AGIIS Update

AGIIS Update

What’s New in the World of AGIIS?

By Chris Crutchfield, AgGateway

I’d like to give you a quick recap of several improvements to the Ag Industry Identification System (AGIIS) over the last few months, and share a glimpse of what is on the horizon.

Last November, the AGIIS Directory Oversight Committee (DOC) requested a procedure be put in place to support an annual Global Location Number (GLN) reuse process. This process allows a GLN that has been inactive for four years to be reused, or re-assigned, to a new entity. As a result, several enhancements were made, both procedurally and to the AGIIS website, supporting this process:

  • First, subscribers can now download a Comma Separated Value (CSV) file containing all GLNs that are eligible for reuse. When this file is updated and ready to be downloaded, a communication will be sent to subscribers, who then have 45 days to review the report before these GLNs are reintroduced to AGIIS for assignment.
  • Second, AGIIS website users can now view the demographic history, entity name and address that was associated with a reusable GLN when it went inactive. Users can also see if a GLN has been reintroduced to AGIIS for assignment, but has yet to be reassigned.
  • In another recent enhancement, we introduced the new CSV bulk file format, which provides an easier method to submit up to 1,000 bulk transactions into AGIIS. While anyone can use this file format, it was designed for those subscribers with limited technical resources, with the ability to use a spreadsheet format to add, update, delete and reactivate entities in their subset.

For more information on completed AGIIS enhancements, please visit the AGIIS Enhancements Page on the AgGateway website. Here you can view a complete set of release notes for these and all AGIIS enhancements.

Future Enhancements

We’re currently developing two other enhancements.

  • The first further supports the GLN Reuse process and will allow subscribers, using the web interface, to exempt a GLN from the reuse process. The exemption status will expire after one year, so subscribers will need to update the exemption status annually, as necessary. 
  •  Another enhancement in development will provide product manufacturers the ability to perform a mass deactivation of their products based on product type, i.e. seed, chemical, feed, fertilizer or other, before loading new products into AGIIS by product category. In the coming weeks, please be on the lookout for a complete set of release notes for each of these enhancements.

Anything Else? Let Us Know!

AGIIS enhancements often come from the feedback of the AGIIS community. As users identify a business need, or an opportunity to improve existing functionality, their ideas are documented and brought before the DOC for review. If you are an AGIIS subscriber and have an idea for consideration, please visit the AGIIS Enhancements Page, and download the AGIIS Enhancement Request form. Simply complete the form, email it to Member Services at Member.Services@AgGateway.org, and we will submit it to the DOC for review. With each enhancement, AGIIS becomes more powerful and more user friendly, so please, keep those ideas coming!