Summary:
This document provides answers to frequently asked questions about the Bid-Level SKU Inclusion/Exclusion feature in the Global Discount Engine (GDE). It outlines what the feature is, how it benefits you, what changes to expect in your workflow, and how to use it effectively.
Table of Contents:
What is this feature about?
What’s in it for me?
How will my daily work change?
Is this feature linked to other capabilities? If so, what are the combined growth and benefits?
What is expected of me?
How do I measure my success?
Question 1: What is this feature about?
Answer:
This feature gives users control over which VPNs or SKUs are included or excluded from vendor discounts at the bid level in the Global Discount Engine (GDE).
A new SKU Inc/Excl column has been added to the GDE UI expected actions only for Vendor code level discount lines.
Users can click this column to manage inclusion/exclusion only for lines with a vendor code.
View, add, or remove VPNs or IM SKUs from the lists.
Apply the same logic during bulk uploads using comma-separated values
Not available for lines without a vendor code
Question 2: What's in it for me?
Answer:
Faster control over vendor discount governance.
Enables real-time flexibility when managing sensitive SKUs.
Reduces back-and-forth with pricing and reduces need for reuploads.
Question 3: How will my daily work change?
Answer:
Before:
SKU-level exclusions were managed manually or offline in Impulse
Product groups were proposed but deemed inefficient due to non-reusability.
After:
You can make changes directly within each bid.
Only the SKUs relevant to that bid are shown and editable.
No need for extra setup or external configuration files
Question 4: Is this feature linked to other capabilities? If so, what are the combined growth and benefits?
Answer:
Yes, this feature is linked to Quote Processing, where the inclusion/exclusion list determines which SKUs receive vendor discounts, and to the Bulk Upload Template, which now supports new SKU fields for more accurate and efficient data entry.
Question 5: What is expected of me?
Answer:
Enter accurate VPNs or IM SKUs using the correct format in the UI or upload the template, only when a Vendor Code is available. Review all entries before submitting the bid.
Follow the correct format: comma-separated, alphanumeric VPNs.
Review and confirm all VPN or IM SKU inclusions and exclusions before submitting the bid.
Question 6: How do I measure my success?
Answer:
Success is measured by faster bid creation with accurate SKU control, fewer pricing escalations, reduced use of offline SKU lists, improved bid approval accuracy, and increased use of the UI and bulk template by COG/VDD users.