EDS Offers Solution To Help Meet UCC Initiative

Compiled ByJill Jusko Electronic Data Systems Corp., Plano, Texas, is offering a business solution it says will help consumer-goods manufacturers, retailers and distributors comply with an upcoming Uniform Code Council deadline to expand Universal Product Code (UPC) data structures to a 13-digit field length. The North American system of product identification currently uses a 12-digit system. The data renovation deadline is Jan. 1, 2005. The solution, which is called Sunrise 2005, is comprised of service offerings from across the EDS enterprise, including consulting and services focused on assessment, packaging and program management. The solution targets portfolio assessment, renovation/testing and implementation. EDS first evaluates a client's enterprise to establish the scope of the project, while the second step involves collecting and transferring code, conducting baseline testing, and correcting impacted code per UCC specifications. The final step of Sunrise 2005 includes developing conversion specifications and testing updated packages to determine the functionality of the renovation.