Understanding Supplier Catalog Data

Applies to: RFMS E-Commerce (EC)
This explains the catalog fields and values EC receives from suppliers and how RFMS uses them.
It does not describe manual RFMS Core product setup or non-EC imports.

This article explains what supplier catalog data is, how it flows into RFMS E-Commerce, and how it affects product setup, costs, and item availability.

Purpose of Supplier Catalogs

Supplier catalogs are digital files sent from your suppliers to RFMS through the E-Commerce connection. Each catalog contains product, color, and pricing information that keeps your product file synchronized with your supplier's latest data.

RFMS uses this information to automatically:

• Add new products and colors
• Apply cost updates
• Deactivate discontinued items

The digital exchange eliminates manual data entry, reduces errors, and ensures your product and pricing information always aligns with supplier records.

RFMS follows the Flooring B2B Standard, which governs the format and structure of all catalog, invoice, and purchase order data shared between trading partners.

Why Supplier Catalog Data Matters

Accurate supplier catalog data ensures that

• Pricing and product availability stay current
• Purchase orders use valid SKUs and styles
• Invoices match supplier data without manual adjustment
• Inventory reporting reflects correct units and costs

By understanding how supplier catalog data is structured and maintained, you can better control which updates are applied automatically, which require review, and how your product data stays consistent across the RFMS ecosystem.

How Catalog Data Flows into RFMS

When a catalog file is received, it first downloads into the E-Commerce Product Download screen(E-Commerce > File > Product Catalog Download), where data can be reviewed before being added to the main Product file.

Once imported, a Post Import Audit Report lists:

• New products and colors
• Cost changes
• Products that were dropped or replaced

This process keeps product data synchronized while allowing you to review exceptions before updates are finalized.

What Supplier Catalogs Contain

Catalogs include detailed  product information that maps directly to your RFMS Products file, such as:

Category	Example Fields
Identification	Supplier Name, Account Number, Sender ID, Unique ID
Product Details	Style Name, Color Name, Collection, Fiber, Backing
Pricing	Cost, FOB Point, Effective Date
Measurement	Unit of Measure (UOM), Buy Quantity, Sell Quantity
Classification	Product Code, Material Class/Subclass

Modern B2B standards now support color-level costing and unit conversions:

• Color-level costing applies different costs to individual colors within a style.
• New "BuyConversion" and "SellConversion" fields track carton-level differences in packaging and selling units.

These values import directly from the supplier and cannot be manually edited.

Data Relationships and Matching Logic

When RFMS receives catalog data, it matches supplier products to your existing records using:

• Sender ID
• Supplier Account Number
• Unique ID
• FOB Point
• Standard Width
• SKU

If a match is found, RFMS updates only the appropriate data fields - such as cost or color information - while preserving any private fields you maintain locally (for example, internal product notes or pricing formulas).

About Material Classification and Product Coding

Each supplier's catalog categorizes materials differently. To ensure accurate imports, RFMS uses a Material Classification table to map supplier classes and subclasses to your internal product codes.

For example, a supplier may send "Carpet Tile" as a classification; your RFMS Material Classification table associates it with your internal Product Code (such as 03 for carpet tile).

Newer versions of RFMS have expanded the available material categories, including:

• Concrete: Epoxy, Stained, Polished
• Installation Materials: Backerboard, Caulk, Floor Heat, Profiles, Shower Components, Thinset/Mortar, Tile & Stone Care, Waterproofing/Crack Isolation

Mapping supplier data to these codes ensures each product imports into the correct product group within RFMS.

Catalog Data Lifecyle

Supplier catalogs evolve over time. Understanding how these updates occur helps maintain clean and accurate product data.

Catalog Type	Description
Initial Catalog	A full product file transmitted when your E-Commerce connection is first established.
Incremental Update	Smaller, routine updates that include only changes—such as new styles, discontinued products, or price adjustments.
Do Not Import List	Optional list of products you choose to permanently exclude from future downloads.

You can review and process catalog data on your own schedule. Regular review helps prevent redundant or unwanted records and ensures new product information is reflected promptly.

Controlled and Read-Only Fields

Some product fields are controlled by supplier catalog data. When a product is created or updated through E-Commerce or Gateway, these fields may be read-only in RFMS because they are maintained by the supplier feed.

Fields Controlled for Both E-Commerce and Gateway Products

These fields may be read-only on imported products:

• Manufacturer SKU
• Supplier
• Supplier Item
• Supplier Pattern
• Size
• Style
• Color
• Length
• Width
• Thickness
• Inactive Date
• Discontinued Date

Fields Controlled for E-Commerce Products Only

• FOB

Fields Controlled for Gateway Products Only

These fields may be read-only Gateway-imported products:

• Private Style
• Private Color
• Backing
• Unit of Measure
• Unit Buy Quantity
• Dye Lot
• Pallet Quantity
• CF
• SM
• SF

Gateway Note: If a product is not privately labeled, Private Style and Private Color can be edited. However, a later catalog update can overwrite those values and return them to read-only.

If changes are necessary - for example, to rename a supplier for internal clarity - you can use General Range Edit in Products and disable automatic supplier updates under System Options > Update Fields on Import to Products - Supplier.