The ISO 8000 SmartPrefix™ identifies the issuer of a part number in terms of its legal identity. Legal brand ownership of a requested SmartPrefix is verified as part of the registration process. A company that issues part numbers can register multiple SmartPrefixes to secure and promote their product branding.

A Brand Sub prefix is used when a company manages more than one set of part numbers (eg when different divisions of the same company issue their own part numbers, with no centralized part number administration).

A SmartPrefix allows Suppliers to use ISO 25500 APIs to automate the routing of Buyer inquiries. This allows Buyers to automate verification of item availability or obtain the item characteristic data they need to create their item master records. This is enabled through an Advanced SmartPrefix registration.

To ensure ISO 8000 compliance, the SmartPrefix must identify the issuer of the part number in terms of its legal identity in ISO 8000-116 format. This is done using the International Business Identifier (IBID) (ISO 8000-116 compliant identifier) and creates complete transparency of product origin within a supply chain. Verification of the manufacturer/supplier IBID is free.

Manufacturer or Supplier

The SmartPrefix^TM makes it clear that you are the owner of your part numbers and the authoritative source for any information regarding the product associated with your part number. You do not need to create a new number, you simply add your registered SmartPrefix^TM to your existing part number to create an ISO 8000 quality part number. You can also use your SmartPrefix^TM to create ISO 8000 quality asset numbers, serial numbers and batch numbers too.

More importantly, when you adopt SmartPrefix^TM and take Advanced Registration you can use ISO 25500 APIs to automate the routing of Buyer product inquiries direct from their enterprise systems. This allows Buyers to automate verification of product availability or obtain the item characteristic data they need to create their item master records. When you simplify and automate product data access for Buyers, you have a powerful and direct path to sustainable sales and great customer relationships.

Buyer

Asking for your suppliers for ISO 8000 quality part numbers and product specifications in ISO 8000-114 formatted Interoperable Data Format (.idf) will allow you to automatically create the item names, descriptions and classifications you need to add a new material or validate existing materials in your procurement or inventory management systems. This will not only save you time, but it will improve the quality of your master data. Better quality master data is the fastest way to reduce item duplication and maverick spend.

If you do not yet receive an ISO 8000 quality part number from your supplier, you can convert an existing part number to the ISO 8000 quality part numbers format by adding an ISO 8000-115 SmartPrefix^TM. This will tell you who issued the part number and who you should ask for information regarding the item.

NOTE: When your Suppliers adopt SmartPrefix routing of your Item inquiries (using ISO 25500 APIs), you will be able to automate Catalog verification of Item availability or obtain the item characteristic data you need to create your item master records. We recommend you discuss Advanced SmartPrefix registration with your Suppliers today.

SmartPrefix^TM registration is free and there is no charge to use the SmartPrefix to find out who "owns" the item/product identifier, eg item part number.

Once a SmartPrefix is registered it cannot be used by another manufacturer or supplier unless it is re-assigned. Re-assignment would only happen if the SmartPrefix has been registered but not used commercially.

A basic SmartPrefix^TM registration is free so that large buyers wishing to implement ISO 8000-115 formatting of the part numbers used by suppliers can ask that a SmartPrefix be registered on behalf of the supplier.The Buyer needs to register their own SmartPrefix^TM first in order to register their Supplier prefixes. The buyer can then ask the supplier to verify and enhance item data already present within the buyer’s cataloging software. The buyer is using a method known as Cataloging at Source (C@S).

A SmartPrefix registered by a buyer on behalf of a supplier is not the property of the buyer. A SmartPrefix identifies the issuer of a part number and the SmartPrefix always points to the issuer’s International Business Identifier (IBID) (the identifier of the legal entity (supplier) who issued the item part number).

Advanced SmartPrefix^TM registration enables your customer’s Buyers to automate part number verification within their enterprise systems, and links your part numbers to item characteristic data or technical specifications to support automated Buyer product inquiries.

Addresses added to your prefix record during Advanced Registration allow you to use the ISO 25500 APIs to automate the routing of Buyer inquiries. This allows Buyers to automate verification of item availability or obtain the item characteristic data they need to create their item master records. You can implement ISO 25500 on your own server or you can simply host your product or service catalog on the ECCMA Standardized Open Catalog (eSOC).

To enable this advanced feature there is a fee of $500 per year, which covers all the part numbers associated with your prefix as well as automated routing and hosting on the ECCMA Standardized Open Catalog (eSOC).

* The annual fee covers the cost of verifying that the IP address is valid for the purposes of resolving ISO 8000-115 formatted identifiers as well as verify the IBID of resolution requests

By enabling automated part number verification, you are creating an automated link from your part number to the item specification. Your annual fee allows you to manage where you want part number inquiries from buyers to be routed.

By adding the SmartPrefix to your existing part number you create a globally unique and branded International Part Number.

1. Ensure that your registered SmartPrefix™ is added to all your product part numbers to convert them to International Part Numbers. The format must follow this convention:

SMARTPREFIX:your.existing.part.number

2. Tell your customers/prospective customers that your part numbers are ISO 8000-115 compliant International Part Numbers and that automated verification of your item specifications is now available to their software systems. If you would like to know more about automated verification of item specifications please contact us.