O/PUS BPIR logoO/PUS Quarter-End FAQs

Each quarter, you load item and pricing updates from O/PUS®. Because you only do this four times a year, it's hard to remember the details. This page is your online resource for loading O/PUS.

We've organized frequently asked questions according to the major stages of your quarterly procedures:

1. Pre-Load Steps (one week to 24 hours before loading O/PUS)
2. Loading O/PUS (immediately before loading O/PUS)
3. Post-Load Steps (when O/PUS load is 100% complete)
4. Troubleshooting O/PUS (anytime)
5. About O/PUS

See also O/PUS Documentation, and late-breaking O/PUS Update Notes.

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Pre-Load Steps

What do you need to set up for access to files via O/PUS PSN?
Using the O/PUS Private Supply Network (PSN), PSNControl software, and the (+IF) Communications Screen, you can access the quarterly OPdb® multivendor catalog update file, individual vendor pricing files and the loading programs required to process them. You need a DDMS server with broadband Internet access, an active O/PUS account with Trade Services Co., an active ECi (PSN) account, and access to the O/PUS PSN. For additional instructions, see these resources:
  • O/PUS PSN Introduction This one-page introduction provides an overview of the O/PUS® PSN services, formerly known as Business Products Information Resources (BPIR).
  • If you have not already set up your ECi PSN (rare), complete ECi PSN Registration and Phase I: Setting Up PSN (pdf) Set up the software and general parameters necessary to communicate faster and more reliably with vendors who offer services via the ECi Private Supply Network (PSN).
  • If you already have ECi PSN services set up, but do not yet subscribe to the O/PUS PSN, contact opus@ecisolutions.com to set up your account and request a Communications ID and password for the (+IFI) screen. O/PUS PSN ID Setup gives brief steps to set up your (+IFI) ID parameters for access to the O/PUS PSN.
  • For detailed instructions to set up appropriate parameters, install and use O/PUS PSNControl software, and download the O/PUS Multi-Vendor Update, and then download and process additional vendor pricing files, flyers, programs, and catalogs, see Setting Up and Using the O/PUS PSN (pdf).

Training on O/PUS procedures is also highly recommended. More information is below.

Where can you get a checklist of O/PUS quarter-end procedures?
Updated! O/PUS Quick Reference (pdf). This two-page checklist includes: Pre-Load Steps (One week to 24 hours before loading O/PUS), Loading Steps (Immediately Before Loading O/PUS), Post-Load Steps (When O/PUS Load is 100% Complete), Optional Steps, and Additional resources & links.
What's New For This Quarter?

The latest quarter's news is posted online:

O/PUS Update Notes includes latest breaking information about this quarter's catalog update. In the weeks leading up to quarter-end, we publish a tentative schedule. When we release the OPUSInstall software update and OPdb®/OPdb2 catalog, we also post the announcement and link to the download page here. If wholesalers submit post-load changes to O/PUS, we publish instructions to ensure you have the latest item and pricing data. If several dealers report software or data issues, we will publish troubleshooting advice from ECi Technical Support.

We also publish Mass Emails, including major company announcments and software release notes that affect a majority of dealers. In the weeks leading up to quarter-end, we publish reminders that discuss important enhancements to the data, software, and procedures, designed to help you plan your procedures. Closer to quarter-end, we announce the release of the OPUSInstall software update, OPdb®/OPdb2 catalogs, and the FYI² Notes newsletter. After quarter-end, we may announce late-breaking vendor changes or troubleshooting advice.

Where is the FYI² Notes newsletter?

The For Your Immediate Information — OPdb MultiVendor Update newsletter — a.k.a. "FYI² Notes (pdf)" and FYI² Canadian (pdf) — are published online quarterly when the current quarter's OPUSInstall software update and OPdb®/OPdb2 multi-vendor catalog update databases are ready for release. The newsletter includes information about software enhancements for the O/PUS PSNControl download software, the SIMPLE loading wizard, Super Store Data Update, and other software and services from O/PUS and ECi Content Services. The newsletter also announces new vendors, shares important notes from vendors, and includes a chart of pricing programs, consumer price levels, and dealer cost levels for each vendor included in the OPdb or OPdb2 catalog update.

How do you get training on O/PUS procedures?
See if the new O/PUS Webdemo schedule is posted online.
Where is the documentation on O/PUS SIMPLE & the Toolbox?

Updated! Loading O/PUS Multi-Vendor Quarterly Update (pdf) This handout covers all of the basic quarterly catalog update concepts and procedures for DDMS. It includes the O/PUS Quick Reference, as well as detailed instructions for 1) downloading and running OPUSInstall to update all O/PUS software; 2) Using PSNControl to Download Quarterly Update Files and Vendor Pricing Files; 3) Running the SIMPLE Wizard to process the data; 4) viewing report messages; 5) processing price files; 6) keeping your database clean; and more. Along with the Toolbox handout, this document replaces the original Complete O/PUS Multi-Vendor Documentation and O/PUS Made SIMPLE.

O/PUS Toolbox (pdf) The O/PUS Toolbox is a collection of text-based (+I) programs for managing your DDMS inventory catalog, costs, pricing, and purchasing preferences. Learn how to adjust costs, prices, dates, and profits; build or create vendor contracts; set and modify your purchasing vendor; move, modify, and classify your data; process vendor unit of measure (UOM) changes to recalculate costs, prices, contracts, inventory quantities, shipping weights, and history totals; view various reports; build SuperIndex; process vendor price files; implement page numbers from special catalogs; and more.

How do you know if your O/PUS Trade Service account is up to date?

Contact Trade Services. Your Trade Service account must be current in order for you to be able to receive the OPdb and pricing files via the O/PUS PSN. If you have questions about your O/PUS products, services, pricing, or account, please contact Trade Service directly at 1-800-701-7003.

How do you get catalog updates for supplemental vendors (not on the main O/PUS load)?

Supplemental Vendors are regional and specialty vendors whose item pricing updates are distributed via the O/PUS® Private Supply Network (PSN). Contact your vendor for access to their file. See also the O/PUS supplemental vendor information (pdf) for a list of vendors and special rules that apply. You can find the loading program instructions under Vendor Price File Loading Instructions.

What information do you get from your vendor(s) each quarter?

What price plan(s) to load (pdf)?
Which consumer price level to use per price plan?
Which dealer cost level or cost column to use (and password, if required)?
What items have buy unit of measure (UOM) changes that may mismatch your sell units? More information below...

When are vendor passwords required?

Have your vendor passwords ready when you begin loading your O/PUS update. Some vendors require a password to enter or update cost column settings.
Note: Cost column passwords are NOT available through ECi Tech Support or O/PUS. To acquire your cost column password, contact your vendor.

For example, effective 3rd quarter 2009, SYNNEX Cost Column 1 Pricing is restricted to authorized resellers, and requires a password provided by SYNNEX. Please contact Bob Michelsen by email (bobmi@synnex.com) or phone (888-223-1164, ext.5540), or contact Dan Christensen by email (danc@synnex.com) or phone (888-223-1164, ext.5541) if you have not yet received your Cost Column 1 password.

If you load SYNNEX Cost Column 2, rest assured that its standard pricing is open to any reseller, no password required.

Effective second quarter 2009, Mid Continent has changed to one cost column. Passwords are no longer required for dealer net cost. All questions regarding Mid Continent pricing should be directed to Laura Gray at Mid Continent, direct 913-279-5807 or toll-free 800-821-5197.

Why do you need to know if vendors changed their units of measure (UOM)?

Each quarter, and especially in the fourth quarter, major wholesalers typically change their buy unit of measure (UOM) each quarter on some items to reflect purchasing trends. They provide these changes in the quarterly O/PUS Update. Due to the changes, your selling units may not match your vendors’ new buying units. For additional details, see How UOM and Carton Quantity Affect P/O Quantity, Cost.

Using the SIMPLE wizard, you can opt to ensure your selling units match your vendors’ new buying units on the stock classes you specify. A special program called Make-Buys converts your selling units to buy units, and automatically recalculates costs, prices, contracts, inventory quantities, shipping weights, and history totals accordingly. To ensure that the UOM and pricing in the Scanalog (I-CAT database) match each item’s master record, follow the instructions in Handling Vendor UOM Changes with Make-Buys (pdf).

You may contact your vendors for a list of this quarter’s UOM changes:

S.P. Richards will make a list of items that will change UOM or be discontinued available from your S.P. Richards account representative.

United posts their UOM Changes on their Reseller Classified Zone at www.ussco.com. Member dealers can log in to the site and view the list

Why isn't there a global list of UOM changes every quarter?

Your vendors are the best source of that information, as advised in Handling Vendor UOM Changes With Make-Buys (pdf). Vendors prefer you contact them directly regarding price plans and UOM changes, and/or access your account resources on their Web sites. But you may have seen what looks like exceptions to the rule.

A few years ago, two wholesalers asked us to communicate the number of their UOM changes during a quarter such changes were extensive. Since then, quarterly UOM changes have not been as notable. Of course, major wholesalers typically change UOM en masse to reflect purchasing trends every October. So, every fourth quarter, we encourage you to take advantage of the Make-Buys program as needed. But it may not be necessary every quarter, depending on your particular item usage.

Later, as part of the Office Product Identification Standardization (www.opids.org) initiative, we provided a link to a list of items with extensive changes to MAC codes, item numbers, and units of measure. See the 1Q2007 FYI² Notes (pdf). O/PUS continues to partner with sources to meet OPIDS compliance, and will communicate with subscribers if any quarterly procedures need adjustment.

How do you know which vendor pricing files you can load?

Determining Which Pricing Plans to Load (pdf) Before you load an O/PUS update, you need to find out from your vendor which pricing plans you should load. This document explains what you need to ask your vendor, where to find your pricing files and loading programs, and when to process them.
If you are an ASP dealer, see Determining Which Pricing Plans to Load for ASP (pdf)

Is your price plan in the main O/PUS file or individual O/PUS PSN files?

Check each vendor's charts in the FYI² Notes (pdf) and FYI² Canadian (pdf) quarterly newsletters. If your vendor price plans are listed in the newsletter, they are part of the main O/PUS load. If your vendors' price plans are not listed in the FYI² Notes newsletter, you may find them on the O/PUS PSN. Find the loading program name for each pricing plan under Vendor Price File Loading Instructions. For more information, see O/PUS PSN Price File Advice.

How do you load monthly vendor pricing updates?

Vendors are increasingly moving to monthly pricing updates, in addition to the quarterly item updates. However, each vendor's file may require different loading options and methods:

The January, April, July, and October monthly pricing data for both United Stationers and S.P. Richards will be merged into the OPUS and OPUSTPA files, for loading as part of your quarter-end procedures. As a result, there is no need to load their -JAN, -APR, -JUL, or -OCT files.

Subsequent monthly updates will be released separately mid-quarter (such as in May and June, then August and September, and so on).

How do I Set Up My United Stationers ICAPS Files to Load into DDMS?

Some dealers use the Item Content and Pricing System (ICAPS) on the Reseller Classified Zone on USSCO.com. ICAPS allows United Stationers dealers to receive personalized Unitape files online of just their price plans and relevant changes. The O/PUS U_UNI program and the UpdateUNI MultiLoader wizard will load single-plan ICAPS files. To create and load ICAPS files into DDMS:

  1. Log into the United Stationers’ Reseller Classified Zone (ussco.com), and use the ICAPS system to make an output template specific to DDMS. In order to load ICAPS files into DDMS, you must set the ICAPS file template’s “record layout” to UNITAPE225.
  2. Once you obtain the ICAPS file, unzip it to the DDMS O/PUS Download folder listed in your DDMS (+IFI) screen.
  3. Rename the ICAPS file to a meaningful shorter name up to 10 characters plus the extension .TXT (such as ABC-Q3.TXT). You will use this full filename to process the plan in either the text-based (+IFP) screen or in the graphical UpdateUNI wizard’s Price Plan page.

 

Where are the Supplies Network item update files and what is their abbreviation?

Supplies Network, a DMI company, has joined the list of vendors who provide quarterly catalog updates within the O/PUS multi-vendor catalog update, as announced in the April 1, 2007 FYI² Notes. The Supplies Network catalog is available to ALL O/PUS customers using the SIMPLE wizard, whether you are loading the OPUS or OPUSTPA file.

In addition, Supplies Network provides a downloadable Price List file that contains item price changes and product information via their Web site, www.suppliesnetwork.com. ECi Content Services’ SNcustom program allows you to import the product information from the Supplies Network price file into the ECi™ DDMS® Item database. For detailed instructions, see SN Custom Price List (pdf).

To open an account with Supplies Network:

  • For TPA members, contact salesperson Mark Magasano (636-300-4000 x575)
  • For non-TPA members, contact salesperson Bob Mondschein (636-300-4000 x882)

Some OPUS tools, mass-changes, and reporting tools require a vendor abbreviation:

  • Their four character abbreviation is DMI- 
    (Note: you must include the dash at the end of DMI)
  • In larger fields that require the full vendor name, enter DMI-WHL

 

How do I Manage Dated Goods items so they are updated for the next year's calendars?

Each quarter, your catalogs may contain dated goods such as calendars and planners for next year from many sources. To properly load these dated goods, see page 13 of Loading O/PUS.

How do you know if the quarterly software update is released and ready to load?

O/PUS will announce via Mass Email when the software update is ready. The OPUSInstall software update page on the ECi Customer Support Portal also indicates the current download's effective quarter, date, and version.

How do you get the quarterly software update?

Once you receive notice that the software update is released and ready to download, shut down TBL, and download and run the OPUSInstall software update.

However, access to the portal requires your ECi DDMS account to be up to date. If you have an outstanding balance with ECi, you may be denied access to the support portal. If your Trade Services O/PUS subscription is current, an alternative method to download your O/PUS software update is at the bottom of the OPUSInstall page.

When should you download vendor price plans — before or after updating software?

Any time after installing the current quarter's OPUSInstall software update.
Download vendor price plans and loading programs via PSN (but do NOT process until after loading O/PUS).

What if PSNControl says "File Not Found"?

For any files you could not download, use the PSN File Not Found (pdf) form to check availability for files with PSNControl software. If two business days have passed since your vendor representative has confirmed they sent the files to O/PUS, and PSNControl still indicates "File Not Found," submit this form. A technician will confirm file availability so you can update. You can even fill it out online and print for optimum readability! See online PDF form instructions. For even easier emailing, use the Word document version (doc).

Can PSN Control tell me the revision date a vendor price file has been updated?

O/PUS recently enhanced PSNControl to display the Vendor File Revision Date in the File Transfer List Window, after the file has been downloaded.

The Vendor File Revision Date is the last date that the file was revised by the vendor. This allows you to determine if the vendor has updated its pricing file or if O/PUS has revised the loading program since the last time you downloaded it.

This information should he especially helpful when downloading from vendors who distribute pricing files more frequently (such as monthly or even daily).

Also, when you select (or highlight) a downloaded file, the mouse-over tool tip displays:

"File Name / Status / Vendor File Revision Date"

Where can you find release notes before loading the O/PUS quarterly update?

Check Update Notes for any issues we find after releasing this quarter's update.
Check Mass Emails for important announcements.

Should I compress files to avoid hang-ups during my O/PUS Load?

Yes. Every quarter, many dealers experience hang-ups during the item number conversion or during the Make-Buys unit of measure conversion, the ;SPC:CHGIT or (+IY) processes. as reset all field definitions. This is frequently due to invalid field definitions and/or previously deleted records that remain in the file until a file compression is performed.

Previously, to remove the previously deleted records, we recommended using the Diag.exe utility to pack your Inventory and CONTRACTS files during pre-load procedures. Now we recommend the following dedicated ;SPCCMPJR compression procedure that will compress files as well as reset all field definitions.

This procedure may be done up to two weeks prior to your O/PUS load.

For detailed instructions, see Compress Inventory Files Using :SPCCMPJR Before O/PUS Load (pdf).

How do you clean up/erase contracts from DDMS?

Updated! Removing O/PUS Price Plans (pdf) Learn to remove pricing plans or sales flyers that you loaded by mistake, using the O/PUS Tool Box option (+IK) Kill Records from I-CAT by Program ID.

Also consider the new Windows application: Using ECi Content Services Instant Contract Eraser (csICE) (pdf) csICE is a new application for deleting contracts and price plans. It is designed to dramatically speed up the price file load process. OPUSInstall will install the standalone application on your system.

Can you set up item stock classes or departments for a vendor, program, or company?

Yes. See Setting stock classes or departments by purchasing vendor (pdf). Learn to use the (+I-3) tool to set up a stock class or department for a particular purchasing vendor. You can also set them for individual purchasing vendor programs.
You can also set stock classes or departments by the CO prefix of an item key, using the (+I-D) Dept & Class by CO Field tool. See O/PUS Toolbox (pdf).

How do you safely remove a vendor and all its related files and records?

We recommend removing unique items that acquired or out-of-business vendors previously carried, but which your current vendors no longer support.

If you do NOT remove their unique items from your database, it can affect your short-buy process — and possibly your pricing.

  1. Before you execute your O/PUS load: to determine which items to remove from your database, you'll simply adjust your O/PUS SIMPLE parameters to resequence your vendor call priorities, and make sure O/PUS is set to flag the "deleted" status. See Preparing to Remove Vendors at Quarter End (www.DDMS.com/Resources/Support/faq/opus/opRemoveVendor.pdf).
  2. After your O/PUS load is complete: to complete the removal during post-load procedures, you will complete Inventory Housekeeping (www.DDMS.com/Resources/Support/faq/inventory/opus-del.pdf).

If you fail to take these steps at quarter end, you may consider following the longer Removing a Vendor (pdf).

How do you safely switch primary vendors?

Switching Your Primary Vendor During Quarterly O/PUS Updates (pdf). Understand an easily overlooked parameter and avoid cost discrepancies by ensuring O/PUS matches your inventory to your new primary vendor’s costs.

What happened to the (+IFD) Download a File option for BBS downloads via dial-up modem?

We have phased out O/PUS dial-up BBS modem connectivity. Previously, dealers could use the dial-up BBS to download vendor loading programs and pricing files.  As of 2nd quarter 2007, the (+IFD) Download a File option (using the dial-up BBS) has been removed from the O/PUS Toolbox, and therefore, the BBS dial-up connection will no longer be available.

The reason for the BBS/(+IFD) discontinuation is three-fold. 

  • First, the size and volume of quarterly pricing files from your wholesalers has grown tremendously over the years. As a result, each download takes longer for each dial-up connection to complete each quarter.
  • Second, the dial-up equipment and software will no longer be supported by our vendor, making it increasingly difficult for us to support, troubleshoot and repair.
  • Third, the majority of BPIR subscriber dealers are now using the O/PUS PSN on their broadband Internet connections. With only 10 subscribers who still rely strictly on the BBS modem, the decision has been made to streamline operations. Trade Service has contacted the affected dealers to discuss their alternatives.

This issue does NOT affect dealers who use PSNControl software to download files and programs from the O/PUS PSN via broadband Internet connections. Dealers who currently have a dial-up modem set up on the DDMS server may elect to keep it for wholesalers and other trading partners who allow modem transmissions for purchasing and invoicing.

To reflect these changes, we have completely revised related resources:

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Loading O/PUS

Are all Pre-Load Steps completed?

See the O/PUS Quick Reference (pdf) two-page checklist, particularly the Pre-Load Steps (One week to 24 hours before loading O/PUS), and the Loading Steps (Immediately Before Loading O/PUS).

How and why do you dedicate your DDMS system?

You can merely check TBL Server to make sure no one else is using the DDMS system, as described in Protecting Your Data for Dedicated Procedures (pdf).

NOTE: The O/PUS load using SIMPLE does NOT require Maintenance Mode.

Some DDMS system maintenance functions must be done in a dedicated environment. Dedicated functions are procedures that can only be performed when no one else is using the system, or, if performed while others are using certain system files, can corrupt the files or lock up the system. Take appropriate steps to protect these files before you commence dedicated procedures.

How and why do you shut down your Web storefront site for maintenance?

During the O/PUS load and related procedures, you are updating inventory records and contracts. If your customers are ordering online from your integrated Web storefront during this time, it can affect whether orders complete properly.

For Dealer Station® or is.D-Force sites, see “Turning the Site Off and On for Maintenance” in Setting Up Dealer Station DDMS Edition Admin Pages (pdf).

For ecInteractive® and is.D-Force2 sites, you can edit your Site News (Page Editor and Site Text) to inform visitors that your site will be offline for maintenance. You can even save a page to use as a template for future use.

How do you deactivate or disable procs?

You can adjust the (ZE7) Activities Scheduler to deactivate or disable any procs you have scheduled, and then reactivate them after you complete quarter-end procedures, as described in Disabling proc files (pdf).

How do you prepare the printer before loading O/PUS?

You must specify a valid printer in the SIMPLE Global Inventory Parameters, preferably a physical printer defined in your (L1) parameters. If you use a "file" printer, it must be one that prompts you to enter the path; otherwise, only the last report is available for review.

The O/PUS load will automatically print out reports that are crucial for troubleshooting problems and properly maintaining your database: your latest O/PUS Parameters, the Load and Update report (a.k.a. item exception report), any item duplicates and bad references, new records added/not added, items being updated, and other reports, depending on how you set up your parameters. The Load and Update "Item Exception" report can be set up to print to a timestamped file (OPMMDDHHMM where OP = OP, MM = Month, DD = Day, HH = Hour, and MM = Minute). The Make-Buys program creates an exceptions report named Make-Buys on your work unit.

Make sure the printer you plan to use is turned on, is online, loaded with paper, and ready to print at 17 cpi. If the printer stops during the load, the load stops until the printer is back online. If you specify to print optional item reports, and not just the mandatory Exceptions and Parameters Reports, you should use a high-speed printer.

Why should you shut down TBL Server before backing up DDMS files?

Occasionally, ECi Technical Support receives calls from customers trying to restore DDMS files from a backup tape. In some cases, we have found that the customer's backup is incomplete, and the files cannot be restored. As you may know, the system will not back up any file that is currently being used. The cause of the incomplete backup is usually failure to complete a simple step: shutting down TBL Server before performing a backup. Many crucial DDMS files remain open when TBL Server is running, so it is important to shut down TBL Server to ensure a complete backup.

How do you back up the DDMS system?

For detailed instructions on backing up your DDMS files, see File #243: Backing Up Your DDMS Files in Microsoft(R) Windows 2000.
To learn how to verify that your backups are good, see the updated File #86: Making Sure Your Backups Are Good. Note: If your backup log shows errors or skipped files, contact Support.
To learn how to restore files from a backup tape, see File #92: Restoring From Backups under Windows 2000 or File #38: Restoring Files on UNIX Systems.

What if you haven't yet loaded the latest OPUSInstall?

If you have not already done so for this quarter, download and run OPUSInstall while TBL is shut down.

OPUSInstall avoids these top two mistakes. We keep seeing two big misconceptions every quarter that cost dealers a lot of time and confusion.

  • First, some dealers mistakenly think they can skip the OPUSInstall, assuming they meet all requirements when they previously loaded OPdb via PSN. However, you must still download OPUSInstall from our ECi Customer Support Portal and run it every quarter. The OPUSInstall software update will optimize your PSNControl software and ensure your SIMPLE wizard has all the latest vendor-specific enhancements.
  • Next, people assume that the OPUSInstall replaces the need to run the SIMPLE program. The truth is, the OPUSInstall ONLY updates the SIMPLE and PSNControl software. It does not replace the need to load the updated catalogs using PSNControl and SIMPLE.

Keep an eye out for our announcement when the OPUSInstall and OPdb files are ready to download, and follow each of the steps outlined in the message.

How do you Stop EBS Scheduler During the O/PUS Load

In DDMS 8.16, the previous EBS Utility was replaced with the new EBS SQL Import Panel, which will automatically be running, along with the TBL Server, whenever you start up your DDMS server.

This EBS SQL Import Panel features a Scheduler Engine that may be of concern at quarter-end. During your O/PUS load process, if an import or SQL file synchronization kicks off, it could cause the O/PUS SIMPLE and post-load programs to take longer to complete.

For optimal processing, stop the EBS SQL Import Scheduler Engine before you run SIMPLE. ECi developers increasingly automated the process, but the steps differ depending on your DDMS version.

If you are on DDMS 8.16.40 or higher: Launching the SIMPLE wizard will  automatically stop the Scheduler Engine. You can run your O/PUS load without taking action in the EBS SQL Control Panel.

Note: AFTER your O/PUS and post-load procedures, when you are ready to re-import files into EnsiteEBS, launch the EBS SQL Import Panel and click Start Scheduler Engine. See steps below.

If you are on the older DDMS 8.16.0 - 8.16.39: Launching the SIMPLE wizard will trigger a * PROMPT FOR YOU TO STOP * the Scheduler Engine if it is running. Please follow the steps below to toggle it off.

On SIMPLE Launch: Stop Scheduler Engine  If prompted to stop Scheduler Engine:

  1. On a DDMS server running DDMS 8.16.0-39, click Start > Programs > Startup > EBS SQL Import Control Panel.
  2. In the SQL Import Control Panel, click the Stop Scheduler Engine button in the top right corner. (The button toggles to say "Start Scheduler Engine", and the status indicators change.)

Post-Load: Starting the Scheduler EngineEffective for all versions of DDMS 8.16 and higher: Once the Scheduler Engine is stopped, it will not start again without manually starting it (even with a reboot of TBL or the server). When you are ready to re-import files into EnsiteEBS after all other post-load steps are complete:

  1. On your DDMS server, click Start > Programs > Startup > EBS SQL Import Control Panel.
  2. In the SQL Import Control Panel, click the Start Scheduler Engine button in the top right corner. (The button toggles to say "Stop Scheduler Engine", and the status indicators change.)

See Using EBS SQL Import Control Panel www.DDMS.com/Resources/Support/faq/utilities/EBSSQLimport.pdf

How do you open TBL Server (or take DDMS out of maintenance mode)?

NOTE: O/PUS procedures do NOT require Maintenance Mode. In order for SIMPLE to load your quarterly update, TBL Server must be running Utilities, and the system may need to be rebooted out of maintenance mode. To learn how to do so, see the instructions for Level R (Reboot) Shutdown and Start Utilities in Protecting Your Data for Dedicated Procedures (pdf).

How do you check for late-breaking news on this quarter's O/PUS Update?

Check Update Notes for any issues we find after releasing this quarter's update.
Check Mass Emails for important announcements.

How do you get the OPUS file, the OPdb® multi-vendor update?

After we announce the file is released, and after you've run the quarterly OPUSInstall software update, download the “OPUS” multi-vendor update file using the PSNControl program. For detailed instructions, see Setting Up & Using the O/PUS PSN (pdf).

How do you launch SIMPLE to load the O/PUS Update?

If you have completed all the preceding pre-load and loading steps, you can launch the O/PUS SIMPLE wizard as follows:

  1. Make sure TBL Server is running.
  2. Navigate to the Windows Start menu, then click Programs, then click the SIMPLE program group, and then click the SIMPLE program icon.
  3. Modify your parameters as needed and begin your quarterly update as you normally do.

For detailed instructions, see the Completely Updated ! Loading O/PUS Multi-Vendor Quarterly Update (pdf). This handout, along with the Toolbox handout, replaces the original Complete O/PUS Multi-Vendor Documentation and O/PUS Made SIMPLE. It covers all of the basic quarterly catalog update concepts and procedures for DDMS. It includes the O/PUS Quick Reference, as well as detailed instructions for 1) downloading and running OPUSInstall to update all O/PUS software; 2) Using PSNControl to Download Quarterly Update Files and Vendor Pricing Files; 3) Running the SIMPLE Wizard to process the data; 4) viewing report messages; 5) processing price files; 6) keeping your database clean; and more.

How do you load the O/PUS ISG Update?

Members of is.group no longer load OPUSISG, but use a new procedure effective 1st Quarter 2010. For detailed instructions on the new procedure, follow these steps on the is.group Member Web site:

  1. Login at http://www.isgroup.org/
  2. Navigate to Distribution and select the drop down arrow
  3. Then choose Distribution and select the web-link DDMS Processing and Maintaining Info
How do you load the O/PUS TPA Update?

If you are a TriMega Purchasing Association member loading the TriMega Edition of the OPdb update, the PSNControl instructions and the O/PUS User Direct-Buy Information Password are available at www.trimega.org, in the member center, on the TriMega Catalogs page (https://www.trimega.org/members/programs/catalogs.asp).

How do you load the O/PUS Canadian Update?

The Canadian multi-vendor update database is usually released a couple of weeks later than the standard update. For detailed instructions on loading and maintaining your inventory with O/PUS' Canadian edition, see Canadian Multi-Vendor documentation (pdf), (rev 12/01). Also see FYI² Notes for O/PUS Canadian Customers (fyi2_Canada.pdf; Revised 4/11/2007).

How do you load the O/PUS ASP Update?

ASP customers: see information about loading item files through the ASP service.

Does SIMPLE create Reference Items Whenever the SKU Changes?

Yes. Starting first quarter 2007, SIMPLE will create references from an old number (or old company) to the new item in your inventory when the item number OR the items' company changes.

How does Make-Buys automate adustments when vendors change item UOM?

Handling Vendor UOM Changes With Make-Buys (pdf) Each quarter major wholesalers change their buy unit of measure (UOM) for some items to reflect purchasing trends. Using the SIMPLE wizard, you can opt to ensure your selling units match your vendors’ new buying units on the stock classes you specify. The Make-Buys program converts your selling units to the new buy units, and automatically recalculates costs, prices, contracts, inventory quantities, shipping weights, and history totals accordingly.

Should you set “Update Items to Primary Vendor Whenever Possible”?
When setting SIMPLE global parameters, our support call statistics indicate that we get a high volume of calls related to switching primary vendors during fourth quarter every year.
  • If you leave this box unchecked, the program will attempt to match on the existing primary wholesaler record in your system for each item. It will update each item record based on the information from that vendor.
  • If you check the box, the program disregards the item’s existing primary wholesaler record. It will update item records using the information from the primary wholesaler you selected in your O/PUS parameters. If no match is found, it will update your items based on the priority of your secondary vendors. The first vendor who carries that item will determine how the program updates the item record.
  • Setting this parameter can have a major impact on your purchasing. Let’s say that last quarter, your first-call vendor didn’t carry a particular pen. But your second-call vendor did carry the pen, and thus appears as the primary wholesaler for that item. This quarter, your first call vendor now carries the pen. If you leave this parameter unchecked, your second-call vendor will still be the primary wholesaler for this item. However, if you check the parameter, the pen’s primary wholesaler record will be updated with your first call vendor’s information.
  • Here’s another example. Let’s say that last quarter, Vendor A was your first-call vendor, and Vendor B was your second-call vendor. This quarter, you’ve decided to switch to Vendor B as your primary vendor, and indicate this on the vendor priority list in your O/PUS parameters. If you leave this parameter unchecked, your item number and primary wholesaler will not change to your new first call vendor’s information. Your system will still show Vendor A as your primary wholesaler for those items.
  • In our experience, most dealers prefer to check this parameter’s box. For more information on switching primary vendors, see File #219: Switching Your Primary Vendor During Quarterly O/PUS Updates.

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Post-Loading Steps

Where's that checklist of O/PUS quarter-end procedures?

Review the O/PUS Quick Reference (pdf) two-page checklist, particularly the Post-Load Steps (When O/PUS Load is 100% Complete), Optional Steps, and Additional resources & links.

How do you verify the O/PUS Load is done?

Verify that the end of the printout says 100% complete.
If you chose any re-indexing options, they run after printout says 100% complete.
If you chose to rebuild SuperIndex, it will run after re-indexing is complete.
To learn how to check if all reports and batches are finished, see the instructions for interpreting the TBL Server window on page 1 of Protecting Your Data for Dedicated Procedures (pdf).

Did you shut down and restart TBL Server?

If you have not yet done so after running SIMPLE, shut down and restart TBL Server. To learn how to do so, see the instructions for Level R (Reboot) Shutdown and Start Utilities in Protecting Your Data for Dedicated Procedures (pdf).

What do you do with the Item Exception Report (aka Load and Update Report)?

After you load an O/PUS update, the system automatically prints the OPdb Load and Update Report (sometimes called the O/PUS Exceptions report). This report lists items that were not added or updated, along with the reasons. If you see a list price variance on this report, follow these instructions to correct it. For detailed instructions, see Correcting List Price Variances after Loading O/PUS (pdf).

What if you still need to get price files and loading programs from the O/PUS PSN?

You can download vendor price files and loading programs any time after installing the current quarter's OPUSInstall software update.

Find the loading program name for each pricing plan under Vendor Price File Loading Instructions, and dDownload vendor price plans and the required loading programs via the O/PUS PSN.

For any files you could not download, use the PSN File Not Found (pdf) form to check availability for files with PSNControl software. If two business days have passed since your vendor representative has confirmed they sent the files to O/PUS, and PSNControl still indicates "File Not Found," submit this form. A technician will confirm file availability so you can update. You can even fill it out online and print for optimum readability! See online PDF form instructions. For even easier emailing, use the Word document version (doc).

How do you process vendor price files?

You can process your vendor price files any time after using SIMPLE to load O/PUS quarterly updates. For detailed instructions on each vendor, see Vendor Price File Loading Instructions.

What are these Vendor-, Plan-Specific "U-" Loading Program Files?

If you download price files from the PSN, the items and pricing are not yet reflected in your Item database and contracts. You must run the appropriate vendor loading program from the (+IFP) Run Program option in the OPdb Toolbox.

For vendor-specific steps, see Vendor Price File Loading Instructions.

The vendor loading programs, (a.k.a. "U_" programs) are available for download from the O/PUS Private Supply Network (PSN) service via PSNControl.

The U_ programs are engineered to be plan specific — they will ask you questions that relate to the specific plan that you are loading. For instance, instead of asking you if the plan is a Catalog or a Promotion, the program will already know!

The program will notify you how the file will be loaded:

  • If it is a Catalog, it will create new inventory records and update wholesaler (I-WHL) information on existing inventory records.
  • If it is a Promotion, the file may have dealer costs, consumer pricing, or both. New cost and pricing records will be loaded into the multi-vendor Scanalog (I-CAT) file if the promotional items exist in your inventory. Special consumer prices can be loaded into a DDMS contract.

If necessary, you can switch between promotion and catalog by typing “SWITCH” in the filename field once the program indicates how it will be loaded.

See the revised Electronic Item Update Instructions for each vendor.

If there is a problem downloading a selected pricing file, the message “File Not Found” appears in the PSN File Transfer List. If this occurs, you can still get the pricing file(s) by following these steps:

1 Check that the filename you entered is spelled correctly, and try again. Hints:

• All Horizon files start with “H-“
• All United 3-character files end with “-Q3,” “-Q4,” etc. (depending on the quarter)
• Most loading program files begin with “U_”

2 Contact your vendor to confirm that the filename you entered is the correct name, and that they have sent the pricing file to O/PUS. If they have sent the file, find out when they did so.

Note: Vendor price files sent to O/PUS may require up to 2 business days to process. If it has not been two business days since the vendor sent the file, please wait two business days and then try your download again.

3 If, after waiting the necessary two business days after the file was sent to O/PUS, PSNControl still indicates “File Not Found,” please complete the O/PUS PSN ‘File Not Found’ form.

There are two versions of the form:

  • A Microsoft® Word file that you can email. (PSNFileDownload.doc) To use the Word form, open the file and fill it out. E-mail the completed form to ddmssupport@ecisolutions.com
  • An Adobe® Reader PDF file that you can fill out online for optimum readability. (PSNFileDownload.pdf) To use the PDF form, open the file and fill it out. Then print the form and fax it to 682-831-9909. (Depending on the version of Adobe Acrobat you have installed, it may not send the data you entered. Saving form data usually requires Acrobat Pro.)

 

What optional post-load procedures should be run BEFORE setting purchasing vendor?
Before setting your purchasing vendor based on pricing, you may wish to complete the following optional procedures:
  • (+I-$) Round off Catalog & List Price is used to eliminate invoice confusion when the third digit does not print, but is used for extended calculations. The list price of the I-PRICE file and the catalog price of the I-WHL file for all your items are rounded to the nearest penny. See O/PUS Toolbox (pdf) for instructions.
  • (+I-A) Create Vendor Contract lets you create a vendor contract from a flyer contract, or transfer information to another vendor contract, with the option to update the I-PRICE pricing record. It also gives you the option to Update the Price Only if the New Price is Greater Than the Old Price. See O/PUS Toolbox (pdf).
  • (+IK) Remove Records from I-CAT by Program ID cleans up unwanted records, and may be used in conjunction with the contract eraser. For instance, it may be used when you loaded a pricing plan you do not actually use. Or you wanted to create a contract from a pricing plan, but did not want to use the pricing plan’s costs. Or your vendor released an updated flyer that has fewer or different SKUs. See Removing O/PUS Price Plans (pdf) and Using ECi Content Services Instant Contract Eraser (csICE) (pdf).
  • (+I-%) Adjusting Flyer Costs By a Percentage (pdf) is used when a dealer wants to increase the flyer/catalog cost. to cover overhead expenses, or to decrease the flyer/catalog cost if the wholesaler gives you a better price than the already discounted item cost.
  • (+I-&) Build Contract for a Vendor (pdf) builds a contract from I-WHL and I-CAT for a vendor you specify. It is used when the dealer wants to create a contract using a vendor’s catalog as the basis for the item listings and pricing, adjusting cost as needed.
  • Using ECi Content Services Instant Contract Eraser (csICE) (pdf) is recommended for cleaning up contracts and price plans if you haven't already done so, and removing pricing plans or sales flyers that you may have loaded by mistake. This Windows program is designed to dramatically speed up the price file load process, and will also speed up other procedures.
  • Viewing Page Numbers From Special Catalogs (pdf) Several vendors print special consumer-priced catalogs. The (+I-U) tool is designed to allow a vendor’s supplemental catalog page number to be displayed in the Order Entry screen instead of the general line catalog page number. If you wish to view page numbers for both the General Line catalog and the special consumer-price catalogs, do not use (+I-U). Instead, use the Multiple Vendor Screen.
  • FileMapper (pdf) The FileMapper™ program for Microsoft® Windows® NT/2000 lets you quickly convert price update files from manufacturers into a format that can be read by the DDMS system. It lets you maintain current prices from such manufacturers as Smead and Fellowes, for example, in your DDMS Item database. Once FileMapper has formatted the data, you move the formatted file to a DDMS system folder on the DDMS server and run the O/PUS™ program U_MFG to complete the process.
  • Removing a Vendor (pdf) If you wish to remove a vendor from your inventory database, we recommend doing so before setting purchasing vendor.

 

New! How do I load S.P. Richards Carton Pricing into my Vendor Contracts?

S.P. Richards offers some price files that they refer to as “carton” pricing. As a dealer, you must purchase these items in the specified quantities to receive the special dealer cost for the items on this program.

You would not want to use these low costs for your standard consumer cost or as your normal purchasing cost for any of these two reasons:

  • The program’s “required” unit of measure is a larger unit than how the dealer sells the item in their system.
  • Or, the item has a minimum quantity and the dealer must buy in exact multiples of a quantity.

To allow dealers to create stock purchase orders for these items, with the correct cost and required quantity, O/PUS has added the logic to a U_SPR program to create a vendor contract. The contract should then be assigned to the dealer’s S.P. Richards vendor record. Then, when the PO is created, the contract can provide the required quantities information and program cost for the Purchase order.

For detailed instructions, see Using S.P. Richards Carton Pricing (pdf)

How do you make sure DDMS displays special catalog pages?

Viewing Page Numbers From Special Catalogs (pdf) Several vendors print special consumer-priced catalogs. The (+I-U) tool is designed to allow a vendor’s supplemental catalog page number to be displayed in the Order Entry screen instead of the general line catalog page number. If you wish to view page numbers for both the General Line catalog and the special consumer-price catalogs, do not use (+I-U). Instead, use the Multiple Vendor Screen.

Should you remove unwanted vendors now?

Yes. See Removing a Vendor (pdf). If you wish to remove a vendor from your inventory database, we recommend doing so before setting purchasing vendor.

How do you set purchasing vendor using (+IL) (+IZ) or (+IT)?

There are several approaches to purchasing. Deciding which is right for you is
an important factor to your company's success.
(+IL) Lowest Cost for Vendor from Scanalog
(+IZ) Set Item Cost from Scanalog
(+I-T) Dealer Enhanced Cost Tool
See Setting and Modifying Your Purchasing Vendor Information in O/PUS Toolbox (pdf) for further instructions.

What optional post-load procedures should be run AFTER setting purchasing vendor?
  • (+I-1) Reset Purch Vendor to Primary Whl is used if you make a mistake trying to set your purchasing vendor. See O/PUS Toolbox (pdf) for instructions.
  • (+I-G) Set Gross Profit from Costs is used to recalculate the gross profit percentage. This gross profit percentage can be based on the average cost (set in the I-PRICE record), the replacement cost (set in the I-WHL record), or the purchasing vendor.
  • Changing contract prices (pdf) Learn how to raise or lower contract prices. The method described here uses a percentage to change prices, and gives you the option of changing particular items or an entire contract, and limiting to a specific vendor, such as the purchasing vendor, primary wholesaler, or secondary vendor.
  • Setting contract percentages after loading O/PUS (pdf) After loading contracts through O/PUS, get the system to display the gross profit and discount percentages. Most dealers specify purchasing vendor cost when setting the (ET) contract figure type.
  • File # 246: O/PUS Contract Wizard (pdf) This a free Windows-based application will allow you to convert/import an Excel spreadsheet into a DDMS contract. This document provides instructions for installation, running Contract Creator for the first time, what columns to create in Excel, and how to import the spreadsheet into your DDMS Contract.
  • Chain Store Data. Load the Chain Store Data software and data into DDMS. Effective for 2nd Quarter 2011, Trade Service has replaced the original Super Store Data Update subscription and software. For O/PUS customers who subscribe to the Super Store Price File update (SSDpricing), Trade Service offers a newer version — Chain Store Data, with the following enhancements: 1) New software to load item and pricing data into your DDMS system. 2) The ability to load pricing factors directly into your CONTRACTS file. 3) Many more cross-references — both Quill and WB Mason are now available!
    If you are an existing SSDpricing subscriber, Trade Service automatically converts you over to the new product — AT NO EXTRA CHARGE TO YOU!
    The Super Store Data Update software update has been removed from the OPUSInstall for 2nd quarter 2011, and Trade Service has discontinued updates to SSDitems or SSDpricing.
    For more details on Chain Store Data, as well as how to install this new service, please contact Trade Service Tech Support at 1-800-701-6999 or e-mail to technicalsupport@tradeservice.com.

 

Can you raise or lower contract prices at this point?

Changing contract prices (pdf) Learn how to raise or lower contract prices. The method described here uses a percentage to change prices, and gives you the option of changing particular items or an entire contract, and limiting to a specific vendor, such as the purchasing vendor, primary wholesaler, or secondary vendor.

How do you set contract percentages by purchasing vendor cost?

Setting contract percentages after loading O/PUS (pdf) After loading contracts through O/PUS, get the system to display the gross profit and discount percentages. Most dealers specify purchasing vendor cost when setting the (ET) contract figure type.

How do I use S.P. Richards special-order catalogs, ProductPro & FurnitureAdvantage?

New! Special Order with S.P. Richards ProductPro™ and FurnitureAdvantage™ Programs (pdf)

Traditionally, office products wholesalers have offered only in-stock items to meet the need of speedy delivery. But the market demands more custom items, even those with longer delivery timeframes. As we announced earlier, S.P. Richards dealers can offer customers a more extensive variety of products.

S.P. Richards has announced that updated ProductPro and FurnitureAdvantage program price files will be available for download via O/PUS PSNControl on the first Monday of the month — June 7, for example.

Update Your Software

Since these special-order items are not stocked, delivery may take longer. To accommodate a new Shipping Table with a 2-character shipping code and a 20-character description, such as "ships in 2-3 days," we've enhanced our software:

  • DDMS® 8.22 or higher
  • ECinteractive and is.D-Force® 2 Version 9.1 or higher
  • O/PUS® PSNControl 1.1.196 and UpdateSPR.exe Multiloader v00407a or higher

Most dealers will need to update DDMS and O/PUS software in order to sell ProductPro and FurnitureAdvantage. To get the new DDMSInstall and OPUSInstall software updates, log into the ECI Customer Support Portal.and click Software Downloads.

Online Shopping Enhanced for Special Orders

ECinteractive and is.D-Force 2 servers have already been enhanced. Your shoppers can easily identify how long special order merchandise will take to ship. Certain items will be flagged as non-returnable, whether they are stocked foodstuffs or special-order custom work.

Several pages now display the delivery text and non-returnable indicator, including Product Detail (as shown below), MyFavorites, and MyCart.

Product Detail shows estimated shipping or non-returnable

Get Detailed Steps

For step-by-step instructions on updating your inventory database and contracts and using the special order features in DDMS, see Special Order with S.P. Richards ProductPro™ and FurnitureAdvantage™ Programs (pdf).

Note on Missing Web Images:
Some FurnitureAdvantage™ items are missing photos. S.P. Richards assures us they have been working closely with the manufacturers to publish the Web images and catalog content for over 4,000 items so that it will be available in S.P. Richards Enhanced Content. S. P. Richards thanks you in advance for your patience and understanding as we roll out these exciting new programs.

Can you convert/import an Excel spreadsheet into a DDMS contract?

File # 246: O/PUS Contract Wizard (pdf) This a free Windows-based application will allow you to convert/import an Excel spreadsheet into a DDMS contract. This document provides instructions for installation, running Contract Creator for the first time, what columns to create in Excel, and how to import the spreadsheet into your DDMS Contract.

How do you load Super Store Data (SSD) item SKUs and pricing?

Effective for 2nd Quarter 2011, Trade Service has replaced the original Super Store Data Update subscription and software.

For O/PUS customers who subscribe to the Super Store Price File update (SSDpricing), Trade Service offers a newer version — Chain Store Data, with the following enhancements:

  • New software to load item and pricing data into your DDMS system.
  • The ability to load pricing factors directly into your CONTRACTS file.
  • Many more cross-references — both Quill and WB Mason are now available!

If you are an existing SSDpricing subscriber, Trade Service automatically converts you over to the new product — AT NO EXTRA CHARGE TO YOU!

The Super Store Data Update software update has been removed from the OPUSInstall for 2nd quarter 2011, and Trade Service has discontinued updates to SSDitems or SSDpricing.

For more details on Chain Store Data, as well as how to install this new service, please contact Trade Service Tech Support at 1-800-701-6999 or e-mail to technicalsupport@tradeservice.com.

How do you load Super Store "private brand" item references?

Effective for 2nd Quarter 2011, Trade Service has replaced the original Super Store Data Update subscription and software.

For O/PUS customers who subscribe to the Super Store Price File update (SSDpricing), Trade Service offers a newer version — Chain Store Data, with the following enhancements:

  • New software to load item and pricing data into your DDMS system.
  • The ability to load pricing factors directly into your CONTRACTS file.
  • Many more cross-references — both Quill and WB Mason are now available!

If you are an existing SSDpricing subscriber, Trade Service automatically converts you over to the new product — AT NO EXTRA CHARGE TO YOU!

The Super Store Data Update software update has been removed from the OPUSInstall for 2nd quarter 2011, and Trade Service has discontinued updates to SSDitems or SSDpricing.

For more details on Chain Store Data, as well as how to install this new service, please contact Trade Service Tech Support at 1-800-701-6999 or e-mail to technicalsupport@tradeservice.com.

What other inventory housekeeping is recommended for "deleted" records?

Inventory housekeeping (pdf) Mass delete item records that O/PUS marks as deleted.

How do you view Matrix catalog page numbers?
Several vendors print special consumer-priced catalogs. (For example, United and S.P. Richards publish "matrix" catalogs). In most cases, these printed publications have page numbers that differ from the vendor's general line catalog.
  • Situation: You may want these specially priced catalogs' page numbers to appear in the Order Entry screen in addition to the vendor's General Line catalog page numbers. The Commercial Order Entry screen displays the item's page number from the Primary Wholesaler record (the I-WHL file), but catalogs loaded through pricing plans are not loaded into that file during O/PUS procedures.
  • Solution: The Multiple Vendor Screen is the only place these additional catalog page numbers will appear in DDMS. To view these page numbers, you must update Scanalog when loading the price file via O/PUS procedures. So, when processing the special catalog's pricing file that you've downloaded from the O/PUS PSN, type "Y" when prompted to update Scanalog. This will put an entry in the I-CAT file that will allow the consumer catalog page numbers to appear in the Multiple Vendor Screen.
  • Result: Assuming you've properly processed the special catalog's pricing file, you can then view these additional catalog page numbers during order entry. In graphical order entry, viewing page numbers is simple: after entering the stock number, look for page numbers on the bottom right of the Item Detail tab. In text-based software, after entering the stock number, enter a "V" in the ORDER Quantity field. This will display all the records in the Multiple Vendor Screen, including the page numbers for each record.
  • Alternative: What if you only want to see the special catalog page number? After loading your quarterly update and the special pricing file, you can replace the general line catalog page number using the (+IU) tool. Note: This will REMOVE the general line page number. If you run (+IU) by mistake, the only ways to recover the general line page number is to re-load the OPdb catalog or to restore from a backup made immediately prior to running (+IU).

 

What does ;SPCCHGIT do during my O/PUS load?

When O/PUS changes an item key (item number and company) in any way, it logs the old item key and the new item key to the NEW-C-ITEM file. By default, O/PUS updates the item key in major inventory files; however, many other files (such as those used by order entry, purchasing, sales journals, and so on) rely on item keys.

O/PUS automatically runs the ;SPCCHGIT program to update the other files as follows:

  • It reads the NEW-C-ITEM file and searches for the old number in all files not changed by the O/PUS load.
  • It changes the item key to the new key.
  • It converts all sales journals listed in (LGA) sales journals.

For any renamed sales journals not listed in the (LGA) screen, you must manually run the ;SPCCHGIT program. For detailed steps, see Updating Sales Journals After Loading O/PUS (www.DDMS.com/Resources/Support/faq/opus/spcchgit.pdf).

What if you need to update sales journals not listed in (LGA) parameters?

Updating Sales Journals After Loading O/PUS (pdf) If you have sales journals that are not listed in your (LGA) Sales Journals Parameters screen, follow these instructions to run ;SPCCHGIT to update them after your O/PUS load. If you are using EnsiteEBS SQL applications such as Customer Price Plans and Price Modeling, you may need to re-import the sales journals. See Using EBS SQL Import Control Panel www.DDMS.com/Resources/Support/faq/utilities/EBSSQLimport.pdf. Additional information is in the Re-Import FAQ below.

Do you need to Re-Import SQL data in EnsiteEBS after quarter-end Housekeeping ?

Yes. Changes made during the O/PUS load will NOT automatically synchronize with the SQL database in DDMS Version 8.11 or higher. This issue only affects dealers who are using EnsiteEBS SQL applications such as Customer Price Plans and Price Modeling.

When. For affected dealers, this post-load step is required: Assuming you have previously validated and imported your SQL data, re-import your updated inventory data using the EnsiteEBS Utility. Our O/PUS Quick Reference Checklist suggests using the EnsiteEBS Utility during post-load steps AFTER:

  • Rebuilding SuperIndex
  • Processing vendor pricing files
  • Completing optional post-load steps (including Super Store Data)
  • Setting Purchasing Vendor (+IL, +IZ or +IT)
  • Completing Inventory Housekeeping to delete items O/PUS marked as deleted (R-CAT1, +EE).

How. To expedite the process once other post-load steps are complete, you can limit the import to the following files affected by quarter-end procedures: ALL inventory files, Contracts, and Sales Journals listed in LGA. If you are also running the Change-It program on sales journals other than those listed in LGA, you will also need to import those files as well.

What Files to Re-Import. When you use the EnsiteEBS Import Data Into SQL tool every quarter, you may just accept the default and re-import all files. Or, you may select specific checkboxes for item, contracts, and purchasing files that have been converted by the CHANGE-IT program during your O/PUS load: I-MASTER, I-MFG, I-WHL, I-PRICE, I-COLUMNS, I-CAT, I-AUX, I-AUXSUP, CONTRACTS, CON-VENDOR, I-ALIAS, P-MASTER, P-SPECIAL, P-LINE, and P-LINE2.

Note: Some files converted by CHANGE-IT (I-AUX-BIN, I-HISTORY, I-REMARKS, I-JANSAN, I-UOM, ALIAS INDEX, I-BOM, ITEMSUB, PO-MASTER, PO-INDEX, PO-SPECIAL, P-LNEDI, P-COMMENT, LOST-SALES, JOUR-S, other sales journals in (LGA), JOUR-U, JOUR-PO, JOUR-PO SPECIAL, and JOUR-UC) are not currently used by EnsiteEBS applications, and therefore may not need to be imported.

When you use the Sales Journal Import tool, accept the defaults to import JOUR-S and even your monthly journals according to your (LGA) Sales Journal Parameters. Even though each quarter you may have three new months of sales journal data, the sales journal import tool automatically validates your data.

You also use the Sales Journal Selective Import to include older archives not already listed, and specify a number of months to include. The system defaults to 12 months.

See Using EBS SQL Import Control Panel (www.DDMS.com/Resources/Support/faq/utilities/EBSSQLimport.pdf) If you need assistance addressing exceptions, contact your support team.

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Troubleshooting O/PUS

What if PSNControl says "File Not Found"?

For any files you could not download, use the PSN File Not Found (pdf) form to check availability for files with PSNControl software. If two business days have passed since your vendor representative has confirmed they sent the files to O/PUS, and PSNControl still indicates "File Not Found," submit this form. A technician will confirm file availability so you can update. You can even fill it out online and print for optimum readability! See online PDF form for faxing. For even easier emailing, use the Word document version (doc).

Where are release notes and troubleshooting advice on this quarter's software and data?

Check Update Notes for any issues we find after releasing this quarter's update.
Check Mass Emails for important announcements.

What do I do if my vendor is transitioning to LOP private branding?

A few vendors have begun transitioning their private branded items to a new LOP brand. Some vendors are depleting stock on the previous brand prior to switching to the new LOP brand, but some are using other methods. Due to the different manners of transition, O/PUS is not able to perform an automatic reference from the vendors' previous brand to the new LOP brand during this quarter's update.

Therefore, we recommend that you contact your vendor and request a list of their previous branded to LOP brand items and make your own decision on how and when to modify the vendors' previous branded items. The affected vendors include is.group (as well as Action, O Henry, PPI Wholesale, who were acquired by S.P. Richards and Emco, who was acquired by United Stationers).

Where do I report errors in UPC Codes on my Item records?

Wholesalers provide UPC code information on most products loaded from the O/PUS quarterly update. Errors in UPC codes should be reported to the wholesaler. If you report UPC errors to O/PUS, we will gladly pass them on.

What should you send/fax to Support to troubleshoot cost and pricing issues?

See Reporting Item Data Issues To ECi Technical Support (pdf). Learn which screens in Microsoft Windows® to email or fax to DDMS Support for help in resolving issues with cost or price. Screen shots (Alt+PrtScr) may include (+I-R) Report Items to O/PUS, (+I-V) View O/PUS Parameters, Order Entry Item Detail tab, Customer Order Entry tab, (LG3) Order Entry Pricing Parameters, and your Item database's affected Inventory Contracts, and should be emailed to ddmssupport@ecisolutions.com or faxed to 682-831-9909.

How do you translate CO fields and MAC codes into manufacturer company names?

Updated! O/PUS MAC codes (pdf) Three-digit codes that identify manufacturers. The system displays these codes in the CO field in the (E) screen. (Revised 8/4/2010)

How do you correct dates for contracts and flyers after loading O/PUS?

Correcting Contract Dates after O/PUS Loads (pdf) You set the effective dates for contracts and sales flyers when loading OPUS. If you forget to change these dates when loading your update, follow these instructions to correct it.

How do you avoid EDI transmission problems due to asterisks in item descriptions?

(+I-C) Clear Asterisk from Items is used in case item descriptions contain asterisks. When using EDI, these asterisks can cause transmissions to terminate. (+I-C) lets you remove asterisks from item descriptions. See O/PUS Toolbox (pdf).

Which United Consumer Pricing column do I load for tier "level" consumer pricing?

When you are loading your United pricing files, the O/PUS loading program will prompt you to enter a United Consumer Pricing Column.

Each quarter, United Stationers publishes a spreadsheet called Price Plan Code Chart. You can use that chart of price plans to help you determine which United Consumer Pricing Column corresponds to the "consumer level" you need to load. To view United’s latest Price Plan Code Chart, link to www.ussco.com, log into the Classified Zone, and select the “Item File/Unitape” page.

How do you look up 4-digit page numbers (greater than 999)?
As you may know, the DDMS system's vendor catalog page number field in the wholesaler record only holds 3 characters. O/PUS uses a lettering scheme to designate page numbers greater than 999:
  • M = 1000 series; example 1098 = M98
  • E = 1100 series; example 1198 = E98
  • T = 1200 series; example 1298 = T98
  • H = 1300 series; example 1398 = H98
  • F = 1400 series; example 1498 = F98
  • V = 1500 series; example 1598 = V98

 

What if you find duplicate stock numbers?

As a result of manufacturer mergers and acquisitions, the same item number is sometimes used for two different products. In some cases, this causes one product to get updated with information from a different product that has the same number. In 2Q2003, we began reporting affected stock numbers. Check your inventory records for each stock number, and make corrections if necessary. For detailed instructions, see Correcting Duplicate Stock Numbers.

How do you change the Co (company) field for all affected item keys?

(+I-B) Build NEW-C-ITEM is used to to change the Co (company) portion of the item key (which contains the item number and Co fields). This tool changes the I-MASTER record and creates the NEW-C-ITEM file on your inventory unit. The NEW-C-ITEM file can then be used by the DDMS program ;SPCCHG_IT to change the item keys in all related files, with two exceptions: Short-buys and Receipts. When this process is complete, run the (MLQ) ;SPCCHGIT program to perform the item key changes procedure. See O/PUS Toolbox (pdf) and the (MLQ) section of Updating Sales Journals After Loading O/PUS (pdf).

How do you use customer and wholesaler minimums to avoid breaking cartons?

(+I-M) Move I-WHL PER field to I-PRICE MIN Field sets your customer’s minimum order amount (from your pricing record) to equal your wholesaler's minimum purchase amount, so you can avoid having broken cartons of non-stock items on your shelves. The PER field of the I-WHL record indicates how many of your selling units, set in the I-MASTER record, are needed to make up the minimum buying unit set in the I-WHL record. See O/PUS Toolbox (pdf).

How do you swap item keys from NEW-C-ITEM to I-CAT?

(+I-N) NEW-C-ITEM Key Swap for Scanalog updates the keys of the I-CAT file (used in the Scanalog) with changes contained in the NEW-C-ITEM file. See O/PUS Toolbox (pdf).

How do you reset contract quantity breaks?

(+I-W) Set Quantity Breaks in Contract to 1 can be used to create or overwrite a contract with one that has only single quantity breaks. See O/PUS Toolbox (pdf).

How do you create Reference Only items?

(+I-X) Cross Reference Prefix in Item creates Reference Only items that let you access items using the item’s prefix and item number. Notes: You cannot limit the item information. Running this procedure affects all the items in your inventory. See O/PUS Toolbox (pdf).

How do you use Make-Buys to make adustments when vendors change item buy UOM?

See the completely revised! Handling Vendor UOM Changes With Make-Buys (pdf) Each quarter major wholesalers change their buy unit of measure (UOM) for some items to reflect purchasing trends. Using the SIMPLE wizard, you can opt to ensure your selling units match your vendors’ new buying units on the stock classes you specify. The Make-Buys program converts your selling units to the new buy units, and automatically recalculates costs, prices, contracts, inventory quantities, shipping weights, and history totals accordingly.
The (+I-Y) Make-Buys program can also be run manually (not recommended). See O/PUS Toolbox (pdf).

How do you view an item's I-CAT records and the program IDs that set the pricing?

(+I-E) Electronic Catalog (O/PUScanalog) displays the specified item's record from I-MASTER, I-PRICE, and I-WHL, along with I-CAT records for any other vendors you have loaded who carry the item you specified, indicating the program ID where its pricing comes from. See O/PUS Toolbox (pdf).

How do you hold list/cost changes when updating prior to the beginning of the quarter?

(+I-P) Item Updating, Viewing, Reporting From OPS-CHANGE lets the dealer keep item information changes to help facilitate business decisions, price label printing, and item reporting. It can be used by those dealers who want to update their item files prior to the actual beginning of the upcoming quarter, but not allow the List Price and Cost to be updated. See O/PUS Toolbox (pdf).

Can you import/ export data to and from DDMS with Contract Wizard or FileMapper?
Yes. This letter about importing and exporting information from your I-CAT file (pdf) discusses the legal and practical issues involved in importing and exporting information from O/PUS's I-CAT and I-MFG files. See also:
  • File # 246: O/PUS Contract Wizard (pdf) This a free Windows-based application will allow you to convert/import an Excel spreadsheet into a DDMS contract. This document provides instructions for installation, running Contract Creator for the first time, what columns to create in Excel, and how to import the spreadsheet into your DDMS Contract.
  • FileMapper documentation (pdf) Do you have inventory data including Direct Buy Costs from manufacturers such as Smead, 3M, Fellowes, and so on? The O/PUS FileMapper program for Windows lets you quickly convert manufacturers’ product data into a DDMS-compatible format. You can then use the U_MFG loading program to load the data into your DDMS system’s I-MFG Direct Buy Record.

To obtain the Contract Wizard or FileMapper software, contact O/PUS at opus@ecisolutions.com.

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About O/PUS

What Does O/PUS Do?

O/PUS, originally Office Products Update Service, provides:

  • The quarterly OPdb® multi-vendor catalog update.
  • S.I.M.P.L.E. graphical software for managing your vendor-specific parameters and executing the quarterly update.
  • The O/PUS PSN, serving a multitude of supplier price files, programs, and catalogs.
  • PSNControl software for querying availability of O/PUS files and supplier price files and scheduling downloads via the ECi Private Supply Network.
  • The O/PUS Toolbox, a set of programs for maintaining your Item database, pricing, and contracts.

 

Does O/PUS belong to ECi DDMS or to Trade Service?

Trade Service Corporation acquired O/PUS®, ECi ’s supplier content division. Trade Service has been providing product and price updating service to office products dealers since 1917 though its acquisition of Moore Services. The company offers a wide selection of wholesaler and manufacturer content, including The Moore File, one of the industry’s leading multi-vendor item catalogs.

As office products dealers expand their business and increasingly leverage the Internet for online sales, content becomes more important than ever. Dealers will benefit from having O/PUS content managed by an independent third party with long-standing relationships with industry suppliers and buying groups. Trade Service will leverage the power of the OPdb® multi-vendor catalog database and O/PUS’ technology (SIMPLE, Super Index, O/PUS Scanalog, etc.) to provide the most advanced content services and technology available to the office products industry.

Both ECi and Trade Service are committed to ensuring that the acquisition of O/PUS is virtually transparent to our mutual customers in terms of quarterly item file loads and product support. To this end, ECi has agreed to continue to develop and support the OPdb database and other O/PUS products on behalf of Trade Service. The two companies will also collaborate in the development of new content and data-management tools to benefit dealers.

This means that you can look forward to the same quality content and high levels of support you have come to expect. John Bobo and his team here at ECi will continue to develop and enhance the various O/PUS products on behalf of Trade Service, ensuring that the software remains tightly integrated with your ECi business system.

In addition ECi will continue to provide technical support for these products on behalf of Trade Service; you will continue to work with your current support team for issues relating to quarterly item file loads, vendor price files, and or other O/PUS products, just as you do today.

We recognize that you may have questions about this acquisition. We have included a short FAQ below. You will also be receiving more information directly from Trade Service within the next few days, followed by a phone call from a Trade Service representative who can answer any additional questions that you may still have.

Who maintains existing O/PUS products and services?
Trade Service has acquired all rights in the O/PUS products and services and will continue to offer the OPdb multi-vendor database and other O/PUS products. As explained above, these products will be developed and maintained by John Bobo and the rest of the O/PUS team on behalf of Trade Service. You will also be able to take advantage of existing Trade Service offerings that complement the current O/PUS products.
If O/PUS is now part of Trade Service, who will support the software and help me with my quarterly updates?
In addition to software development, ECi will continue to provide technical support for the O/PUS products on behalf of Trade Service as part of our ongoing relationship. You will continue to work with your current ECi support team for any issues relating to quarterly catalog loads, vendor price files, and or other O/PUS products.
What about the O/PUS PSN service? Will I still be able to download my updates via the Internet?
ECi will continue to host and maintain the PSN service on behalf of Trade Service. You will be able to download quarterly OPdb updates and vendor price files just as you do today.
Are O/PUS products still included in my ECi DDMS software package?
The OPdb multi-vendor database, the PSN service, all loading software, the O/PUS Toolbox application set, and database management tools such as FileMapper, TechMapper, and the Contract Wizard are now owned by Trade Service. As such, these products are no longer included in any ECi product packages. .
How does this affect the cost for O/PUS products?
As the O/PUS products such as OPdb updates and O/PUS PSN are now owned by Trade Service, all matters pertaining to cost and pricing of the O/PUS products will be determined by Trade Service. You should receive additional information directly from Trade Service.
Will my ECi monthly fee change?

Some customers were receiving OPdb updates and O/PUS PSN access as part of their monthly software package. Trade Service has agreed to provide our customers with additional content as part of the sale agreement. Trade Service’s buying group cost data and cross-reference of superstore product numbers, normally sold as separate products, will soon be integrated into the OPdb® multi-vendor catalog. All O/PUS subscribers that sign up with Trade Service will have access to this information, a $1,500 value, at no additional charge.

Dealers who subscribe to O/PUS through Trade Service will also be eligible to receive additional benefits directly from ECi . Customers who sign up for O/PUS with Trade Service will be receiving a letter from us with more information about the offerings and their specific options.

Why did ECi sell O/PUS?

Not only was 2005 ECi ’s most successful year to date, but with projects like Cozumel—our new Web storefront—and a new business system architecture that incorporates SQL databases and the Microsoft® .NET programming framework, we are producing some of the most exciting software in our history. This sale reflects an increased focus on our core business—management software and supply chain automation solutions. It will enable us to make additional investments in business system development and position ECi for continued growth.  And, for the benefit of our dealers, it puts the business of product and pricing business in the hands of an industry leader, Trade Services.

 

See also O/PUS Documentation

 

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