Data Upload

Our VPI service is all about information. One of the most important factors about information is timeliness. From the outset we designed our system to link quickly and automatically to your core systems using our simple Parts Data Upload software client. We also offer options to send existing output files to sparesFinder’s FTP site and allow us to take care of the data formatting if needed.

	Inventory is pooled into one, easy to access web- based application.

The initial setup typically takes less than a day and then no further work is needed to continually keep your data up- to-date in VPI.

Once we have successfully received your data, it is indexed and organised so you and other subscribers can quickly find what you are looking for. Even with relatively poor standards of data, our search technology is able to deliver good results, but we encourage investment in data cleaning using our Masterpiece tool, to get significantly better search results.

Because the process is automated, we continually monitor data uploads and have an alert system to quickly highlight failed files or unexpected delays in receiving the latest update on your spares inventory.

Searching

The objective of our search facility is to enable you to find a part you require that is immediately available to you and in the most convenient location for you. The process and technology behind this simple requirement is complex and has been developed over several years in conjunction with our users.

Our standard search screen offers considerable flexibility. As well as a powerful free text search on your short and long description fields, it enables you to search by manufacturer's name and part number, by equipment category, by geographical locations, by industry type and on up to 6 of your own custom fields.

	Simplification brings efficiencies - better and faster search results.

Any combination of these, and other, search criteria may be used; you could search for all Pressure Transmitters made by the manufacturer Rosemount and located in Norway. Alternatively, you could search for any description that contains the words "Pressure", "50KPA" and "Rosemount". The more precise the search terms you use, the more accurate the search results will be.

The search results are presented in a table showing details of all currently available items matching the search term, with further details and photographs available as a drill down for each item.

Once you have found the item you need, you can add it to your selections basket and continue to search for more items or progress to the transaction pages. If you have several items, our list search feature enables you to upload the bill of materials for the job in hand, and presents all the results grouped together.

Group Support

We have developed the networking and collaboration aspects of VPI by using a sophisticated set of algorithms that allow us to build communities of subscribers with different rules. This level of flexibility really adds value to the data you find on a search; you will never see information about a spare part that the holder does not wish you to see and you will only ever find a spare part that is available to you.

For example, access to full details of stock levels at a particular factory may be made available only to users at other factories belonging to the same company. Other members of a special user community the company has joined (perhaps an industry grouping) may be allowed to see items where the stock holding is above a defined level. Finally, the whole subscriber community may be able to see items flagged as excess stock.

Corporate Group

Each site in Company A manages its spare parts inventory with its own ERP, CMMS or Inventory Control System. If these systems are not linked, users will not be able to see inventory held at other sites.

By using the VPI grouping feature, Company A can quickly achieve full inventory visibility across all their sites, leading to reduced stock levels and less plant down time.

Regional/industry Peer Group

If Company A forms a group with other similar companies in their region, group members can then share each others' surplus inventory information and share the burden of critical, high value parts. They are able to rapidly find and trade surplus spares and equipment between companies, releasing the capital tied up in these assets.


Group Support is entirely free and we will discuss your options when you subscribe to VPI. Alterations to your set-up can be made quickly at any time, but, for reasons of security, they are always controlled by sparesFinder personnel.

Transacting

When a search is conducted, the information presented includes all the descriptive fields about an item and the contact details (telephone number and email address) of the subscribers who have the item available in stock. A price may be shown, at the discretion of the part owner, who are generally other spare parts users, but could also be suppliers.

Once the potential sources of the item are found, it is up to the searcher to establish contact and agree terms. This can be done completely offline and it is typical that many transactions involve direct contact. We recommend the use of our transaction forum where you can monitor your sales and purchase requests from other users for your excess inventory, exchanging further information, documents and photographs if needed to ensure you have identified the correct spare.

There is normally no involvement by sparesFinder personnel in the transaction process and we do not make any charge on transactions.