One supplier calls a field “code,” another uses “SKU,” and a third hides package quantity in the product name. Every catalog update makes employees resolve the same differences again.
A B2B distributor's task
A distributor of supplies, tools, and household goods needs one process for supplier catalogs. SKUs, packages, and prices should land in agreed fields regardless of the original page structure. Collection is configured for web catalogs available under agreed access conditions.
The process includes collection, field mapping, package checks, and preparing a file for accounting software. Repeatedly fixing the same structural differences is where much time disappears.
Agree on fields first
Create separate Akmelo scenarios for each source. Map their results into one structure: supplier code, SKU, name, sales unit, units per package, price, currency, availability, and link.
Store identifiers as strings to preserve leading zeroes. Do not compare a package price with a unit price without an explicit conversion. If the sales unit is unknown, flag the row for review. The scenario must implement normalization; naming a field alone does not perform it.
Use a trial run to check structure before live collection. Then export the agreed fields in the required order. Choose CSV, JSON, or XML for the recipient and inspect a sample. Having CSV support does not automatically integrate with every accounting system.
Estimate the effect
Count preparation time per source and update frequency. Twelve catalogs updated four times a month at 3.5 hours each take 168 hours. If checks and maintenance take 24 hours after setup, 144 hours become available. Source page changes may increase maintenance, so repeat the measurement.
| Parameter | Monthly example |
|---|---|
| Preparing 12 sources before setup | 168 hours |
| Checks and maintenance afterward | 24 hours |
| Time made available | 144 hours |
| Estimated fully loaded hourly cost | 1,250 RUB |
| Value of time made available | 180,000 RUB |
| Service and maintenance budget | 18,000 RUB |
| Estimated effect | 162,000 RUB |
Under these assumptions, the effect is about 162,000 RUB per month: 144 hours × 1,250 RUB less 18,000 RUB in recurring costs. That values time released for new categories and uncertain products; payroll may stay unchanged. If initial setup costs 70,000 RUB, the first month's effect is 92,000 RUB. The budget in the table is an input to the example, not a service price. Use your actual spending.
Test with your own catalogs
Choose two suppliers with different structures and complete the workflow through a file your receiving system accepts. Measure manual preparation, result checks, and error correction. The guide to record selection and export fields helps avoid carrying unnecessary old steps into the new process.
See the supplier catalog and purchasing workflow for the terms to collect and fields to retain. The exports guide explains how to configure the resulting file.
