Description

For Odoo to be a real competitor for SAP, Syntess, Unit 4 and other software there is need for product information management. And the ability to connect to data pool providers. For the import of a large quantity of products and real time stock levels in the supply chain.

Use case:

I will use the Netherlands, and the installers and construction sector as an example, as of my background.

For the Installer & Construction sector we need to be able to easily acces product data from manufacturers and distributors. For example a house is assembled from over more than 100 products. Like Roof tiles, Faucets, Electrical sockets and so on. For each product there are different sizes, models, and colors. Multiple Brands and suppliers.
To add all this information manually in an ERP system, would be a massive task.
Imagine even keeping the prices up to date. 
We are lucky that in this day and time a lot off this data is already at our disposal.

Reliable Data sources and Standards

In Europe there is the ETIM standard. (European Technical Information Model.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ETIM_(standard)

In the Netherlands there is a non-profit data pool connector called 2BA (2ba.nl).
2BA is Offering Product specs, Stock levels, pricing and digital assets (datasheets) from one single source.

• 1.2 million products
  

• 280+ Data suppliers( Manufacturers & Wholesalers)

• 1200 Installer companies.

• 45% of the market is using 2BA and growing.

I assume there are similar organisations in other countries which offer data pools according to the ETIM standard as well.

That Leads me to the question.

How to get odoo to connect to these types of datapools?

2BA is offering a JSON API, which allows acces to real time data.
(And XML files, but those would not deliver real time stock availability.)

So theoretically it should be possible to let it interact with Odoo.

• Is there already a module which allows the connection to other datapool collecors?

Like BAB, GS1 DAS, PS in Foodservice, EZ-Base, BME Cat, Icecat.

• Are there some people here who have experience gathering product information from external web services?

• Is some kind of API already developed?
  

Are you interested in developing such a (universal) data pool connector?

Please respond below.