GS1 Partner IntoData brings structure to product data with GTOX
Imagine your company wants to share product information with its trading partners in line with GS1 standards. But what if a product's dimensions are stored in your ERP system, its marketing name in Excel, product images on a file server and additional information in a colleague's inbox?
In many organisations, the necessary product information is available, but scattered across different systems and sources. The challenge? Bringing all that information together efficiently, structuring it and preparing it for data exchange.
To help companies overcome this challenge, GS1 partner IntoData developed GTOX. We spoke with Jan Huyzentruyt, Managing Partner, and Kevin Fort, Senior Data Consultant at IntoData, about the challenges of managing product data and how GTOX helps companies address them.
Who is IntoData?
IntoData is a Belgian data company that helps organisations get more value from their business data. Its approach is built around one key principle: data should not only be reliable, but above all useful to the people working with it.
As a recognised GS1 partner, IntoData identified the challenges companies face when structuring and exchanging product information. "These challenges are not just technical, but also relate to the content itself: what information is required, how should it be provided and how can changes be managed correctly? We developed GTOX to address these needs," explains Jan.
What is GTOX?
GTOX is a managed service for suppliers in the FMCG, DIY and related sectors that want to connect their product data efficiently and reliably to GS1 platforms, such as My Product Manager in Belgium and Data Source in the Netherlands.
"In many companies, the necessary product information is available, but spread across different sources," explains Kevin Fort. "With GTOX, we bring this information together, consolidating, transforming and validating the data to create a single, reliable 'golden record' for each GTIN."
The product information is then aligned with the relevant GS1 data model and checked for data quality and completeness, ensuring it is ready to be uploaded and published. Feedback and error messages are fed back into the process, reducing the time spent on manual data entry and corrections.
"Managing product data is not a one-off exercise," Kevin explains. "Data models and requirements evolve. Changes to the GS1 data model are systematically monitored and incorporated into our processes, so our customers don't have to manage every update themselves."
Taking a holistic approach to product data
For IntoData, effective product data management goes beyond where information is stored. Different data elements need to be brought together accurately, validated and shared with trading partners according to the same standards.
"Product data is becoming increasingly important and increasingly complex," explains Jan. "That's why it's essential to look beyond individual systems and consider the entire data flow: from the original data source to the information that ultimately reaches a trading partner."
For suppliers, this means less manual work, fewer errors and a faster time to market. Even after the initial publication, new and updated product information continues to be consolidated, validated and published, ensuring that product data flows remain accurate and up to date.
Working together towards better product data
Partners play an important role in making GS1 standards work in practice. That's why we're pleased to see IntoData supporting companies with GTOX to consolidate, structure and onboard their product data in line with our standards. Together, we're helping to make the exchange of reliable, high-quality product data more efficient.
