Overview of project with Coles and SupplierXM
Accurate and complete product information is critical for efficient trading operations. It is also crucial for new business initiatives, including the launch of Coles’ new Ocado solution for ecommerce fulfilment. Coles has decided to significantly improve the way they source and manage their product information. As such, this includes a new Master Data Management (MDM) provided by Stibo, and a product information sourcing process using Salsify’s “SupplierXM” platform (managed by the team at SKUvantage). SupplierXM will make it easier for all suppliers to provide their master data product information to Coles, helping to enable efficient fulfilment operations.
Training Guides
Introduction to SupplierXM
View this user guide for a short introduction about SupplierXM.
View Guide
How the SXM Platform Works
View this helpful user guide for an overview of the SupplierXM platform; what it is and how it works.
View Guide
Login and Adding Users
This guide will show you how to log in to the SupplierXM platform, as well as instructions on how to add new users to your company account.
View GuideImporting your Product Data
This guide will take you through how to import your product data using Excel.
View Guide
About SupplierXM
What is SupplierXM?
u003cp data-renderer-start-pos=u00221012u0022u003eSupplierXM is a platform owned by Salsify (who acquired SKUvantage in 2021), to support retailers with supplier collaboration. This platform will enable suppliers to deliver product information easily to Coles, with an easy to use interface, validation rules and message management between Coles and its suppliersu003c/pu003e
How are we “onboarded” to SupplierXM?
u003cp data-renderer-start-pos=u00221370u0022u003eFrom September, you will be contacted and requested to assign individuals in your organisation who will be responsible for loading masterdata into SupplierXM. These individuals will then be trained in using SupplierXM during November, for data to be loaded from December.u003c/pu003e
Is there a cost to us?
u003cp data-renderer-start-pos=u00221670u0022u003eNo, there is no cost to using the SupplierXM platform for vendors. It should also make providing data to Coles more efficient.u003c/pu003e
Why is this required? We already use a third party to support us with providing data to Coles
u003cp data-renderer-start-pos=u00221897u0022u003eAll suppliers will need to create an account in SupplierXM. You can then continue to use your chosen third party to manage this data on your behalf.u003c/pu003ernrnu003culu003ern tu003cli data-renderer-start-pos=u00221950u0022u003eIf you currently use SKUlibrary for on-pack information, SKUvantage will prepare this information on your behalf, and load it into SupplierXM, where additional data can then be added.u003c/liu003ern tu003cli data-renderer-start-pos=u00221950u0022u003eIf you currently use SKUvantage’s free SKUcapture service to provide your on-pack information to Coles Supermarkets or Coles Liquor for use online, there will be no change to this process. You will need to log into SupplierXM to upload your master data.u003c/liu003ern tu003cli data-renderer-start-pos=u00221950u0022u003eIf you currently use a third party provider for your master data, you will also need to invite them to your SupplierXM account, using an email address that is unique to your business e.g. [YourCompanyName]@[ThirdPartyDomain]. In this way they will act as your agent in loading data in a way that you agree with. Feel free to advise the third party to get in touch with us directly when acting for your company.u003c/liu003ern tu003cli data-renderer-start-pos=u00221950u0022u003eIf you are not confident of the data in your third party resource, or want to manage this yourself, you can simply choose to bulk upload / enter data directly.u003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003e
Will there be an integration from SKUlibrary to SupplierXM?
Because SKUlibrary hosts consumer-facing product content, and the Coles request is for all product data to be loaded into SupplierXM, the list of attributes required for SupplierXM far exceeds that in SKUlibrary. There will not be an integration during the course of this project, however we will support moving your product content from SKUlibrary to SupplierXM.
Will there be an integration from Salsify to SupplierXM?
Because the Coles request is for all product data to be loaded into SupplierXM, the list of attributes required for SupplierXM will exceed that in Salsify ProductXM. There will not be an integration during the course of this project, however we will support moving your product content from ProductXM to SupplierXM, if this can be provided to us in a spreadsheet.
Scope of Requirements
What is the scope of work we need to do and what is the effort involved?
u003culu003ern tu003cli data-renderer-start-pos=u00222750u0022u003eColes and SKUvantage have launched a physical data collection activity to capture approximately 30 crucial and time sensitive attributes. From December you will be asked to approve these attributes, that will have already been loaded into the platform.u003c/liu003ern tu003cli data-renderer-start-pos=u00222750u0022u003eIn addition you will be requested to load data for further category specific attributes where applicable to your products.u003c/liu003ern tu003cli data-renderer-start-pos=u00222750u0022u003eImages are currently out of scope.u003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003e
When does it need to be completed?
u003cp data-renderer-start-pos=u00223208u0022u003eAll data needs to be checked and QA’d in time to support the launch of Ocado in early 2023. Therefore we request that all data is completed by the end of January at the latest.u003c/pu003e
What support do we have?
u003cp data-renderer-start-pos=u00223416u0022u003eVendors are responsible for collecting the required data, however Salsify / SKUvantage will provide vendors with training on the SupplierXM platform and support with bulk uploading data if provided in a spreadsheet. More details will be made available during onboarding.u003c/pu003e
What about new products?
u003cp data-renderer-start-pos=u00223718u0022u003eA process is being developed that will allow vendors to request that new products be loaded into the platform. This will be communicated to you during the onboarding process.u003c/pu003e
What are the Coles specific attributes?
There are around 300 attributes that are required to be loaded into SupplierXM, however only a proportion apply to each category.
What are the 30 critical fields for Phase 1?
These relate primarily to product dimensions and safety information.u0026nbsp;These attributes are being captured directly from the products, and will also be available in SupplierXM
There’s no mention of pricing data, will this reside in SupplierXM? And if so will it be transferred across at the same time as item data?
The process for pricing data will remain the same, it will not be included in SupplierXM.
Will product names be an attribute we updated in SupplierXM and it will flow through to Coles online?
No, the process for the title will not change, and this process will remain with Coles online
Getting Going Loading Product Data
What if I want to change the data in SupplierXM that was collected by Coles?
u003cpu003eu003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022 data-mce-style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003eYou are not responsible for any data in SupplierXM that has been collected by Coles, but you are welcome to improve / correct any data as you see fitu003c/spanu003eu003c/pu003e
Why do some products have no data?
u003cpu003eu003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022 data-mce-style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003eThese are products that could not be found in store. Please populate all attributes on these products. If you have data in NPC for these products, we can provide this in the SupplierXM upload template if you wishu003c/spanu003eu003c/pu003e
What are the three critical attributes that suppliers need to complete?
u003cpu003eThere is a set of product data attributes which are mandatory for every product Coles intends to sell through its new fulfilment centres. Coles engaged Salsify to collect this mandatory data physically for the set of relevant products as a first priority. There are three critical attributes (u003cstrongu003eIs Expanded Plastic, Is Miscible and Flash Point Temperatureu003c/strongu003e) that are not available from your product packaging, and need to be completed for all products.u003c/pu003eu003culu003eu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eIs Expanded Plasticu003c/strongu003e: Suppliers should enter YES for products/materials that: Have a total volume of expanded plastic greater than 40%, or have a total volume of over 10% of expanded plastic that is exposed or on the outside of the material (used for product protection). Exemplar products in this category may include polystyrene foam plates and cups, duvets, wax products such as candles, stuffed toys, and paraffin firelighters.u003c/liu003eu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eIs Miscibleu003c/strongu003e: Can the product be fully dissolved into another substance (e.g. water or other liquids) to form one homogeneous mixture?u003c/liu003eu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eFlash Point Temperatureu003c/strongu003e: The minimum temperature at which a liquid gives off a vapour within a vessel in sufficient concentration to form an ignitable mixture with air near the surface of a liquid.u003c/liu003eu003c/ulu003e
Why can’t I see all three of the critical attributes on my product(s) in SupplierXM?
u003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003eThe u003c/spanu003eu003cstrongu003eIs Miscible u003c/strongu003eu003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003eandu003c/spanu003eu003cstrongu003e Flash Point Temperature u003c/strongu003eu003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003eattributes are not applicable to all product categories. If you cannot see one of the attributes on your product(s), this means it is not applicable and it does not need to be completedu003c/spanu003e
None of my products have a positive value for the Is Miscible or Is Expanded Plastic attributes. Can I change these in bulk?
u003cpu003eu003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022 data-mce-style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003eYes, you can bulk upload using the spreadsheet provided. If you have any issues with this, please u003ca href=u0022https://www.skuvantage.com.au/contact-us/u0022 data-mce-href=u0022https://www.skuvantage.com.au/contact-us/u0022u003eget in touchu003c/au003e u003c/spanu003eu003c/pu003e
I don’t have a value to enter for the Flash Point Temperature attribute, how do I publish my product without completing this attribute?
u003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003eYou can bypass the mandatory validation of the Flash Point Temperature attribute on the product page in SupplierXM by clicking the checkbox that says u003c/spanu003eu003ciu003eu003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003eI declare that my product does not need Flash point temperature. u003c/spanu003eu003c/iu003eu003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003eThis can only be done on the product page, not in bulk via XLSX importu003c/spanu003ernrnu003cimg class=u0022aligncenter wp-image-24699 size-largeu0022 src=u0022https://www.skuvantage.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Screen-Shot-2022-12-20-at-1.07.11-pm-1024×113.pngu0022 alt=u0022u0022 width=u0022640u0022 height=u002271u0022 /u003e
Some of the products I supply to Coles are not present
u003cpu003eu003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022 data-mce-style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003eMore products will be added to SupplierXM in due course, and you will receive a notification to populate these products for all attributes. Where available these will be pre-populated using data from the NPC, and this process will be automated in the future. However, we are only requesting data for products required for operation in the Coles Ocado Fulfillment centre, which may not include all products that you range with Colesu003c/spanu003eu003c/pu003e
When do I have to do this by?
u003cpu003eu003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022 data-mce-style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003eThis should be done as soon as possible, and ideally by mid Januaryu003c/spanu003eu003c/pu003e
What do I do if I have any questions?
u003cpu003eu003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022 data-mce-style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003ePlease click u003ca href=u0022https://www.skuvantage.com.au/contact-us/u0022 data-mce-href=u0022https://www.skuvantage.com.au/contact-us/u0022u003ehereu003c/au003eu003c/spanu003eu003c/pu003e