To collaborate successfully with your suppliers, make sure your point-of-sale data is in tip-top shape, advised Harrison Lewis, vice president, business-to-business e-commerce, A&P.
tly influences the everyday decisions that we make." He said those decisions concern such areas as planning, forecasting, displays, merchandising, new-item launch, ordering, inventory status and POS-based invoicing.
Lewis said that POS data accuracy depends on practices like using multiple and department keys. In addition, it's important to capture data "at its lowest level," including "causal factors" like promotions and coupons, and gather data in transaction logs rather than at the store level.
He also urged that data be available in real time throughout the day rather than batched at the end of the day. In addition, "the retailer's information [should be] available to the supplier at the same time that this information is available to the retailer," he said.
