Unique company coding served its purpose, but now has created a Tower of Babel.
Before e-mailing me that the headline is an oxymoron, be aware that “good” refers to the homegrown data that individual PHCP, PVF and HVACR wholesalers and manufacturers created years ago to make it easier to use their computer systems. But as more and more trading partners computerized, company-unique data became “bad”; no one but the originator of the data could understand it, either in paper or electronic form. This automation equivalent of the Tower of Babel continues to cause problems that cost a lot to correct and also hinder trading partners from further reducing supply chain costs.
To prevent many of the problems caused by company-unique data, and help members in other ways, the American Supply Association created the Industry Database (IDB). But a recent “poll” of some members showed that the IDB may face an uphill battle.