New Products and Technology

Simple Methods for Easing Into Standardized Product Data

Scott O'Toole
Scott O'Toole of Motor State Distributing can help business owners learn the ropes of the new PIES data standards template.

The latest PIES Data Standards Training Template (Revision 4) is now available for download from the SEMA Business Technology Committee (BTC).

The Product Information Exchange Standard (PIES) is a standard developed by the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) to define the attributes of automotive products, including (but not limited to) brand ID, description, price, dimensions and weights, NAFTA, UPC and HAZMAT. PIES is a living standard and continues to evolve based on the business practices and marketplace needs.

Revision 4 of this training tool debuted during the 2009 SEMA Show Education Days. The SEMA BTC has increased template size and layout for 2010 to include 20 additional data fields (expanded pricing, descriptions, digital assets, etc.) at the request of vendors and the receivers of their product data. Many other additional tools and resources reside within the training template and are just a point-and-click away for template users.

SEMA, working with Scott O’Toole at Motor State Distributing, has developed this step-by-step product information training template to meet the needs of most companies in the industry. If you have questions about using the template, the content that needs to be input or why this type of product information is important, contact Scott O’Toole at Motor State Distributing at 269/463-4113 or Staci Bostock at SEMA at 909/396-0289, ext. 104.

SEMA and the members of the BTC are dedicated to helping all companies work smarter using technology!