Initiatives
Digital Transformation
Integrating suppliers, distributors and business services providers has never been easier. Reduce calls, emails, wait time and confusion.
What Is Digital Transformation
Digital transformation is an ongoing commitment by PPAI to uplift the promotional products industry's IT systems and practices to improve order efficiency, foster data-driven decision making and digitize operations. Promo Data eXchange (PDX) is a core component of the Association's effort, but security, technology integration and compliance are also large parts of the industry's digital growth and evolution.
Why Digital Transformation
Turning digital transformation from an industry term into actionable methods, processes and results is a front-facing mission for PPAI. While distributors and suppliers work to make strides of their own, the Association has committed to working with business and technology services firms to facilitate the necessary advancements.
Digital transformation also better prepares industry businesses to face some of the most pervasive challenges facing businesses today, including a broad range of security issues, as well as technology integration and staying on the right side of compliance standards and obligations.
Digital Transformation Solutions
Digital transformation is a multi-faceted procedure for an organization. Fortunately, PPAI members offer solutions and services that can support and streamline industry companies' processes. PPAI's Solutions Center features vetted and verified PPAI-member solutions providers and information that addresses the promo industry's varied technology needs.
Promo Data eXchange (PDX)
Promo Data eXchange (PDX) represents a significant part of PPAI's digital transformation goals for the promo industry. PDX is a widely adopted interface for connecting businesses to the greater promotional products digital landscape. With more than 45,000 associates receiving product updates automatically every day, PDX businesses are saving on costs while eliminating unnecessary phone calls and emails.
If you feel like you're behind on B2B integration or there's a lot more efficiency and cost saving to unlock, take the next step and learn how PDX can work with your existing software and IT ecosystem.
- There is no fee to use PDX for distributors or suppliers.
- Free technical implementation support is provided to all PPAI members using SAGE as our trusted partner.
- PPAI leverages PDX through a full-featured API to communicate inventory levels and order status directly to users in SAGE.
- Most integrated organizations experience a quick and painless integration process.
PDX And SAGE
PPAI has collaborated with SAGE – the official technology partner of the Association – to make PDX more accessible. Via SAGE's applications and through PDX's integration of real-time updates on inventory levels and order status in the systems of suppliers, distributors and PPAI business services members, users can perform a single integration to access data from every participating PDX vendor.
This integration is possible through SAGE Connect, which many suppliers have seen the benefit of integrating with in order to broaden the distributors they can work with as well as save time for all parties.
Accessibility of crucial data is a step forward in eliminating industry friction. By providing real-time updates on inventory levels and order status, PDX, in conjunction with SAGE Connect, streamlines operations for distributors and business service providers
The Technology Committee
The digital transformation of the promotional products industry can't happen without the insights, expertise and advice of those who work within the field. PPAI's initiative has been developed hand-in-hand with a volunteer group of industry technology experts and business leaders to ensure it effectively meets the needs of the wider promotional products community.
Andrea Kramer
President, City Apparel + Merch
Zack Ottenstein
Director (Class of 2028)