Overview of electronic catalogs

You can link any product catalog — including any web-based or local network-based parts databases — to your Vision system:

Direct integration with an ACDelco online parts catalog web site is available for acdelcopartsonline.com members/subscribers. For more information, visit http://www.acdelcopartsonline.com.
The custom catalog connectivity option allows other web-based catalogs to pass back selected parts to the Current order screen in Vision. When this feature is active, you can click the Catalog button in Vision to punch-out to your favorite parts catalog. When you enter and submit an order as a standard order or a quote in your e-catalog, the standard order or quote is automatically entered for you in Vision without requiring you to retype anything in Vision. This option requires setup and implementation within your catalog.

Note that this integrated e-catalog feature is for customer service reps who use Vision. It is not available as an e-commerce catalog that your customers can use to order parts from you.

To better understand how catalogs are integrated with Vision, review the following frequently asked questions and their corresponding answers.

FAQs about e-catalogs integrated with Vision

What do I need to have set up in Vision before I can access an integrated e-catalog?
How do I access the e-catalog?
How are the orders that I enter in the e-catalog converted to Vision orders? Do I need to return to Vision in order to have the system process my e-catalog order?
Can I have multiple e-catalog sessions open at the same time?
What does a VSNORDER.XML file look like?
How do I handle errors that occur when the system is processing e-catalog errors?
I tried to place a part on an e-catalog order for a customer but the Add to Order button is not available. Also, no pricing or availability information is displayed for the part. Instead, the e-catalog displays "Call for pricing" and "Call for availability" messages. What's wrong?

Q:	What do I need to have set up in Vision before I can access an integrated e-catalog?
A:	Before you can access an integrated e-catalog, you must have the proper security privileges. The Web Integration job function needs to be assigned to one of your roles. Roles are assigned to users in the User Maintenance on the Security Maintenance screen of the Vision Configuration tab. For more information, refer to About roles and job functions. In addition, the catalog's web site address must be specified for your user ID in the User Maintenance. For more information, refer to Set up users on your Vision system. Also note that depending on the setup of the e-catalog web site, it might be necessary to add the catalog's web site address to the list of trusted sites in your Internet browser. top
Q:	How do I access the e-catalog?
A:	To access the e-catalog: In Vision, click the Customer Service tab. Click the Part button. The Part screen appears. Click the Catalog button. Your PC's browser opens the e-catalog. Note: If you go to the web site of the e-catalog first before accessing the Customer Service tab, the system will not be able to process your e-catalog order in Vision. This is because the system needs to be able to check whether the security privileges associated with your user ID enable you to use the e-catalog. The Web Integration job function needs to be assigned to one of your roles. Roles are assigned to users in the User Maintenance on the Security Maintenance screen of the Vision Configuration tab. For more information, refer to About roles and job functions. top
Q:	How are the orders that I enter in the e-catalog converted to Vision orders? Do I need to return to Vision in order to have the system process my e-catalog order?
A:	When you create an e-catalog order, a file called VSNORDER.XML is created (if it does not yet exist) or updated (if it already exists). Depending on how your Vision system and e-catalog are set up, this file is stored either on your PC's hard drive or in some other location. If it is stored on your PC's hard drive, it is in the following location, or in a subfolder of the following location: c:\Documents and Settings\Username\Local Settings\Temp where Username is your Windows log-on name. Note that sometimes the Windows operating system creates a subfolder within the Temp folder, and that subfolder is actually used as the temporary folder. If you have trouble finding the VSNORDER.XML file, perform a search of your hard drive. (On the Windows Start menu, point to Search and then select For Files or Folders.) You do not need to return to Vision in order to have the system process your catalog orders, providing that Vision is still open on your PC and you have already clicked the Customer Service tab. The VSNORDER.XML file contains information about e-catalog orders that have been entered. The system processes the data in the file, creating Vision orders when possible. One of several outcomes usually occurs: The order is successfully created, and the corresponding order information is deleted from the VSNORDER.XML file. If the system cannot create a Vision order, it attempts to create a Vision quote. If the system can create a quote, the corresponding order information is deleted from the VSNORDER.XML file. In addition, the system creates a follow-up activity in Vision that describes the reason why an order could not be created. A quote follow-up activity is also created in Vision. The quotes are routed as specified on the Event screen of the CRM Management tab. For example, if (A) one or more of the products entered in an e-catalog order is not a product in Vision and (B) at least one line item of the e-catalog order contains valid product information, then the system creates a quote instead of a standard order. Similarly, if the system could not commit inventory for one or more line items of the e-catalog order, but at least one line item of the e-catalog order is acceptable, then the system creates a quote instead of a standard order. Occasionally, errors occur when the system is processing e-catalog orders. top
Q:	Can I have multiple e-catalog sessions open at one time?
	Yes, you can have multiple e-catalog sessions open at one time on your PC. In other words, you can open multiple Internet browser windows on your PC and access your e-catalog in each browser window. You can even have a different order in process in each browser window. Vision processes submitted e-catalog orders from the background, one at a time, in the order that they were submitted from whichever e-catalog session. It is strongly recommended that you have only one Vision session open on your PC at a time so that enough memory can be allocated to Vision. If you try to open more than one session of Vision on your PC, you may notice a decline in your PC's performance. top
Q:	What does a VSNORDER.XML file look like?
A:	Click Sample VSNORDER.XML file to see an example. top
Q:	How do I handle errors that occur when the system is processing e-catalog errors?
A:	Some types of errors require you to restart Vision or your PC. Other types of errors require that you or a system administrator at your company manually edit the VSNORDER.XML file in a text editor such as Notepad. After the file is manually edited, the system attempts to process the e-catalog orders again. Note: If mistakes are made when the VSNORDER.XML file is manually edited, problems could occur. It is strongly recommended that only system administrators or individuals who have a good background in working with XML manually edit the VSNORDER.XML file. For more information, refer to Overview of error handling for e-catalogs. top
Q:	I tried to place a part on an e-catalog order for a customer but the Add to Order button is not available. Also, no pricing or availability information is displayed for the part. Instead, the e-catalog displays "Call for pricing" and "Call for availability" messages. What's wrong?
A:	If that happens, then the Web Services for your e-catalog system are down. Contact your system administrator to have the Web Services restarted. top