FAQ –
Weekly Updates

  • As a data supplier, do I have to use new or special tools for data delivery?

    No! The data maintenance, validation and transmission of the data is carried out as before by DMM or PMD in the usual procedure.
    As before, you can deliver data to us on an ongoing basis. We use the last transferred package.
    For the brands participating in the pilot operation, we will in future prepare the most up-to-date data package delivered for the data users much more frequently on the dates specified in the calendar.

  • Do I have to pay for the more frequent data updates?

    No. There are no additional costs for the data suppliers.
    All data users who are currently supplied on a monthly basis receive the more frequent data updates unsolicited and without additional costs.

  • As a data user, do I have to transfer every data update into my systems?

    Everyone involved is aware that the conversion of systems takes time. Furthermore, not every data update is necessarily important for every application.
    In principle, however, data users are obliged to update systems “without delay” once the pilot phase has been completed.
    This means the integration of the data update within the scope of the available technical and organisational possibilities and capacities.

  • What are Delta Reports and how are they structured?

    Delta reports provide a comparison of significant changes in some key data objects:
    Articles (Table 200)
    Article Country Restrictions (Table 202)
    Article Reference numbers / OE References (Table 203)
    Article Criteria (Table 210)
    Linkages (Table 400)
    Criteria of Linkages (Table 410)
    You can find detailed information on the generation procedure and the report structuree here.

  • What are “annotations” in the context of data delivery? Where can I find them in the data packages?

    Data providers have the option of attaching an annotation to the delivered data that indicates particularly urgent corrections of serious errors or other deficiencies.
    This can make it easier for data users to prioritize their data in the context of further data processing.
    The DMM/PMD function for data providers is described in the Release Notes from version 4.2 onwards.
    You can find the structure of the information in the data packages as a data user here.

  • It is referred to as weekly updates. Why are there only 48 updates per year and not 52?

    Due to the step-by-step conversion, which starts with a pilot operation and due to the effort not to generate unnecessary disruptions, data delivery dates remain on the 10th of each month.
    Between these dates, three further data submission dates are defined.
    This results in a total of 48 data delivery cycles per year.

  • Are only the changed data transferred during weekly updates?

    No. As before, complete data sets of a brand are always transferred. From DMM/PMD to TecAlliance as well as from TecAlliance to data users.
    The possibility of transferring  data contents (e.g. individual articles) is a future project of the TecAlliance, for which we are already doing some preliminary work.

  • How long will the pilot phase take? When will the possibility of weekly updates be available to all data suppliers?

    The pilot phase will end at the turn of the year.
    Subsequently, on the basis of experience, any additions to system components and/or milestone plans will be made. All data suppliers will be activated as soon as possible in 2020.