Open Catalog Interface – The smart way to place product data in procurement systems

The integration of product data in the customer’s system is a milestone in sales. There is a smart way to do this, known as the Open Catalog Interface. The terms OCI-Catalog, OCI-Shop or OCI-Connection are also commonly used. Find out how Open Catalog Interface helps you to place Product Data with your customers.

What is OCI and who invented it?

Open Catalog Interface (OCI for short) is a standardized interface for the error-free exchange of Product Data between suppliers and buyers. This technology was developed by SAP to simplify the process of catalog integration in purchasing platforms. By using OCI, suppliers can integrate their Product Data into their customers’ purchasing system in real time. This simplifies and accelerates the ordering process.

What does the process of ordering via the OCI catalog look like?

Employees from sales, customer service or IT only have a few contact points with the customer’s purchasing process. This is why terms such as OCI-Catalog, OCI-Shop or OCI-Connection have become commonplace. All these terms describe the following process:

➡️ There are different expansion stages of the Open Catalog Interface. OCI 4.0 is described in the process above. For this, the customer must briefly leave the e-procurement system to select the desired products. With OCI 5.0, this exit is optional and the customer finds the articles via the comprehensive search of the e-procurement system.

How does an OCI catalog optimize the sales process?

An OCI catalog optimizes the sales process on several levels. Firstly, it enables seamless integration of Product Data into customers’ purchasing systems, minimizing manual entries and errors. By e-procurement systems, we mean e-procurement systems (SAP Ariba, Onventis, Newtron), e-marketplaces (simple system, mercateo unite) or ERP systems (SAP).

Secondly, order placement is simplified by providing product information and prices in the customer system. The OCI catalog acts like a quotation from which the customer can order directly if required without having to obtain a separate quotation.

Thirdly, an OCI catalog promotes customer loyalty, as the purchasing process is considerably simplified and made more convenient for the customer.

Fourthly, this type of product data exchange creates the foundation for subsequent processes. On this basis, orders, order confirmations, shipping notifications and invoices can be processed automatically (EDI).

What are the advantages for suppliers and customers?

Advantages for suppliers

For suppliers, the implementation of an OCI catalog offers numerous advantages:

• Increased visibility: products and services are displayed directly in the customer’s e-procurement system.
• Time savings: Automated processes reduce the effort required for manual entries and error corrections.
• Up-to-date: Product information and prices can be updated in real time.
• Competitive advantage: The provision of an OCI catalog can be a decisive factor in supplier selection and item selection in day-to-day business.
• Customer loyalty: Simplified order processing increases customer satisfaction and loyalty.
• Automation of business processes: An OCI catalog ensures that suppliers and customers work on the same database. This means that subsequent processes (e.g. orders, invoices) can be automated without errors.

Advantages for purchasing companies (customers)

Customers also benefit considerably from an OCI catalog:

• Efficiency: The ordering process is greatly simplified by integrating the supplier catalogs into the company’s own e-procurement system.
• Reduced errors: Automated data transfers minimize input errors and misunderstandings.
• Transparency: Purchasing companies always receive up-to-date information on products, prices and availability.
• Time saving: Fast and uncomplicated ordering processes enable a more efficient way of working.
• Improved cooperation: Cooperation between buyer and supplier is strengthened by standardized processes.

Which systems can an OCI be integrated with?

OCI can be integrated with a variety of purchasing systems. The following systems have an OCI interface:

• SAP ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning)
• Jaggaer
• SAP SRM (Supplier Relationship Management)
• Mercateo Unite
• Proactis
• Onventis
• Infor CloudSuite
• GEP SMART
• Basware
• SynerTrade
• Newtron
• Simple system

What options are there for offering your customers the Open Catalog Interface?

There are basically three ways to implement Open Catalog Interface:

1. In-house development: Companies can develop their own solutions. The standard approach is to program an OCI interface for the existing online store. The advantage of this is that individual requirements can be implemented more easily. The major disadvantage, however, is that this requires considerable development resources and support.
2. Standard solutions: There are ready-made software solutions that have been specially developed for OCI integration. These are often ready for use more quickly and are more cost-effective than in-house developments.
3. Plugins: An OCI interface for certain store systems can also be purchased. Ready-to-use plugins are available especially for Magento, Shopware and other store systems.

Conclusion

The Open Catalog Interface (OCI) is a smart tool for seamlessly integrating Product Data into your customers’ purchasing systems. It optimizes the sales process at various levels. From a process perspective, the error-free exchange of orders and invoices is a major efficiency gain for both supplier and customer. It can be integrated into numerous customer systems by means of in-house development, standard solutions or plug-ins. Having an OCI catalog in the service portfolio leads to greater customer loyalty and, in the long term, to increased sales.

FAQ – frequently asked questions

Sources

• Wikipedia, OCI: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Catalog_Interface
• SAP, Help Center: https://help.sap.com/docs/SUPPORT_CONTENT/srm/3362936504.html