A System for Scanner Data Muhanad Sammar, Anders Norberg & Can Tongur Statistics Sweden

A System for Scanner Data Several years of wanting and canvassing of retail chains paid off very well We now have access to vast amounts of data We receive text files every week Files contain weekly sales: sold quantity price (w/o VAT) EAN store name etc. Transmission is safe (over FTP)

The Scanner Data Files …and files look like this MarketPostal CodeYearWeekEANBrandQuantityPrice ABC …Y-Brand ABC …X-Brand28.90 DEF …X-Brand

Building the System We wanted to incorporate scanner data: Either by extending the existing production environment, or creating a new environment Pity not to use the existing User Interface Perhaps not so simple to use the regular engine SAS® seemed extremely attractive & tempting to use…

The Existing System The ordinary user interface Pi09 (π09) Tables in SQL, interface and system in VB.Net

Adding SAS We made it simple and added a scroll-down menu The idea behind this (SAS↔VB.Net) already established in the house

The Production Flow

Production Initiation Initially, an EAN – Product code register must be established for extraction of data

The Monthly Data Extraction Register Product CodeEANYearMonthProduct NameBrand BULGUR 1KGDRUVAN SPAGHETTIBARILLA LASAGNE 1 KGFAMILJEN DAFGÅRD BACONSCAN GOL PÖLSER RÖDA HOT DOG PÖLSER 375 GGOL PÖLSER BUFFALO WINGS 500GGULDFÅGELN ALWAYS ULTRA NORMAL PLUSALWAYS

The Editing Interface

Validation and Selection Given data – Validate Perform trivial but crucial checks, e.g.: Numerics are numeric Check shop names & that all are there Check that the period in data (YYYYWW) actually is the desired week Given Validity and a Register – Select data Revalidate and perform editing and subtraction of deposits etc. If necessary – use the new interface to make changes/delete prices

Aggregation and Uploading Aggregate data before uploading it Aggregation by geometric mean over 3 weeks Make a final register check (=mirror) of EAN – Product in the S.D. sample v.s. the (updated) designated sample Upload data to the ordinary system Perform a market analysis of EAN codes Necessary for maintenance and keeping S.D. register up to date Pragmatic approach – use MS. Excel

Market Analysis

Product CodeEANProduct NameBrand# stores# packages BULGUR 1KGX SPAGHETTIY LASAGNE 1 KGZ201347

Summing-up Note merely SAS but also SQL table views with ”the right stuff” required SAS part not so tricky – system integration harder Ideas have to mature It works!