How to Build and Upload a Catalog - Los Angeles

City of Los Angeles – VSS Guide Page 1 of 20 How to Build and Upload a Catalog v2.1

How to Build and Upload a Catalog This guide covers the following topics:

• How to Build a Catalog • How to Upload a Catalog • Additional Details on Catalog Fields

The City of Los Angeles’s Vendor Self Service (VSS) system allows vendors to upload purchasing catalogs for use with a negotiated contract. This guide outlines how to build and upload a catalog.

Sample of Upload Page


1 How to Build a Catalog

The Purchasing Catalog will be an excel file containing information on the items available. This section gives details on how to build the catalog before uploading through VSS. A great catalog helps City end users make buying decisions.

1.1 Naming Your Hosted Catalog File • The file must be a Microsoft Excel file (*.xlsx) • The filename should be limited to 40 characters and contain no spaces. In place of spaces use a

dash,“-” or underscore “_”. • If you are uploading a catalog for an existing contract, please include your contract number:

o in the Catalog Name field, on the Catalog Upload page o when naming your upload file

• If a change needs to be made to an uploaded catalog, upload the file again using a different file name.

o Include in the file name, “version 2,” “version 3,” etc. or any wording to indicate that the file to be uploaded is the latest version.

o Uploaded catalog files cannot be overwritten by uploading the same file again.

Use the file “HostedCatalogTemplate.xlsx” to input your catalog items. The file can be located under the VSS Guides link on the LA VSS website.


1.2 Key Rules When Building Your Catalog Please follow these Key Rules in order to avoid upload errors.

• Include all required fields on your catalog. The required fields are:

Field Name Column

Vendor Customer Code A Supplier Part Number B Supplier Name C Manufacturer Name D Manufacturer Part Number E Commodity Code F Item Description G Extended Description H Unit of Measure I List Price J Delivery Days K UPC AN

Note: UPC is a Conditional Field and should be populated if available. If the User does not enter the Manufacturer and Manufacturer Part Number in the Catalog then UPC is a required field.

Note: Refer to the Additional Details on Catalog Fields section below for more details on the fields to include on your catalog.

• Do not change the text of the column headings or add/remove columns from the template. • Do not change the formatting of cells and/or columns in the template (copying and pasting

information into template may cause changes in format). • Only the first worksheet, “Sheet 1,” will be read. All information stored on other worksheets

will be discarded. • Any data after the first row with a blank cell in the A column will be ignored. • Vendor Customer Code contains 9 digits, as opposed to the previous 10 digits

o Example: 0000012345 > 000012345 • Vendor Customer Code must be in text format to retain leading zeros. • Verify that the Supplier Part Number is unique. • Verify that all items have a valid UNSPSC commodity code if supplied. • Item Descriptions should be unique and concise. • Item Descriptions should begin with a noun (what the item is) followed by the adjectives that

describe the item (in descending order of the adjective's importance).


• Information such as vendor names, manufacturer, country of origin, and expiration dates belong in the Extended Description or corresponding areas where it can be used more effectively.

• Expand abbreviations where possible. • Remove special characters like quotation marks, ampersands, bullets, percent signs, and

asterisks. • Use sentence case in the item description fields. • All required columns should be formatted as “Text”, except for List Price and Delivery Days,

which should be formatted as “Number”. • A maximum number of characters has been established for each column. For a list of the

character limits, refer to the Maximum Allowable Length section below for more information. • The system will accept specific abbreviations for Unit of Measure. For a list of acceptable

abbreviations, refer to the Unit of Measurement Values section below.


2 How to Upload a Catalog

The Catalog Management section includes two tabs, the Catalog Upload tab that is used to upload the catalog, and the Catalog Error Log that displays any error messages. Each are reviewed below.

2.1 Catalog Upload The Catalog Upload tab is used to by purchasing agent vendors to upload catalogs that are loaded into the City’s Financial Management System (FMS).

Step 1: After building your catalog document, log into VSS and click on the Catalog Management tab. If you do not have an account, refer to the How to Create a VSS Account guide (available under the “VSS Guides” link on the LA VSS website).


Step 2: Complete the General Information on the tab. Fields marked by a red asterisk (*) are required and must be entered.

Note: The Catalog Administrator Name and Catalog Administrator Email will default to general City contact information. This information does not need to be edited. However, if you have a specific contact at the City that is processing your catalog, you may enter their information here instead if desired. This will send them an email when the catalog has been successfully uploaded.

Step 3: In the Catalog Upload section, click Browse to locate the file to upload. Fields marked by a red asterisk (*) are required and must be completed.

Note: If you have a picture file, you may select it in the Picture File Name field when uploading your catalog. When uploading a picture file:

1. The Picture File must load with Catalog File. 2. Each individual Picture File must end in .jpg, .jpeg, .bmp, or .gif file extensions. 3. All the Picture Files for your Catalog must be combined into one file in ZIP file format. 4. Each picture must have the same Picture File Name as the Picture File Name value entered for

each corresponding record in the Catalog File. 5. Click the Browse button and select the Catalog Picture Zip file to be uploaded.


Step 4: Click Upload. Result: The system validates the catalog prior to uploading the file. If an error is found,

an error message will display at the top of the screen. Click the Catalog Error Log tab to review the error details.

Result: If no errors are found, the catalog upload is successful. The page refreshes and messages display at the top of the page stating that confirmation emails have been sent. A confirmation email will be delivered to the Vendor Contact Email entered on the Catalog Upload screen, as well as the City contact entered in the Catalog Administrator Email field.


2.2 Catalog Error Log The Catalog Error Log tab lists all errors that need to be corrected before the file can be uploaded.

Once all errors are corrected and the catalog is uploaded successfully, it will be loaded into the City’s Financial Management System (FMS) for loading by the Procurement Analyst.


2.3 Catalog Upload with Discounts User can apply discounts to a Catalog with two different options. If the User is not clear which option is the best, they should contact the Procurement Analyst responsible for that Contract for assistance.

Option 1: The Vendor is required to enter the price with the Discount included in the List Price field on the Catalog before being upload. The Discount will not display on the Commodity Line because it was already applied on the List Price. This option is recommended when items on the same catalog have different discounts.

Option 2:

The Vendor is required to enter the List Price of the item on the Catalog in the List Price column. The Vendor’s next step is to provide the procurement analyst with the Discount Percentage for the Catalog to be inserted in that ARC’s specific commodity line. The Procurement Analyst will load the Catalog with the Discount Percentage documented on that specific Commodity Line. This will result in all of the Catalog Items having that specified discount. The Discount will display on the Commodity Line because it was not previously applied on the List Price. The Procurement Analyst will enter the discount percentage in the Markdown Percentage Field for that Commodity Line.

Only one discount can be applied to the specific Commodity Line. Any Items that are loaded on this specific line will have the same discount applied.

This option is recommended when items on the same catalog have the same discounts.



3 Additional Details on Catalog Fields

3.1 Catalog Template Fields Column Field Name Required?

X = Required O = Optional C = Conditional

Business Rule Format for Excel

A

VENDOR CUSTOMER CODE

X Must be the same as the Vendor Code from the Annual Requirements Contract

Text

B

SUPPLIER PART NUMBER

X Must uniquely identify the item to the Vendor

Text

C

SUPPLIER NAME X Vendor name Text

D

MANUFACTURER NAME X Name of the company

that manufactured the item

Text

E

MANUFACTURER PART NUMBER

X Value that uniquely identifies the item to the manufacturer

Text

F

COMMODITY CODE X The UNSPSC

commodity code. This must equal the commodity code on the line item.

Text

G

ITEM DESCRIPTION X A short description of

the item limited to 60 characters.

Text

H

EXTENDED DESCRIPTION

X The additional description can include detailed specifications or a marketing type description. It is limited to 3000 characters.

Text


Column Field Name Required? X = Required O = Optional C = Conditional


I

UNIT OF MEASURE X Must be a valid Unit of

Measure on the UOM reference table.

Text

J

LIST PRICE X The price the City of Los

Angeles will pay for the item.

Number (with at least 2 Decimal Positions)

K

DELIVERY DAYS X The number of days as the

order is received that the product will be delivered to the City of Los Angeles.

Number no decimal

L

PRODUCT/CATEGORY O Informational/ Infers

fields on the Purchase Order.

Text

M

MODEL O Informational/ Infers fields

on the Purchase Order Text

N

DRAWING O

Informational/ Infers fields on the Purchase Order

Text

O

PIECE O


Text

P

SERIAL NUMBER O


Text

Q

SPECIFICATION O


Text




R

SIZE O

Informational/ Infers fields on the Purchase Order.

Text

S

COLOR O

Informational/ Infers fields on the Purchase Order.

Text

T

PICTURE FILE NAME O The file name of a .jpg or

.gif image file. This must be in capital letters including the extension.

Text

U

THUMBNAIL FILE NAME

O If there is a picture the user has on the catalog, the thumbnail refers to it.

Text

V

EXTERNAL SUPPLIER ID O

Informational Field.

Text

W

CUSTOMER PRICE O

Informational but the Vendor will fill out the list price for the actual price that will be utilized.

Text

X

SUPPLIER URL O

Vendor can provide Supplier URL.

Text

Y

MANUFACTURER URL O

Vendor can provide Manufacturer URL

Text

Z

PARAMETRIC NAME O


Text




AA

PARAMETRIC DATA O


Text

AB

PUNCH OUT ENABLED O

Specifically utilized except for Punch Out Catalogs.

Text

AC

PUNCH OUT LEVEL O

Informational Field for Punch Out Catalogs.

Text

AD

TERRITORY AVAILABLE

O Informational Field.

Text

AE

SUPPLIER AUXILIARY ID O


Text

AF

MISC DATE 1 O


Text

AG

MISC DATE 2 O


Text

AH

MISC DATE 3 O


Text

AI

MISC AMOUNT 1 O


Text




AJ

MISC AMOUNT 2 O


Text

AK

MISC AMOUNT 3 O


Text

AL

MISC TEXT 1 O


Text

AM

MISC TEXT 2 O


Text

AN

UPC C

Enter UPC if available. Required if Manufacturer and Manufacturer Part Number is not entered

Text


3.2 Maximum Allowable Length This section notes the maximum number of characters allowed in each column of the catalog.

3.2.1.1 Required Fields

Column Field Name Maximum Allowable Length

A VENDOR CUSTOMER CODE 20 B SUPPLIER PART NUMBER 50 C SUPPLIER NAME 60 D MANUFACTURER NAME 25 E MANUFACTURER PART NUMBER 50 F COMMODITY CODE 14 G ITEM DESCRIPTION 60 H EXTENDED DESCRIPTION 4,000 I UNIT OF MEASURE 4 J LIST PRICE Decimal format:

Up to 8 digits before the decimal and up to 6 after K DELIVERY DAYS 10 AN UPC** 13

**UPC is not required if Manufacturer Name and Manufacturer Part Number are provided.

3.2.1.2 Optional Fields

Column Required Fields Maximum Allowable Length

L PRODUCT/CATEGORY 25 M MODEL 25 N DRAWING 25 O PIECE 25 P SERIAL NUMBER 25 Q SPECIFICATION 25 R SIZE 25 S COLOR 25 T PICTURE FILE NAME 255 U THUMBNAIL FILE NAME 255 V EXTERNAL SUPPLIER ID 255 W CUSTOMER PRICE Decimal Format:

Up to 15 digits before the decimal and up to 2 after

X SUPPLIER URL 255 Y MANUFACTURER URL 255 Z PARAMETRIC NAME 255


Column Required Fields Maximum Allowable Length

AA PARAMETRIC DATA 255 AB PUNCH OUT ENABLED 25 AC PUNCH OUT LEVEL 60 AD TERRITORY AVAILABLE 255 AE SUPPLIER AUXILIARY ID 60 AF MISC DATE 1 Date Format AG MISC DATE 2 Date Format AH MISC DATE 3 Date Format AI MISC AMOUNT 1 Decimal Format:

Up to 15 digits before the decimal and 2 after. AJ MISC AMOUNT 2 Decimal Format:

Up to 15 digits before the decimal and 2 after. AK MISC AMOUNT 3 Decimal Format:

Up to 15 digits before the decimal and 2 after. AL MISC TEXT 1 255 AM MISC TEXT 2 255


3.3 Unit of Measurement Values The table below notes the allowed Units of Measurement allowed on the catalog. Note that the allowed values are subject to change. This list is as of July 2017.

Unit of Measure Description 4WK Four Weeks ANN Year BE Bundle BFT Board Foot BG Bag BK Book BL Bale BLL Barrel (Us) (Petroleum Etc.) BO Bottle BX Box CA Can CEN Hundred CG Card CH Container CL Coil CLT Centilitre CMT Centimetre CS Case CT Carton CTG Cartridge CWT Hundred Weight CY Cylinder DAY Day DM Decimeter DR Drum DRF Fluid Dram DZN Dozen EA Each FOT Foot FTK Square Foot FTQ Cubic Foot GLL Gallon (Us) GRO Gross HU Hundred Sheet HUR Hour INH Inch KGM Kilogram KS Keystroke


Unit of Measure Description KT Kit KWH Kilowatt Hour LBR Pound LF Linear Foot LO Lot LTR Litre MF Mg Per Square Foot Per Side MIL Thousand MIN Minute MMT Millimetre MON Month MTR Metre ONZ Ounce OP Two Pack P3 Three Pack P4 Four Pack P5 Five Pack P6 Six Pack P7 Seven Pack P8 Eight Pack P9 Nine Pack PD Pad PF Pallet (Lift) PG Page PK Pack PL Pail PR Pair PT Pint (Us) QR Quire QT Quart (Us) QTR Quarter RE Reel RM Ream RO Roll SA Sack SET Set SI Square Inch SMI Mile SO Spool SQ Square ST Sheet STN Ton (Us) Or Short Ton (Uk/Us)


Unit of Measure Description TH Thousand Sheet TP Ten Pack TU Tube VI Vial WEE Week YDK Square Yard YDQ Cubic Yard YRD Yard

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How to Build and Upload a Catalog - Los Angeles