ITEM DATA & CONTROL
Item Alias
An item alias is an alternative identifier mapped to the item record used by a system or operation.
ITEM ALIAS IN PRACTICE
- Identify the external code
- Map to the approved item
- Test the transaction
A WORKED EXAMPLE
Vendor V-42. Brand SKU B-042.
A vendor uses V-42 and the brand uses B-042 for the same individual unit. A reviewed alias can connect them to one WMS item. If V-42 instead identifies a case of 24, mapping it directly to the each without the correct unit meaning would create a quantity error.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOUR QUOTE
Make the requirement explicit
Use the same scope and units when comparing providers. Put the agreed responsibility, included work and exception process into the service description.
A LITTLE MORE CONTEXT
Questions about Item Alias
Is an alias a new physical product?
Not by itself. It is another reference to an item or approved configuration.
Can the same alias point to two active items?
That ambiguity needs a defined context or correction before the code can identify the item reliably.
Source & example notes
Microsoft Learn: product identifiers. Further reading on the related controls and terminology. Product documentation describes a particular implementation; it does not establish a universal procedure or service commitment.
Definitions and worked examples are prepared by 3PL Hub. Numbers are illustrative, not provider rates, operating targets or guarantees.
Last updated: · 3PL Hub
