SAGE – the official technology partner of PPAI – has announced a new development in the capabilities of Promo Data eXchange (PDX), the formula behind PPAI’s mission to eliminate unnecessary phone calls and emails.

Already integrated into the systems of suppliers using PDX, real-time updates on inventory levels and order status are now able to be integrated into the backend systems for:

  • Distributors
  • PPAI business service members

This allows distributors and member service providers to perform a single integration to access data from every participating PDX vendor.

PPAI President and CEO Dale Denham, MAS+, notes that this accessibility of crucial data is a step forward in eliminating industry friction.

“This enhancement is particularly valuable for order status, as many firms rely on order status in their back-end system, and we have many software companies in the industry providing those back-end systems to distributors,” Denham says. “PDX continues to be a free benefit for PPAI members in conjunction with our official technology partner SAGE.”

PDX’s Path To Industry Efficiency

PPAI continues to focus on improving the industry’s efficiency as part of its commitment to driving digital transformation, and PDX is a core component of the effort.

  • The program can eliminate thousands of unnecessary phone calls and emails every day as 45,000 SAGE users have access to inventory levels and order status. 
  • PDX is free to PPAI members, and the PPAI Technology Committee is playing a significant role in improving the PDX standard.   

“In the journey towards industry efficiency, the collaboration between PPAI and SAGE in advancing PDX represents a significant stride,” says CW Karstens, PPAI’s director of digital transformation. “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.”

This new development, which incorporates business service providers into the integration process, 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.

 

“SAGE Connect has seen a lot of growth over the past six months from suppliers integrating their backend systems,” says Dana Porter, MAS, vice president of information services at SAGE. “Adding the ability for distributors to integrate this information into their backend systems with a single integration is huge for the industry and our ongoing path towards digital transformation by increasing distributors efficiency even more.”

For more information on how to get connected visit https://www.sageworld.com/connect.php or contact your SAGE Account Advisor or PPAI Digital Transformation Manager Nick DiNicola (Nickd@ppai.org).

Later this week, PPAI Media will publish conversations and case studies with distributors and suppliers regarding their thoughts on PDX and relaying feedback concerning the integration process.