FAQ
AAIA Catalog Enhaced Standard
The following are some of the questions that frequently come up regarding the e-cat standards.
What is ACES used for?
What are the benefits of using ACES?
What is ACES?
What is the Vehicle Configuration Database (VCdb)?
What is the The Parts Categorization Database (PCdb)?
Who is currently using ACES?
How much does ACES cost?
How do I subscribe to ACES?
What is the Legacy Standard, E-Cat Standard, AAIA ID Table, or the M/M Table?
What is the future of the Legacy Standard?
What is provided with my ACES subscription?
Do you have a simple movie to explain ACES?
Do you get ACES when you join AAIA?
Is ACES a catalog of parts?
Will ACES tell me what cars my parts fit?
Is ACES a computer program?
Do I need to subscribe to ACES to send ACES files?
What is ACES used for?
ACES helps companies exchange vehicle parts catalog data in a consistent standardized computer readable format. By standardizing how we describe vehicles, different companies can “speak the same language”. By relying on a standard, companies can exchange catalog data without having to “translate” from one “language” to another, this then eliminates the need to support and maintain multiple formats of the same data.
What are the benefits of using ACES?
Using ACES increases the efficiency of an organization by, saving money, time, and increasing sales. ACES saves your company money by allowing one standard method to exchange catalog data. Instead of having to create six or a dozen different file formats for all of your trading partners, your company can save that expense and send only one format. The time saved in having to support multiple formats means that you can have your costly IS manpower put to better use. Lastly and most importantly, your product data can be updated faster thereby increasing sales.
What is ACES?
ACES is the Industry Standard for the management and exchange of automotive catalog and vehicle data. It consists of three separate databases; the Vehicle Configuration Database (VCdb), the The Parts Categorization Database (PCDB), and the Qualifier Database (Qdb). The last remaining piece, the ACES XML Data Delivery Specifications, is open to the public and can be downloaded here.
What is the Vehicle Configuration Database (VCdb)?
The VCDB is a fully normalized, relational database of vehicle configurations for passenger cars and light trucks sold in the US and Canada since 1946. Base vehicle information (Year, Make, Model and Submodel) for Vintage vehicles (1896 – 1950) was added to the VCdb in September 2006. The VCdb represents nearly 50 unique attributes, organized into vehicle systems or attribute groups that are validated against base vehicle and sub-model combinations. The structure of the database allows aftermarket companies to communicate applications with as much or as little detail necessary. The result is more precise, accurate data. The VCdb is an essential element of any data solution that aims to manage and communicate complex vehicle information in an industry standardized format.
What is the The Parts Categorization Database (PCdb)?
The Parts Categorization Database (PCdb) was developed primarily to support the enhanced standard and replaces the Parts Definition (PD) table. The PCdb is a critical component of coding catalog applications data as it addresses the need to categorize groups of aftermarket replacement parts and commodities. The PCdb standardizes automotive parts nomenclature and validates parts that are used in multiple positions on the same vehicle, resulting in more consistent and accurate application data.
The PCdb is also used to classify product in the Product Information Exchange Standard (PIES) and as a supporting tool for implementation of the i•SHOP Standard.
Who is currently using ACES?
Nearly all of the largest manufactures, suppliers, and retailers in the Automotive Aftermarket Industry are current ACES subscribers. A partial list can be found here. Many other companies contract with data service providers and mappers for their electronic cataloging needs. New companies are continuously joining the ACES community.
How much does ACES cost?
There are three different prices for ACES depending on your AAIA membership status and the size of your company. AAIA Members pay only $2,000 for the yearly subscription, while companies who have not yet become AAIA members pay just $2500 a year. If a company is very large, and they would like to use their ACES subscription for multiple subsidiaries, the price is only $4500 a year.
How do I subscribe to ACES?
We have a simple subscription form posted to our website. This pdf can be filled out and faxed back to us at 301 654-3299. Please allow several days to process your order. When your order has been processed we will send you a user name and password to our password protected website where you will be able to download the data at your own convenience.
What is the Legacy Standard, E-Cat Standard, AAIA ID Table, or the M/M Table?
The AAIA Make/Model Table was started in 1997 as our first attempt to solve the crucial aftermarket industry’s electronic catalog data exchange problem. It has been hugely successful and has seen wide adoption in the industry. Since the greater adoption of the M/M Table ACES has been released to add many more vehicles attributes as well as configuration data. The newest addition of light and medium duty vehicles was released at the beginning of 2007. Backwards compatibility to the Make/ Model Table ID was built into ACES to aid in the transition to ACES
What is the future of the Legacy Standard?
In a nutshell, the future is here in ACES. But for the foreseeable future AAIA will continue to publish the Make/Model (MM) table, which reflects all changes and additions to both the MM and the VCdb. The MM table is the Legacy version of the standard and does not include all of the attributes found in the VCdb. Future additions to the ACES specification will not be supported in the Make/Model table and users are encouraged to migrate to ACES as soon as possible. Check with your trading partners for their requirements.
What is provided with my ACES subscription?
- AAIA Vehicle Configuration Database (VCdb)
- AAIA Part Categorization Database (PCdb)
- AAIA Make/Model Table
- ACES XML Data Delivery Specifications
- Monthly updates
- Subscriber Bulletins
- Notification of Education and Training classes
- Directory of Data Service and Mapping Software Providers
Do you have a simple movie to explain ACES?
Yes. Click here for a 30-minute, interactive tutorial explaining the business case and requirements for adopting the ACES industry standard for catalog data. (Please note, this file requires the free Macromedia Shockwave browser plug-in. Users with dial-up connections may experience delays. )
Do you get ACES when you join AAIA?
No. Of the thousands of AAIA members, not every one needs or wants to develop robust electronic cataloging solutions. We ask that our ACES subscribers pay separately from their AAIA membership dues so only those companies who subscribe incur this small extra fee.
Is ACES a catalog of parts?
No. In its simplest form, ACES is a list of vehicles that you may relate your parts to. Each vehicle is assigned a unique number so that your trading partner can tell which vehicle corresponds to the part you are referring. ACES helps you describe your own parts and share that data with your trading partners, thereby saving you time, effort and money.
Will ACES tell me what cars my parts fit?
No. Although ACES can be an invaluable tool for the research of part application data, it is not intended for that purpose. If you sell a certain part, for example a type of water pump, without your own application data ACES will not tell you what vehicle that water pump will fit. You will still need to research, create, or buy your own application data.
Is ACES a computer program?
No. ACES is not a computer program, but a collection of databases and a standard for the delivery of that data. ACES can be implemented in an organization in-house or can be hosted off site by many data service providers. Your own in-house staff may be able to handle a project to transition to ACES, or you may need some additional outside expertise.
Do I need to subscribe to ACES to send ACES files?
Not necessarily. There are clear advantages to subscribing to ACES and maintaining your own data in-house, but It may require more internal resources than you are will to commit. If you already have your application data in an electronic format, there are many firms that will help you map your data to the ACES format. Some of these service providers can send ACES files for you.
For more information on AAIA’s electronic cataloging services, contact Scott Luckett at 301-654-6664 or e-mail: technology@aftermarket.org
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