ACES and PIES: Enhancing Automotive Catalog Management for Accurate Data
- David Skaw
- Jan 21
- 5 min read
Updated: Mar 13
The automotive aftermarket thrives on accurate, efficient, and comprehensive catalog management. Whether you're a manufacturer, distributor, or retailer, ensuring that the right part matches the right vehicle is essential to your business's success. This is where ACES (Aftermarket Catalog Exchange Standard) and PIES (Product Information Exchange Standard) come into play.
These two standards are central to how vehicle fitment data and product information exchange standards are communicated within the automotive aftermarket. In this post, we’ll break down what ACES and PIES are, why they matter, and how understanding them can improve automotive catalog management for your business.
What are ACES and PIES?
What is ACES?
ACES (Aftermarket Catalog Exchange Standard) is a standardized format used to organize and share vehicle application data across the automotive industry. Simply put, ACES helps ensure that every product is correctly matched to the vehicles it fits.
Key Features of ACES:
Standardized Vehicle Fitment Data
ACES organizes data by defining consistent formats for vehicle make, model, year, engine type, and sub-model. | Compatibility with Vehicle Configuration Databases (VCDB)
ACES integrates seamlessly with VCDB, a database of standardized vehicle configurations used across the industry. | Minimized Errors
By using a consistent structure, ACES reduces mistakes in matching parts to vehicles. |
Using ACES ensures that customers can confidently find the right parts for their vehicles, from essential components like brake pads to specialized parts like radiators and suspension kits.
How ACES Works in the Supply Chain
ACES data is structured using XML files that categorize vehicle attributes and application fitments. These files are updated regularly to ensure the latest vehicle models are accurately represented. Automotive retailers rely on these structured files to populate their online catalogs, ensuring users can search for and find the exact parts needed for their vehicles.
What is PIES?
PIES (Product Information Exchange Standard) focuses on the aftermarket data management of the parts themselves. It provides a standardized way to communicate detailed product information throughout the supply chain.
Key Features of PIES:
Comprehensive Product Details
PIES includes information such as dimensions, weights, materials, and compatibility notes. | Supplementary Assets
Manufacturers and suppliers can attach digital assets like images, technical drawings, installation instructions, and videos. | Pricing and Warranty Information
PIES enables clear communication of pricing details and warranty terms, ensuring transparency in product offerings. |
With PIES, businesses can create more informative and engaging catalogs, reducing confusion for customers and minimizing product returns caused by incomplete or inaccurate information.
How PIES Enhances Digital Commerce
In the era of e-commerce, PIES ensures that online auto parts sellers provide detailed product descriptions, high-quality images, and technical specifications that help customers make informed purchasing decisions. Without standardized data, customers may receive incorrect products, leading to increased return rates and dissatisfied buyers.
Why Are ACES and PIES Important?
ACES and PIES serve as a common product information exchange standard that benefits the entire automotive catalog management ecosystem. Here’s why they are essential:
Improved Accuracy: Ensures customers find the correct parts for their vehicles, reducing costly errors and returns.
Streamlined Operations: Simplifies managing large datasets, making updates and maintenance more efficient.
Enhanced Customer Experience: Detailed and accurate product information builds trust and satisfaction, leading to higher sales and reduced complaints.
Industry Standardization: These formats are widely used, enabling smoother collaboration between manufacturers, distributors, and retailers.
Regulatory Compliance: Many governing bodies require accurate product and vehicle data to maintain compliance with environmental and safety regulations. For more in-depth industry standards, refer to the AutoCare Association’s official ACES & PIES documentation.
The Databases Behind ACES and PIES
To ensure accuracy and consistency in vehicle fitment and product data, ACES and PIES rely on several key databases. Each plays a crucial role in maintaining standardized data across the automotive industry:
Database | Description | Function in ACES/PIES | Why It Matters |
 | Contains detailed vehicle attributes like make, model, year, engine, and transmission. | Ensures vehicle fitment data is structured for accurate mapping between parts and applicable vehicles. | Without VCdb, catalog data would be fragmented, leading to incorrect fitment information, increased returns, and a poor customer experience. |
 | Stores additional fitment qualifiers to refine which parts fit specific vehicles under certain conditions. | Includes details like heavy-duty vs. standard-duty brakes, trim packages, and drivetrain differences. | Prevents incorrect part recommendations by considering additional vehicle attributes that impact compatibility, reducing costly cataloging mistakes. |
 | Defines standardized part descriptions and terminologies used across the industry. | Prevents discrepancies in part naming and categorization between manufacturers and distributors. | Without PCdb, inconsistent terminology would make it difficult for buyers to compare products and lead to confusion in the supply chain. |
 | Contains standardized product attributes like weight, dimensions, materials, and other specifications. | Ensures uniform product descriptions across different brands and suppliers. | PAdb ensures product descriptions are accurate and comparable across brands, making it easier for customers to make informed purchasing decisions and reducing return rates. |
These databases work together to maintain structured, consistent, and accurate catalog data across the automotive industry, preventing errors and improving the efficiency of the supply chain.
How Clarity Analytics Supports ACES Data Analysis
At DataPoint, we offer Clarity Analytics, a powerful tool designed to analyze ACES data, helping businesses uncover insights and improve catalog performance.
How Clarity Helps with ACES Data Analysis
Identifies Coverage Gaps: Clarity pinpoints missing or incorrect vehicle fitment data in ACES, highlighting where coverage is incomplete.
Tracks Changes Over Time: Clarity monitors updates in ACES data, providing insights into catalog growth, losses, and overall data health.
Provides Competitive Benchmarking: Clarity helps businesses compare their ACES coverage against competitors, ensuring they remain competitive in the market.
Supports Data-Driven Decisions: Clarity delivers actionable insights that allow businesses to prioritize catalog updates and improvements based on market demand and VIO data.
With Clarity Analytics, businesses can gain visibility into their catalog's strengths and weaknesses, reduce costly data errors, and enhance their ACES strategy for better catalog performance.
ACES and PIES: Real-World Application for Manufacturers, Distributors, and Retailers
For Manufacturers:
A manufacturer analyzing ACES data can refine the process of matching products with vehicle fitment data, reducing catalog errors and improving efficiency.
Additionally, manufacturers can benefit from:
Faster Product Launches: With clearer insights into coverage gaps, manufacturers can strategically release new parts.
Better Market Penetration: Accurate catalog data improves product visibility and adoption across global markets.
For Distributors:
Distributors rely on accurate automotive catalog data to ensure smooth transactions with retailers. By analyzing ACES data, distributors can identify missing data, ensure complete listings, and improve logistics efficiency.
Other key benefits include:
Inventory Optimization: Accurate product data helps in forecasting demand and managing stock efficiently.
Automated Pricing Updates: PIES ensures that automated pricing updates are reflected across multiple platforms.
For Retailers and E-Commerce Platforms:
E-commerce platforms selling auto parts benefit from well-structured product data. PIES ensures product listings are accurate, with rich details such as installation instructions, vehicle compatibility, and pricing transparency, leading to better conversion rates and fewer customer inquiries.
Conclusion
ACES and PIES are more than just automotive catalog data standards—they are essential for ensuring accuracy, efficiency, and customer satisfaction in the aftermarket data management process.
By analyzing ACES data with Clarity Analytics, your business can identify gaps, track changes, and optimize catalog performance to stay competitive in the evolving automotive aftermarket.
If you’re ready to explore how ACES data analysis can transform your catalog management strategy, consider leveraging Clarity Analytics to gain deeper insights into your data.
Next Steps: Want to optimize your automotive catalog management with ACES insights? Contact DataPoint today to learn how Clarity Analytics can help!