1. WHITE PAPE R
CONNECTING TRUSTED PRODUCT DATA EVERYWHERE 1
Implementation Services
1WorldSync enables customers for success
Introduction
With more than 16,000 customers across
54 countries, 1WorldSync is the leading
global product information network and
data pool solutions provider certified for
the Global Data Synchronization Network™
(GDSN®
). The GDSN provides retailers and
their trading partners with a framework to
collaborate for quality data. Based on GS1
standards, the GDSN provides all players
with a way to electronically share and
synchronize product data.
As the world’s largest GDSN certified
data pool, 1WorldSync’s Implementation
Services team has supported more
customer implementations than any
other data pool service provider. With
over a decade of experience, 1WorldSync
has developed an implementation
methodology that is proven and reliable
in supporting customers throughout a
successful GDSN implementation. Once
fully implemented, 1WorldSync’s solution
offerings drive efficiency, profitability, and
competitive edge by giving businesses the
ability to share trusted product information
with each other and with consumers.
Background
1WorldSync Implementation Services
team has refined the methodology for
implementing data synchronization to
include practical guidance on business
process design, data mapping, and
technical assistance for sharing standard
product information.
For each customer implementation the
methodology framework is utilized, and
the project plan is tailored to meet each
individual customer’s needs.
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2. CONNECTING TRUSTED PRODUCT DATA EVERYWHERE 2
Challenge
As the supplier embarks on a journey to
leverage GDSN, a common pitfall is that
they consider this to be an IT led initiative
which manages and maps to attributes
using XML. Our experience with working
with thousands of suppliers has shown
that the GDSN journey is more than just
the technology implementation. The key
to a successful implementation is a sound
business process to support the right data
to the right recipient at the right time.
Solution
To address the challenges above and
to make our customers’ journey easier,
1WorldSync Implementation Services
team leads customers through the
1WorldSync five phase implementation
methodology to achieve success at every
phase. This best practices framework
includes education on GDSN concepts,
attribute and hierarchy requirements,
message choreography, and business
process best practices. The 1WorldSync
methodology takes into account not only
the technical components but the business
process changes that must be identified
for a truly scalable and successful GDSN
implementation. Throughout each
phase a dedicated 1WorldSync expert
Implementation Manager will manage key
activities and milestones, including regular
status meetings, issue identification, and
resolution tracking.
Phase 1: Discovery
The implementation methodology
framework begins by understanding
the objectives of the supplier and
their adoption of GS1 Standards. The
1WorldSync team evaluates questions
such as:
• How many items does the
company supply?
• Who do they need to share product
information with and what are
their timelines?
• Do they understand and follow
Global Trade Item Number™ (GTIN)
allocation rules and do they use
Global Location Numbers (GLN)?
This information gives the Implementation
Manager the direction for the supplier’s
education. Education consists of GDSN
concepts on GTIN and GLN, product
hierarchies best practices, and attribute
requirements for which recipients they
need to share their product information.
The next step is to have the business
process discussion. The team evaluates
questions such as:
• What is the process for creating an
item and the attributes contained by
that item?
• How can the attributes be sourced
and mapped?
• What is the on-going process for
managing changes to the item data
over time?
“1WorldSync’s Implementation
Service is the perfect comprehensive
solution to guide a new customer
through a phased approach into
the world of GDSN. With the best
data pool provider in the world,
and a wonderful team of dedicated
professionals, we’ve engaged with
many of our customers to receive
a customized roadmap that’s led
to better, faster, more efficient
exchange of product information.”
CARLISA WASHINGTON
E-BUSINESS CONTENT SPECIALIST,
COCA-COLA COMPANY
“In 2010, we migrated our data to
1Worldsync. As a supplier, we have
been continually impressed by the
professionalism that 1Worldsync’s
Implementation Team provides. They
have dedicated resources that helped
us from the ‘Discovery’ phase to our
‘Go Live’ date. I recommend working
with their Implementation Services
team, as they are highly seasoned
technicians who understand the
timeline, resources, and methodology
necessary to ensure a successful
project implementation.”
SUSAN HALLAHAN,
DATA SYNC CONSULTANT,
PFIZER CONSUMER HEALTHCARE

3. CONNECTING TRUSTED PRODUCT DATA EVERYWHERE 3
Understanding the current process
allows the supplier to start building the
future processes, inclusive of GDSN data
synchronization. In this phase it becomes
clear if there are data governance practices
in place to assure the quality of product
information and if there is a true single
source of the product data. If not, data
cleansing becomes essential to
the project.
Phase 2: Design & Develop
As the project moves from Discovery
to Design & Develop, the focus is on
the future business process. This phase
includes the flow of data, data ownership,
data maintenance, data governance, and
data mapping. The technologies to support
these areas are also reviewed. The most
frequently asked question by suppliers
during this phase is “How
does everyone else build processes to
support GDSN?”.
This phase of the project varies for every
company, but there are key aspects for
each supplier to consider as they begin
developing the future business process.
Suppliers are advised to think about
details around the data attributes, data
governance, business process, and XML
messages.
Data Attributes:
• What data attributes will you
provide?
• Where are they stored?
• Is there one version of each
attribute?
• Are there any attributes not stored
in a system? What is the gap?
• How will you handle attributes that
are not stored?
• How will you represent an item
hierarchy? Do you have GTINs
assigned at every level?
Data Governance:
• Who is the owner of the attributes?
• Is there attribute clean up that is
needed in multiple source systems
for the same attribute?
Business Process & Technical Messages:
• What can be automated?
• What must remain manual?
• Who is responsible for the process
and ultimately publishing to your
trading partners?
• How are items triggered to transmit
to 1WorldSync?
• How will responses from your
recipients be handled?
• Item maintenance errors
• Item hierarchy errors
• Publication errors
• Item Sync Response errors
The implementation team at 1WorldSync
helps a supplier ask these questions
and guides them to design the business
process that best fits the supplier’s specific
GDSN implementation.
Phase 3: Testing
As the supplier designs and develops
their process to support the XML
message choreography for their
GDSN implementation, it is critical to
complete an end-to-end test of the
process and technology. The 1WorldSync
Implementation Manager is well versed in
a series of scenarios to test the complete
product information life cycle. The
1WorldSync Implementation Manager
also helps the supplier build test cases for
specific industry scenarios, data recipients,
and volume testing.
Phase 4: Go Live
The objective of this phase is to ensure
that the supplier is operational and
is confident in the new product data
exchange processes as they begin
leveraging their GDSN connection to meet
their trading partner demands.
When the supplier completes their data
cleansing, and the business process is
designed, built and fully tested, it is time to
load production-ready product information
and begin publishing this out to their
trading partner recipients.
“It has been extremely helpful
having a dedicated Implementation
Team to help throughout the entire
GDSN Process. As a manufacturer
with several recipients of our
data, 1WorldSync’s support and
knowledge of the requirements was
critical to building our expertise and
successfully implementing our data.”
BRANDI DAUER,
SR. MANAGER,
MASTER DATA GOVERNANCE,
MCCAIN FOODS USA, INC.
“Having an informed and
knowledgeable implementation
professional to work with throughout
the various implementation projects,
was what we appreciated most about
1WorldSync. Whether we needed to
communicate with a trading partner
on another data pool or one outside
the United States with different
attribute requirements, 1WorldSync
enabled us to connect successfully.”
NADA SAVATIC,
SENIOR PROGRAM MANAGER,
ABBOTT

4. 1WorldSync recommends a rollout strategy
that will work best for the supplier. The
approach may vary from loading a handful
of items to a category of items; or it may
be based on recipient-specific demands.
1WorldSync continues to support the
supplier during this process by ensuring
that they understand how to troubleshoot
and are able to address any concerns
that arise. 1WorldSync Implementation
managers want to ensure that the supplier
has all the knowledge and confidence to
manage this new data
exchange process.
Phase 5: Support
Once the supplier is successfully
“live” in production and has an
operational understanding of their
GDSN implementation, the 1WorldSync
Implementation Manager does a formal
transition to the 1WorldSync Customer
Support organization.
The supplier has ongoing access to the
1WorldSync Technical and Customer
Support Teams.
• Technical Support can be contacted
via phone and email. Support is
available 7AM-7PM EST
• 24x7 support for technical problems
that prevents a company from being
able to use a 1SYNC service and
for which there is no work around
available. After hours support is
handled by on-call personnel.
• 1WorldSync Systems have a
consistent Up Time = typically
>99.99%
The supplier is on their way to a better,
more efficient product information
exchange with their trading partners.
Conclusion
1WorldSync Implementation Services
leverages their unique blend of GS1
Standards knowledge with their years of
GDSN implementation expertise to provide
the highest caliber of implementation
experience for the 1WorldSync customer
community. A successful implementation
ensures a supplier exchanges the right
product information to the right recipient
at the right time.
About 1WorldSync
With more than 16,000 customers across
54 countries, 1WorldSync is the leading
product information network and data pool
solutions provider, certified within GS1 Global
Data Synchronization NetworkTM
(GDSN®
).
1WorldSync solutions and services enable
businesses to exchange product information
across their buy and sell side trading partner
communities, via a single cloud based platform
– with solutions including Supply Chain
Enablement, Product Risk & Compliance, and
Omni-Channel Commerce. 1WorldSync is jointly
owned by the member organizations of GS1
Germany and GS1 US. GS1 is the preeminent
organization for the development of global
standards, for identifying, capturing, and
sharing product information.
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Connect With Us:
CONNECTING TRUSTED PRODUCT DATA EVERYWHERE
1WorldSync
1009 Lenox drive, Suite 202, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648 USA
T +1 866 280 4013 F +1 609 620 1200 E info@1worldsync.com
1worldsync.com
For more information,
contact:
Tammy O’Donnell
Vice President, Implementation Services
1WorldSync
E todonnell@1worldsync.com
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