The automotive aftermarket industry has a particular challenge that very few other industries have to deal with. Unlike most other sectors, the automotive aftermarket business has to use fitment data to function properly. Also known as compatibility or ACES and PIES information, fitment data is the type of information used to ensure that the automotive aftermarket products being sold are compatible with the vehicles they are meant to be installed on.

There are a few different ways dealerships can turn basic automotive information into usable fitment data. One way is to use specialized software to turn raw data into readable ACES and PIES XML file information. This type of software takes the various measurements and readings from a vehicle and transforms them into an easily-readable format.

Another option for converting raw automotive data into ACES and PIES compatible information is to use third-party services. These services take the measurements and readings from a vehicle, analyze them, and then return compliant ACES and PIES information in the form of an XML file. Whichever method dealerships choose to use, they must have access to accurate ACES and PIES fitment data to sell products compatible with the vehicles they are installed on.

With so many different vehicles on the road today, it can be very difficult for aftermarket manufacturers to give their customers what they need, and it’s equally difficult for customers to know what they want. Your average car part will fit on about 32 vehicles. And since every vehicle model is made out of thousands of different automotive parts and accessories, all stakeholders need to know the exact compatibility of each of the items being traded. This is where ACES and PIES-compliant data come into play.

The Importance of ACES and PIES Data

ACES and PIES-compliant data plays a crucial role in ensuring that automotive aftermarket products are ACES and PIES compliant. The Automotive Catalog Exchange Standard (ACES) and the Product Information Exchange Standard (PIES) were created by the Auto Care Association (ACA) as a means of standardizing the way automotive aftermarket products are cataloged, and fitment data is communicated. ACES and PIES-compliant data is a requirement for any company looking to do business with automakers or their dealerships.

Without ACES and PIES-compliant data, it would be impossible for dealerships to order products compatible with the vehicles they are selling. ACES and PIES XML files contain all necessary information needed to ensure that a product is ACES and PIES compliant. This includes the part number, description, manufacturer’s name, images, and compatibility information.

The good news is that there are many software solutions out there that can help you turn your raw automotive data into compliant ACES and PIES XML files. These tools make it easy for dealerships to send ACES and PIES-compliant information directly to automakers and their authorized distributors. If you’re not currently using ACES and PIES-compliant data in your business, now is the time to start. The benefits of doing so are clear, and the industry will only become more reliant on ACES and PIES as time goes on.

What Is Fitment Data Mapping?

Vehicle fitment data mapping is the act of converting ACES and PIES-compliant information into ACES, PIES XML files. ACES and PIES are technology standards that help automakers communicate with automotive aftermarket manufacturers about fitments at scale.

It converts unprocessed data into a standardized, portable form. It allows merchants to order goods in a specific format from their suppliers and immediately import that information into their own catalogs. It means that suppliers can send out updated catalogs to clients without making any changes for each use. That translates to fewer errors and faster fulfillment time because fewer steps exist between the manufacturer and the consumer.

The first step in turning raw automotive data into ACES or PIES compliant information is to create a vehicle model for each brand, make and model within your inventory management system (IMS). This allows you to generate ACES/PIES XML file(s) based on IMS data using tools like Factory Fit by JMA Solutions, which can be found here: Automotive Aftermarket Online Mapping Tool. The next step would be to create a “map” of your IMS data to the ACES/PIES XML file. This is done by associating each attribute in the IMS (such as brand, make, model, year, engine size, etc.) with an ACES/PIES element.

Once you have created your map and generated your ACES/PIES XML files, you can begin using them to populate your online catalogs and send updated information directly to automakers and their authorized distributors. Remember, it’s important to keep your ACES/PIES XML files up-to-date as inventory changes. You don’t want customers ordering products that may not be compatible with their vehicles.

The bottom line is that if you want to do business with automakers or their dealerships, you need ACES and PIES-compliant data. There are many software solutions that can help you turn your raw automotive data into compliant ACES and PIES XML files. These tools make it easy for dealerships to send ACES and PIES-compliant information directly to automakers and their authorized distributors. If you’re not currently using ACES and PIES-compliant data in your business, now is the time to start. The benefits of doing so are clear, and the industry will only become more reliant on ACES and PIES as time goes on.

Once you have created your map and generated your ACES XML files, you can begin using them to populate your online catalogs and send updated information directly to automakers and their authorized distributors. Keep in mind that it’s important to keep your ACES XML files up-to-date as inventory changes. You don’t want customers ordering products that may not be compatible with their vehicles.

How Evokat Premier Can Help

Evokat Premier is Illumaware’s answer to converting raw automotive data into ACES and PIES compliant data. As a cloud-based software solution, Evokat Premier is accessible from any device and can easily be shared across the entire dealership. It’s a multi-purpose tool that may help you handle all sorts of demands from a single place while also allowing you to produce multiple data sets for your clients and channel partners.

The Evokat Premier is an authoring and reporting tool that supports ACES, PIES, and their databases. It’s also a cloud-based aftermarket catalog inventory management system that allows you to access and manage your data from numerous devices if there’s a connection. Because it’s hosted in the cloud, you won’t have to spend any money on hardware or software to use it. Branding flexibility is also increased, allowing you to promote your items in various markets while maintaining distinct brand identities.

Its fitment data mapping capabilities will ensure that ACES and PIES compliant data is created, so it can be formatted properly for ACES XML files. ACES provides an unambiguous terminology for automotive aftermarket products, allowing you to produce accurate ACES XML files containing all relevant product identification details about your parts.

In other words, auto-part merchants will almost certainly need to keep your fitment data up-to-date on a daily basis. And the ideal method to maintain that level of accuracy is to use an aftermarket vehicle parts data management system. Evokat Premier can assist you in all of these areas while improving monthly sales totals and lowering product returns.