Code breaking from TecDoc
Europe’s leading parts information data provider TecDoc is constantly striving to improve the service it provides to its users and help them get the very best out of the huge information resource comprised from the 520 plus parts brands with data stored within the TecDoc system, in order to increase efficiencies for users and their businesses.
It is therefore, a major development that the TecDoc team has been able to unlock the information contained within the vehicle identification number (VIN) given to every vehicle during its manufacture, with a new product called the VIN Decoder.
“This development is the culmination of thousands of hours of labour and will, among other things, give users the benefit of an alternative search tool in the TecDoc CATALOG product,” says TecAlliance’s Shaun Greasley.
“As a result, alongside the existing make, model, year and VRM search methods, the VIN Decoder will give them the option of using the vehicle’s VIN number to accurately identify the vehicle for which the replacement part or technical service/repair information is required.
“This level of individual vehicle identification allows the CATALOG system to pinpoint the right part, first time and is particularly useful in those instances when vehicles with a chassis number up to 234002 for example, are fitted with a part that differs from the one fitted to those from 234003 onwards.
“There are many example of this phenomenon, which is why factors using a less refined cataloguing system have to revert to the policy of sending workshops multiple parts to cover the possible options and then hope that the parts not required are not damaged during the returns process and can be returned to stock.”
In addition to the benefits for users, the VIN Decoder development is also good news for TecDoc’s Official Data Suppliers because it gives them a greater level of detail for them to link their parts to and further refines the accuracy of their data against the OE numbers assigned to the corresponding VIN number.