data companies that do material master cleanup do not have the intimate knowledge of Asset and Maintenance Management and therefore do not render an integrated service. Almost all Asset and Maintenance Management companies do not understand the complexities of Cataloguing and those that have attempted to do so in recent years have merely become fly by nights in this field, leaving their customers stuck with inferior results.