1. Using Product Master Data Management
  2. Trading Partner Item Relationship

Trading Partner Item Relationship

You can create the following type of trading partner item relationships for trading partner items:
  • Customer Item Relationships: Used to associate an internal item with one of your customer items.
  • Competitor Item Relationships: Used to associate an internal item with one of your competitor items.
  • Manufacturer Item Relationships: Used to associate an internal item to a manufacturer item.
  • Supplier Item Relationships: Used to associate an internal item with your supplier item.

For each trading partner item relationship, you can define its status as Preferred, Alternate, or Obsolete. You can also create trading partner items on the Relationships tab.

Create Trading Partner Items

Trading partner items are external to the Product Management application.

To create trading partner items, you must have a data grant for the trading partner items with the View and Maintain privilege (if data security is enabled).

To add a trading partner item to Product Management:
  1. On the Relationships tab, in the Trading Partner Items region, click Create Trading Partner Item.

    The New trading partner item drawer is displayed.

  2. Provide the following details:
    • Trading Partner Type: Select Customer, Supplier, Manufacturer, or Competitor
    • Trading Partner Name: Trading partner for the trading partner item
    • Trading Partner Item: Trading partner item number for the row
    • Start Date and End Date: Provide the date range for the trading partner item
    • Status: Select Active, Inactive, or Pending
    • Description
  3. On the Additional Attributes tab, provide the details for the descriptive flexfields.
  4. On the Attachments tab, you can attach files, directly enter text, and provide URLs.
  5. Click Create to create the trading partner item.

You can add the created trading partner item to the item by clicking the + icon in the Trading partner items section.

Create Trading Partner Item Relationship

To create a trading partner item relationship:
  1. In the Trading Partner Items section, click the Add icon.

    The New trading partner item relationship drawer is displayed.

  2. Specify the following details:
    • Trading Partner Item: Select the trading partner item. Based on this selection, the Trading Partner Type and Trading Partner Name fields are populated.
    • Relationship Status: Select Preferred, Alternate, or Obsolete.
    • Start Date and End Date: Provide the date range for the trading partner item relationship.
    • Competitor Item Type: If you’ve selected competitor as the Trading Partner Item, then select the following:
      • Complimentary
      • Equivalent
    • Rank: If you’ve selected customer as the Trading Partner Item, then optionally specify the rank.
    • Relationship Description
    • Additional Attributes
  3. Click Create.

    The trading partner item relationship is created and displayed in the Trading partner items section.

Manage Links Between MPN Relationships and Supplier Item Relationships for an Item

You can create and manage links between Manufacturer Part Number (MPN) relationships and supplier item relationships for an item. The allowed linking is N:N. You can link one MPN relationship with one or more supplier item relationships and link one supplier item relationship with one or more MPN relationships. It helps to increase tracking and allows for a more robust digital thread among your product number, supplier part numbers, and manufacturing part numbers.

You can set one of the linkages of an MPN relationship or a supplier item relationship as primary. The reciprocal of the linkage will also be considered as primary.
Notes:
  • The feature is available only for manufacturer and supplier relationships; customer and competitor relationships aren't applicable for this feature.
  • You can link multiple supplier items belonging to the same supplier with an MPN and vice versa.
  • Linkage for trading partner item relationship is currently supported only on the Edit Item page.
  • You can't delete an MPN relationship or a supplier item relationship that has a linkage present. You must first delete the corresponding linkages before deleting the parent relationship.
  • You can publish, audit, and report the links between the manufacturer part number relationships and supplier item relationships for an item.
To link MPN and supplier item relationships:
  1. Browse to the item for which you want to create a link between the MPN relationship and supplier item relationship.
  2. On the Edit Item page, click the Relationships tab.
  3. To link a Manufacturer Part Number to a supplier trading partner item relationship:
    1. In the Trading partner items section, in the Links column, click the Link icon for a supplier trading partner item relationship.

      The Link manufacturer part numbers drawer is displayed.

    2. In the Manufacturer Part Number column, from the drop-down list, select a manufacturer and click the Apply icon in the Actions column.
    3. Edit the row and select the checkbox in the Primary column to mark the linkage as primary.
    4. Click Save and Close to save the changes and close the drawer.
  4. To link a supplier part number to a manufacturer trading partner item relationship:
    1. In the Trading partner items section, in the Links column, click the Link icon for a manufacturer trading partner item relationship.

      The Link supplier part numbers drawer is displayed.

    2. In the Supplier Part Number column, from the drop-down list, select a supplier and click the Apply icon in the Actions column.
    3. Edit the row and select the checkbox in the Primary column to mark the linkage as primary.
    4. Click Save and Close to save the changes and close the drawer.