New TPN suite helps buyersto create intranet catalogs

By Susan Avery -- Purchasing, 11/19/1998

TPN Register, the joint venture between GE Information Services and Thomas Publishing Co., has released its Content Management Services suite.

The release is the first in a series of releases built upon the company's new server technology, which is component-based and 100% Java. It enables buyers and suppliers to more easily create and maintain robust, up-to-date "virtual private" catalogs that are hosted by TPN Register and accessed via a buyer's corporate intranet.

"Creating and maintaining usable catalog content is one of the most difficult challenges facing implementors of electronic procurement solutions," says Ray Schiavone, president, TPN Register.

By using an intensive front-end content management process, TPN Register is able to deliver accurate, up-to-date product and pricing information so buyers can quickly and easily find the items they need--speeding up cycle time and eliminating order-processing errors which can translate into cost and productivity savings for buyers and suppliers alike.

TPN Register's content management process helps add value to supplier content by standardizing attributes, converting abbreviations into understandable terms, and organizing products into logical groupings. Line items are classified using the Thomas Register Classification System, a system of more than 60,000 product headings. Suppliers then review their content online, incorporate the contract pricing and terms specific to the buyer, and give final approval to their content. Once the data is loaded and approved, suppliers are able to distribute detailed line-item product information to multiple buying communities.

With this release, TNP Register also demonstrates the power of using Java on the server in an intranet/extranet environment for critical business applications. Among the benefits of this architecture: better scalability and performance when compared to current two-tier and three-tier client/server architectures deployed in many e-commerce implementations.

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