GS1net™ - Data Synchronisation Service
Technical / User Information
GS1net User Guide - Cookbook FAQs
Below are the answers to some Frequently Asked Questions. If you don't find what you are looking for, please contact GS1 Australia.
FAQs - Answers
Question 1: How do I login to GS1net?
Answer: GS1net can be accessed by:
- Entering URL https://www.gpcatalogue.com/gs1net into your web browser
- Entering URL http://www.gs1au.org and under the Services section
- Select menu GS1net
- The GS1net™ - Data Synchronisation Service home page will be displayed
- Select LOGIN - The GS1net Sign On screen will then be displayed
- Enter your Company Alias, User ID and Password
Note: if you are unable to resolve login issues, contact GS1net Client Services.
Question 2. How do I login to the GS1net Validator?
Answer: The GS1net Validator can be accessed by:
- Entering URL https://gs1netvalidator.com.au into your web browser
- Login to the GS1net GUI
- Selecting menu option Upload File for Data Loading from within the Catalogue Administration section - The GS1net Validator sign in screen will then be displayed
- Enter your GS1net Validator Username and Password
Note: Your GS1net Validator Username and Password is not the same as your GS1net User ID and Password. If you are unable to resolve login issues, contact GS1net Client Services.
Question 3. Question 3. How do I load my items into GS1net?
Answer: For data load options and processes, refer to documents:
- GS1net Data Upload Options
- Getting Started, and
- Confirm your Upload - Data Load Status Report (DLSR)
All three documents are listed within the Load and Maintain your GS1net Catalogue section of the GS1net User Guide - Cookbook.
Question 4. What are the data fields required in my industry?
Answer: To view the requirements for your sector, refer to link Your Data Set within the GS1net Data Dictionary and Your Target Data Set section of the GS1net User Guide - Cookbook.
- Select the worksheet appropriate to your industry sector
Note: the legend in the top left hand corner
The GS1net Item and Price Data Dictionary contains all data fields (attributes) that are supported within GS1net. Each industry sector specifies a subset of attributes required by the sector to meet their data synchronisation requirements.
Question 5. How do I publish data to my trading partner(s)?
Answer: Refer to document Publish Your Catalogue within the Load and Maintain your GS1net Catalogue section of the GS1net User Guide - Cookbook.
Note: GS1net now provides an optional 'automated' method for publishing data to your trading partners.
Question 6. How do I control who has access to my data?
Answer: As the catalogue owner, you have complete control over which trading partners may access your catalogue and over which records within the catalogue may be accessed by your trading partners. Until the catalogue owner has published an item to a trading partner and the publication date within the item has been met or passed, the trading partner cannot see any detail about the item beyond its description and GTIN.
For additional detail, refer to section Data Access and How Data Flows section of the GS1net User Guide - Cookbook.
Question 7. I have published my items, but my trading partner advised they cannot see the data.
Answer: Check the Publication date (within the Item record) to ensure that the date is not in the future. Although publication is permitted for items with future publication dates, it should be noted that your trading partner will not be able to access your data until the date is reached.
Make sure sufficient time has elapsed between the publication of your items to your trading partner and your trading partner checking for the published items. Processing times can vary based on user activity and the number and size of files being processed.
If you are unable to determine the reason why your trading partner cannot access your items, contact GS1net Client Services for assistance.
Question 8. What is a Trade Item Group ID and how do I create it?
Answer: A Trade Item Group ID is a four digit identifier that pairs with the Trade Item Group Description. These identify your own product categories as you define them within your business. These are sometimes referred to as your "Product Groups".
Examples are:
- 0001 - Snack bars
- 0002 - Desserts and Cakes
- 0003 - Children's Toys, etc.
These allow you to structure/group your GS1net catalogue according to your own internal product categorisation/structure.
Note: if publishing to Coles or Metcash, your "Product Groups" will need to align with the Supplier ID's each retailer maintains for your company.
Question 9. Do new items (not prices) have to start on a Monday?
Answer: New Items do not have to start on a Monday. The start dates should reflect when the Item is available to your trading partners.
Question 10. How do I enter a variable measure GTIN onto GS1net?
Firstly ensure that the GTIN is a valid variable measure GTIN.
- GTIN 14 must begin with a 9.
- GTIN 13 must commence with the range 020-029
- Enter Y within attribute isTradeItemAVariableUnit
- Specify the average quantity for attribute NetContent
- Specify the average weight for attributes grossWeight and netWeight
Question 11. What makes a data attribute "conditionally mandatory" - is it retailer required?
Answer: A data attribute is "conditionally mandatory" when it must be populated under certain conditions.
Example: The stated condition for attribute sellingUnitOfMeasure is, 'conditionally mandatory for all items marked as Consumer Units'. Therefore, the attribute must be populated when the GTIN is a consumer unit.
Question 12. What is Coles' lead time?
Answer: Please go to www.supplier.coles.com.au/eCommerce/GS1-net/default.aspx and click on the Frequently Asked Questions link.
Alternatively, please contact the Coles GS1net Support Desk via email on
colesgs1netsupport@coles.com.au
Question 13. How do I know whether my trading partners are accessing my data?
Answer: Sign into your GS1net GUI catalogue and review the Activity Log within section Company Administration. The acceptance/rejection of your published items by your trading partners, can be viewed via reports within the Catalogue Reports section.
Question 14. How are dates used in GS1net?
Answer: Dates used within GS1net can be grouped into three types:
- 1. Dates that control access to your data
- 2. System-generated dates
- 3. Dates that are pertinent between you and your trading partners/data recipients
For an explanation of all dates currently used by GS1net industry sectors, please refer to document Getting Started within section Load and Maintain your GS1net Catalogue section of the GS1net User Guide - Cookbook.
Question 15. GS1net Validator showed GREEN so why hasn't my data loaded into GS1net?
Answer: Data uploaded to GS1net is initially checked against the set of business rules specified for your industry sector. If the upload produces either a Green or Amber status, the data is then forwarded to GS1net. Before the data is loaded, GS1net checks the data to ensure that the 'message construction' is valid. If the message is found to be invalid, no further processing occurs (this is how a message can fail to produce a Data Load Status Report (DLSR) despite generating a Green or Amber validator status).
GS1net Client Services will be notified if any message fails 'structural' verification. GS1net Client Services will then contact the catalogue administrator and explain the reason for the upload failure.
If after 4 hours, a DLSR has not been generated for a message that produced a Green or Amber validator report and a member of the GS1net Client Services team has not contacted your GS1net administrator; please contact your GS1net Client Services Advisor.
Question 16. What is a Data Load Status Report (DLSR)?
Answer: The Data Load Status Report (DLSR) is generated as part of the final step in loading item and price data into GS1net. A DLSR without errors is verification of a successfully uploaded to GS1net. Note that if your upload contains both item and price records, separate DLSR's will be generated for item and price records.
For details on the DLSR process, please refer to document Confirm your Upload - Data Load Status Report (DLSR) within section Load and Maintain your GS1net Catalogue section of the GS1net User Guide - Cookbook.
Question 17. Who can help me further with my GS1net implementation?
Answer: GS1 Australia's Professional Services department has a wealth of experience working with a cross section of companies implementing data synchronisation via GS1net and the National Product Catalogue (NPC). From project management, subject matter expert resource on your project, data cleansing, documentation, process definition and change management, GS1's Professional Services has service offerings that can be tailored to your needs.
GS1net Certified Product providers are also able to assist with your GS1net implementation project. For contact details, refer to the Company Name link within the GS1net Certified Products page.
Question 18. I have products that are sold in both New Zealand and Australia. Do I need separate GS1net catalogues?
Answer: If you have products that are sold in multiple Target Markets e.g. New Zealand and Australia, it is a requirement that you have a separate GS1net catalogue for each of these target markets (i.e. you will need a catalogue for your NZ products, and another catalogue for your Australian products). If your company is a single legal entity covering both Australia and NZ it is possible to create a single catalogue which covers both markets.
