Quick Start Guide for Publishers

Modified on Thu, Mar 26 at 9:59 AM

Global Product Access  ·  Publisher Documentation

Publisher
 Quick Start Guide

Everything you need to register, configure, and start publishing product catalogs on the Global Product Access network.

Version 1.0   ·   Audience: Publishers / Company Admins   ·      © 2015–2026 Loren Data Corp. All Rights Reserved.


 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Registration & First Login

2

2. Dashboard Overview

2

3. Settings

3

4. User Roles & Authorization Levels

4

5. Product Upload

5

5a. Manual Entry

5

5b. CSV Import Wizard

6

5c. API

6

6. Product Attributes

7

7. Catalogs

8

7a. Creating & Configuring Catalogs

8

7b. Sharing & Subscriptions

8

7c. Compliance Requirements

9

7d. EDI Integrations

9

7e. Marketplaces

9

7f. Subscribers

10

8. Messages

10

9. Catalog Feed Logs

11

10. Sync Data Logs

11

 

SECTION 1

REGISTRATION & FIRST LOGIN

How to get access to Global Product Access and log in for the first time.

 

1. Register your email address on Global Product Access — either through self-registration at the login page, or via a service provider who will register on your behalf.

2. You will receive a welcome email containing your temporary password and a link to set your permanent password. Click the link and follow the prompts to create your new password.

3. Return to the Global Product Access login page, enter your email address and new password, and click Log In .

Tip: If the welcome email does not arrive within a few minutes, check your spam or junk folder before contacting support.

 

 

SECTION 2

DASHBOARD OVERVIEW

A summary of the widgets and navigation available after logging in.

 

After logging in, you will land on your Dashboard. The dashboard displays summary widgets giving you a quick view of your catalog activity, subscriber counts, recent messages, and sync status. The main navigation menu on the left provides access to all platform features.

 

 

SECTION 3

SETTINGS

Configure your company profile, account preferences, and platform integrations.

 

Access Settings from the main navigation menu. The table below describes each available setting and who can configure it.

Setting

Description

Company Profile Admin only

Enter your company's name, address, contact details, and logo. This information is visible to subscribers on all of your public catalogs. Keep this information accurate before publishing.

User Profile

Update your account display name and email address.

Change Password

Update your current account password at any time.

Appearance

Choose your preferred font style and toggle between light and dark display modes.

Personalize View

Global Product Access supports both publishing catalogs and subscribing to other companies' catalogs. If you only use one of these functions, use this setting to hide the menu sections that are not relevant to your workflow.

Simplify Integration (See KB article)

Enables bi-directional data connectivity between Global Product Access and Simplify. Refer to the separate Simplify Connectivity knowledge base article for full setup instructions.

Subscription Preferences (See KB article)

Connect Global Product Access to your internal systems via webhooks. Refer to the separate Subscription Preferences knowledge base article for full setup instructions.

 

 

SECTION 4

USER ROLES & AUTHORIZATION LEVELS

Understanding what each user role can do within Global Product Access.

 

Global Product Access uses a tiered role structure. Your assigned role determines what features and data you can access. Publisher accounts operate at the Company Admin or Company User level. The table below summarizes all roles relevant to publishers.

Role

Scope

Key capabilities for publishers

Company Admin Admin

Full admin for one company account

  • Create/update/delete products and catalogs 
  • manage product attributes and custom fields 
  • import via CSV 
  • set up marketplace and EDI integrations 
  • invite subscribers and manage subscription statuses
  • reset passwords for company users
  • configure webhooks and delivery preferences
  • generate QR codes
  • Export catalogs (CSV/XML/JSON)
  • access company dashboard

Company User User

Standard access within one company account

  • Create/update/delete products and catalogs
  • import products via CSV
  • request or revoke subscriptions
  • generate QR codes
  • view webhook delivery logs
  • access simplified employee dashboard

Network Admin

Manages a network of company accounts

  • Adds company admins
  • sets network branding (logo, colors, subdomain)
  • modifies subscription email templates
  • views network-level dashboard

Host

Internal ECGrid TechOps only

  • Full system-wide access. Not applicable to publisher accounts.

 

Note: If you need capabilities that your current role does not allow (for example, setting up integrations or managing attributes), contact your Company Admin to adjust your access or perform the action on your behalf.

 

COMPANY ADMIN VS. COMPANY USER — KEY DIFFERENCES

The primary differences between a Company Admin and a Company User are around configuration and management tasks. Company Users can create and manage products and catalogs day-to-day but cannot configure integrations, manage attributes, invite subscribers, or administer other users. Company Admins have full control over all platform settings and user management within their account.

 

SECTION 5

PRODUCT UPLOAD

Three methods are available for adding products to Global Product Access.

 

Manual entry     [Basic]

Add products one at a time through the interface. Best for small catalogs or one-off additions.

CSV import     [Bulk]

Upload a spreadsheet using the AI-assisted import wizard. Best for initial bulk uploads or periodic batch updates.

API  [Advanced]

Integrate programmatically via the GPA REST API. Best for automated or high-volume workflows.

 

5A — MANUAL ENTRY

1. Navigate to Products in the main menu and click Add Product .

2. Fill in the primary product information (name, SKU, description, etc.) and click Save .

3. After saving, the full product detail view opens. From here you can add additional properties, attributes, and assign the product to one or more catalogs.

4. Upload product images directly or provide URLs to hosted images.

5. Set a Start date — the date on which the product becomes active and visible to subscribers. Optionally set an End date — the product will automatically archive on this date.

6. To add size or color variations, use the Variants feature. Set the parent product (e.g. a t-shirt style) and then define each variant (e.g. Small, Medium, Large) — similar to a dropdown selector on an e-commerce storefront.

7. Use the Share button to generate a virtual product showcase that can be sent to prospective buyers. The showcase displays product images and key information without requiring the recipient to have a GPA account.

 

5B — CSV IMPORT WIZARD

1. Navigate to Products and click Import to open the CSV Import Wizard.

2. Upload your CSV file. The wizard uses AI to automatically map your column headers to the corresponding Global Product Access fields.

3. The mapping screen shows your CSV fields on the left and the GPA fields on the right. Review each mapping carefully.

4. To change a GPA field mapping, click the X next to the field name and select the correct field from the dropdown.

5. To set a fallback source field, click the CSV field name and select a secondary option. For example: use Short Marketing Description as the primary source, and fall back to Extended Marketing Description if the primary field is empty.

6. Once all mappings are confirmed, click Import to complete the upload.

 

 

 

5C — API

For automated or high-volume product loading, the Global Product Access REST API supports full product creation, update, and management operations. Refer to the API documentation for authentication details, endpoint references, and payload schemas. The interactive Swagger UI allows you to test endpoints directly in your browser.

View Swagger UI → (https://globalproductaccess.com/swagger/index.html)

Note: API access requires Company Admin privileges. Contact your Company Admin or GPA support to obtain API credentials.

 

 

SECTION 6

PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES

Extend product data with system-defined and custom attributes.

 

Attributes allow you to capture additional product information beyond the standard fields — such as material, dimensions, certifications, or any other data relevant to your trading partners. There are two types of attributes in Global Product Access.

SYSTEM ATTRIBUTES

System attributes are defined by the Global Product Access network administrator and are available across the entire GPA network. They represent standardized fields that retailers and marketplaces commonly require.

• To make a system attribute available on all products at your company level, navigate to Attributes and click Add from System . You can mark these as mandatory at the company level.

• System attributes can also be added to individual products on an ad hoc basis — useful when only certain products require a specific attribute.

 

 

CUSTOM ATTRIBUTES

Custom attributes are defined at the Company Admin level and are specific to your company. They are not visible to other companies on the network.

• To create a custom attribute, click Add Attribute and define the name, type, and whether the field is mandatory or optional.

• Custom attributes are identified by the label “Mine” in the Source column of the attributes list.

• Only Company Admins can create or modify custom attribute definitions.

 

 

Note: Compliance engines (configured per catalog) may require specific system attributes for certain retailers or marketplaces. See Section 7c for details on compliance requirements.

 

 

SECTION 7

CATALOGS

Create and manage segmented product views for different retailers and subscribers.

 

A catalog is a curated, segmented view of your products. Use catalogs to control exactly which products each retailer or subscriber can access. For example, if Retailer A should see 5 products and Retailer B should see 10 different products, you would create two separate catalogs.

7A — CREATING & CONFIGURING A CATALOG

1. Navigate to Catalogs in the main menu and click Add Catalog.

2. Enter a catalog name and description.

3. Set the visibility: Public (discoverable by other users on the GPA network) or Private (not searchable). Note that product prices are hidden by default on public catalogs — the "Show product prices" option is unchecked unless you explicitly enable it.

4. Save the catalog, then add products to it from the product list.

7B — SHARING & SUBSCRIPTIONS

There are two ways to bring subscribers to your catalog: inbound discovery (subscribers find and request access to your public catalog) and outbound invitations (you proactively invite companies).

1. Inbound: If your catalog is set to Public, other companies on the GPA network can find it and submit a subscription request. As the publisher, you must explicitly approve each request before access is granted.

2. Outbound — existing Global Product Access user: Click the 3-dot menu next to the Share button on the catalog and select the option to invite a company already on the GPA network.

3. Outbound — new user: Enter an email address to send an invitation to a company not yet on Global Product Access. They will receive an email inviting them to join the network and subscribe to your catalog.

4. Use the Share button to generate a QR code for a virtual catalog showcase — useful for sharing product availability with prospective buyers at trade events or via email, without requiring a Global Product Access account.

Important: All subscription relationships — whether inbound requests or outbound invitations — require explicit acceptance by both parties before any catalog data is shared.

 

7C — COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS

Compliance engines are configured by your system administrator and define which product attributes are required for specific retailers or marketplaces (for example, Shopify, Walmart, or Amazon). Conditional requirements are supported, meaning a field may only be required when certain other conditions are met.

1. When creating or editing a catalog, select a pre-defined compliance engine from the available options.

2. Click Compliance Requirements within the catalog to review the rules associated with the selected retailer or marketplace.

3. Click Save — the system will automatically validate all products in the catalog against the compliance rules and alert you if any required attributes or fields are missing.

Action required: Address any compliance warnings before sharing or publishing the catalog. Subscribers may reject or be unable to process catalog data that does not meet their compliance requirements.

 

7D — EDI INTEGRATIONS

The EDI Integrations section allows you to send 832 (Price/Sales Catalog) and PRICAT EDI documents directly to retailers as required by your trading relationships. Access this section from within the catalog detail view.

7E — MARKETPLACES

Connect your catalog to major marketplaces — including Shopify, Walmart, and Amazon — to push product information and inventory directly to those platforms or pull updates back into Global Product Access.

Note: Marketplace connections are configured per catalog by a Company Admin. Ensure your product data meets each marketplace's attribute and compliance requirements before pushing.

 

7F — SUBSCRIBERS

The Subscribers section within each catalog lists all companies that currently have an active subscription to that catalog through the GPA network. You can revoke any company's access at any time from this section — access is removed immediately upon revocation.

 

 

SECTION 8

MESSAGES

Communicate with trading partners directly inside the platform.

 

Global Product Access includes a built-in messaging system so you can communicate with subscribers and other companies without relying on external email. All platform messages also trigger an email notification to the recipient company's contacts, ensuring nothing is missed.

1. Navigate to Messages in the main menu.

2. Click New Message and select the company you want to contact.

3. Type your message and click Send . The recipient will be notified by email and can reply directly within the platform.

Benefit: Because all conversations are stored inside the platform, contact information is always current and message history is always accessible — eliminating the need to search through external email threads.

 

 

SECTION 9

CATALOG FEED LOGS

Monitor data delivery to catalog subscribers.

 

The Catalog Feed Logs section provides a complete history of all data sent to each of your catalog subscribers. It includes both successful deliveries and any errors that occurred during the process.

Use this log to:

• Confirm that specific subscribers have received the latest catalog data.

• Identify and investigate delivery errors for a specific subscriber.

• Review the exact data payload that was transmitted.

 

 

 

SECTION 10

SYNC DATA LOGS

Track the status of marketplace and transformation engine syncs.

 

The Sync Data Logs section displays feedback from all active marketplace integrations (Shopify, Walmart, Amazon) and from the transformation engine platform. Use this log to confirm that syncs completed successfully or to identify and resolve errors.

If you see sync errors: Verify that your product data meets the destination marketplace's requirements. For persistent or unexplained errors, contact your Company Admin or GPA support.

 

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