New Feature: Amplify

Now let’s find out more about Ampify and how it works...

Why have we introduced Amplify?

At Erudus we want to help our users grow and excel, and the Amplify feature educates Manufacturers on the data requirements for Public Sector buyers and Caterers, as well as allowing them the opportunity to preemptively provide this data on Erudus specifications. This will both make them more attractive to that area of the industry, and reduce additional administration in future if their products are being sold into the public sector.

How does Amplify work?

Amplify is a feature that can be enabled in the Product Editor during the completing and publishing of a specification.

When enabled, any attributes that are related to the Government Buying Standard for Food and Catering services (GBSF) will be flagged and highlighted to the user for them to consider completing. There will be sidebar guidance available for all Amplify-flagged attributes, explaining why the attribute is “amplified” and offering links to the GBSF guidance for further reading, if needed.

What are some of the attributes Amplify might flag?

Some of the attributes you’ll see flagged by Amplify are:

Fibre content per 100g/ml - This is not mandatory on packaging (or Erudus), but the GBSF has mandatory standards related to increasing fibre for people eating in a public sector setting.

Diet suitability - Non mandatory in Erudus, but the Soil Associations "Food for Life” School Awards framework offers clear guidance that Menus should provide for all dietary and cultural needs. And so completing the declarations for kosher, halal, veg and vegan suitability ensures that school Caterers that use Erudus data have this information available to plan their menus.

Accreditations - Declaring accreditations is non-mandatory in Erudus, but the GBSF does have mandatory criteria regarding animal welfare standards for meat, fish and eggs used in the Public Sector.

Although all will not be applicable to a product, relevant accreditations will be highlighted as a reminder to declare appropriate accreditations for the product.

How will Amplify benefit Manufacturers?

Ultimately, if Manufacturers engage with the Amplify feature they will have a better understanding of the additional data that is required by the Government Buying Standard for food and catering services (GBSF) beyond the mandatory attributes in Erudus if their products are being sold into the public sector.

Additionally, by using Amplify and completing these requisite attributes, a Manufacturer’s product specifications are at a completeness for Wholesalers to submit for Public Sector tenders without needing to chase the Manufacturer for the additional data.

How does Amplify benefit other Erudus users like Wholesalers and Caterers?

If engaged, Amplify, can have a positive impact across the whole supply chain, and benefit all user types.

Wholesalers: If Manufacturers use Amplify and provide specifications with the attributes that are required by the Public Sector, the Wholesalers who are tendering for these contracts can more easily provide the information necessary to apply. Plus, when looking for products in their range, Manufacturers products that have been amplified will not require soliciting additional information - a big timesaver when trying to provide product data when tendering for public escort contracts.

Caterers: Public Sector Caterers that use Erudus specification data will be able to easily plan their menus according to the Government Buying Standard for food and catering services (GBSF), as the “amplified” product specifications will have all the information needed to adhere to the requirements.

How do users access Amplify?

It’s as simple as the click of a button! When using the Product Editor, there will be an Amplify button at the top of the editor where the validate and publish buttons are. An in-app notice in the Product Editor will explain that the new feature has arrived, and users can dismiss this notice after acknowledging it (it won’t show again).

Is use of Amplify mandatory or can I turn it off?

You can use and not use Amplify as you please - simply turn it off if you prefer not to use it.

Need more help?

The Erudus Knowledge Base is your online oracle to all things Erudus, taking you step by step through many Erudus functions - from how to add a product to managing brands in Erudus. You can visit Knowledge Base here and the dedicated Amplify Knowledge Base article here.

And of course our dedicated Erudus Support Team are always on hand to help and can be contacted on 0333 121 8999 or via email at support@erudus.com.