Identifying Supplier Parts via the Buyer Part Number and vice versa!
Supplier part numbers are rarely known by buyers, and likewise, Buyer part numbers are rarely known by Suppliers.
With part numbers being used to trade, the lack of understanding in how each party's part numbers correlate with one another results in various inefficiencies and pains…
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Time spent clarifying requests
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Re-quoting for misunderstood requests
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Returns on incorrect items
This article covers…
What Buyer part number mapping Is
Supplier Part Numbers are unique to each Supplier, rarely known by the Buyer. Likewise, Buyer Part Numbers are unique to the particular Buyer.
Buyer part number mapping simply connects how each buyer part number relates to a supplier part number. This allows Buyers and Suppliers to trade and understand one another using their own coding systems, speeding up time to quote and reducing human error.
Mapping One Buyer Part Number to Multiple Products
How Buyers maintain their internal coding systems varies across Buyers. Sometime a Buyer Part Number represents a specific product such as a Viking Inflatable Liferaft - 6 men - square container - SOLAS A rating. Other times the Buyer Part Number represents a product category, such as an Inflatable Liferaft.
As Supplier Part Numbers are always unique to a particular product, one Buyer Part Number can be mapped to multiple Supplier Products eliminating the guess work.
Buyers can search supplier catalogues by their own familiar Buyer Part Number. In real time we search across all Suppliers' Catalogues to identify relevant products - a combination of direct matches and similar matches (e.g. products from suppliers in the same category).
Simpler and quicker quoting
With clear translations from Buyer to Supplier coding systems, less efforts are required to clarify requests and quicker responses are given. The Pricing Bar in Trade provides Suppliers with instant reference to mappings and historic quotes for reference while quoting.
Confident quotes and less returns
Eliminating the time-pressured guess work of Suppliers ensures more accurate fulfilment and a reduction in incorrect items delivered to vessel.
Product level spend analysis
With mappings known, it's easier to analyse spend at a part number level and identify correlating line items ordered.
Uploading mappings to ShipServ
Already got a cheat sheet of mappings? You can upload these directly into ShipServ.
To upload or update your mappings, simply download the template below and once populated send it to support@shipserv.com or through our live chat.
Learning mappings from your trade
Don't have a cheat sheet to upload? No problem. We apply learning to your trade. Each time a Supplier enters their Supplier Part Number next to the Buyer Part Number we remember that for the future.