UNSPC Codes

We load them and the inventory locations like them as it mostly tells them what something is without having to figure out the abbreviated 30 characters.

We're looking at using them for classes - I've got a 70K item master and that breaks down to 200ish unique Family/Class which seems a good number of "buckets". We're looking at making that our Purchasing Major/Minor. Populating them in Lawson allows you independence from NuVia Insight - which is great but restricted access. It would put me in the position of having to run every report for the VAT or training someone how to. Instead we have a report center (our BI) screen where they can fill in values and look.

Populating the UNSPC will also populate values for Categories in RQC. Users can search by Segment, Family, Class, Commodity.

We also load the GHX Noun as the Item Master Generic. Between that and loading abbreviations into IC32, users can - for the most part - find their items in Search Catalog.

i agree with Kat V. We also populate the UNSPSC and have for years. We have even built a UNSPC crooswalk to our account codes for RQC punchout ordering. One thing to consider is that these codes are governed by a standards commitee which release periodic updates/reclassifications. The item master team will need to plan for these updates to stay in alignment with end user needs and GHX compares.

Leo,
We load them as well. And we have also created a cross-reference between UNSPSC and our Expense Accounts (no small feat in the State of California, thanks to OSHPD). We take a first pass when creating the items and then send monthly extracts to a partner organization who also reviews and classes them. Our partner supplier focuses primarily on medical products, so we do have some holes.

The one thing I did want to mention, because Scott mentioned Punchout... Keep in mind that your version of UNSPSC may not match your suppliers' version(s) of UNSPSC. As a specific example, we are based on UNSPSC version 14.08.01 (which is admittedly now a couple of versions behind). WW Grainger sends us UNSPSC values, but they are based on version 09.04.01. Generally, this will not be a showstopper, but I actually went through the exercise of comparing all of the versions of UNSPSC codes that I could download (basically, 2 - 15). Most changes are additive, as the details of various groups are fleshed out. But some descriptions migrate to other segments, and some codes do drop completely. Version management, both within your ERP and between yourself and your suppliers, will present some challenges.

Good luck,
Red