technology faqs

Yes, see the learning lab for foundation information on all databases and sample data packets.

The VIP serves as an umbrella for many of the Association’s technology products. A paid subscription is not needed to enter the VIP site. Certain products within the VIP site do require a paid subscription. VIP will only allow access to items to which you have an active subscription. Access to VIP does require all users to create credentials. There are still products that are available without a paid subscription through VIP such as the Brand Table and the PCdb.

Not necessarily. There are clear advantages to an ACES subscription with access to the VCdb, PCdb, Qdb and Brand table. However, maintaining your own data in-house may require more internal resources than you are able to commit. If you have your application data in an electronic format, there are many service providers that will help map your data to the ACES format. Some of these service providers can send ACES files for you.

We've synced the VIP system with your Auto Care Association credentials in effort to reduce the number of usernames and passwords you track associated with Auto Care products. This means the same login credentials you use to enter the Auto Care Association website will give you access to the new VIP system (these credentials may be different than your enhancedstandard.com credentials). If you update your password on the website, you will use the updated password for VIP. 

Please visit www.autocare.org. In the upper right corner, click 'LOGIN'. Enter your username (email) and password and verify you can log into the site. If you do not remember the username associated with the account or your password, please use the 'forgot your username?' or 'forgot your password?' links next to the Log In button.

If you have never logged into this site, please use 'create a new account'. Follow the steps provided. If you are still unable to log in, please contact technology@autocare.org.

Access to the PAdb requires a separate subscription. Pricing is dependent on Association membership status.  See subscription page for details and instructions.

The VIP system is synchronized with your Auto Care Association credentials in effort to reduce the number of usernames and passwords you track associated with Auto Care products. This means the same login credentials you use to enter the Auto Care Association website will give you access to the new VIP system. 

Please visit www.autocare.org. In the upper right corner, click 'LOGIN'. Use the ‘forgot your username?’ or ‘forgot your password’ links next to the Log In button. Alternatively, use the ‘forgot your password?’ link on autocarevip.com. 

To submit a change request related to our technology products, please review the VIP Quick Start Guide and submit accordingly through www.autocarevip.com. If you need help, navigate to the “contact us” button within autocarevip.com. 

Complete the subscription steps on the subscription page. Please allow several days for your order to process. When your order is processed, you will receive a receipt and access to the relevant data within www.autocarevip.com. You can log into autocarevip.com prior to activating a subscription. Once the subscription payment processes, auotecarevip.com will automatically enable access to the paid resources.

When a shop is equipped with certified iShop shop management systems (SMS), diagnostic machines and information servers, all the data needed to service the vehicle is available at the fingertips of technicians and service writers, increasing their productivity. Additional benefits include:

• Productivity increases with integrated shop equipment by allowing a technician to view needed information right from their bay.
• Enhanced communication with the vehicle owner, enabling the service writer to use multiple information sources to effectively demonstrate how the job was done.
• Time savings and reduced wasted effort, leading to increased bay utilization, greater technician productivity and improved customer satisfaction.
• Improved efficiencies in all areas: greeting the customer; developing a work order; performing diagnostics; scheduling service; procuring parts; facilitating technicians' access to repair information; and invoicing.
  

Access for the product you have subscribed to be active as soon as (not before) Auto Care processes your payment. Payment by credit card has the fastest turnaround. You will have access to the purchased data for one calendar year. Auto Care can pro-rate new subscriptions to align with the billing cycle of any existing products for a simplified renewal process.

Product information and pricing is available on the subscription page.

No. VIP is a collection of databases used by ACES and PIES which are standards for the delivery of that data. 

No. In its simplest form, the VCdb is a list of vehicles to which you may relate your parts. Each vehicle is assigned a unique number (ID) so that your trading partner can tell which vehicle corresponds to the part you are referring. The VCdb, Qdb, PAdb, PCdb and Brand Table helps you describe your own parts and share that data with your trading partners, saving you time, effort and money.

Most likely your company subscription expired. Check for invoice notification and make a payment for the new year. If you believe your subscription has not expired, email techbilling@autocare.org or submit a request through autocarevip.com “contact us.” 

We synced the VIP system with your Auto Care Association credentials in effort to reduce the number of usernames and passwords you track associated with Auto Care products. This means the same login credentials you use to enter the Auto Care Association website will give you access to the new VIP system (these credentials may be different than your enhancedstandard.com credentials). If you update your password on the Auto Care website, you will use the updated password for VIP. 

Please visit www.autocare.org. In the upper right corner, click 'LOGIN'. Enter your username (email) and password and verify you can log into the site. If you do not remember the username associated with the account or your password, please use the 'forgot your username?' or 'forgot your password?' links next to the Log In button.

If you have never logged into this site, please use 'create a new account'. Follow the steps provided. If you are still unable to log in, please contact technology@autocare.org.

Using ACES increases the efficiency of an organization by saving money and time and increasing sales. ACES saves your company money by allowing one standard method to exchange catalog data. Instead of having to create several different file formats for all your trading partners, your company can save that expense and send only one format. The time saved in having to support multiple formats means that you can have your costly IS manpower put to better use. Most importantly, your product data can be updated faster, increasing sales.

iShop technology tells various computers in the shop how to communicate with each other, even when they are supplied by different companies. This means that once a piece of information exists, it can be shared and viewed at other computers in the shop. This saves needless and non-productive re-keying of information about the customer, the vehicle and the work performed. In addition, information created in the back shop, such as alignment results, can be shared and saved on the shop management system in the front shop. The interconnectivity of iShop allows the technician to remain focused on vehicle service and adds productivity to the shop operation. 

ACES helps companies exchange vehicle parts catalog data in a consistent standardized computer readable format. By standardizing how we describe vehicles, different companies can speak the same language. By relying on a standard, companies can exchange catalog data without having to translate from one language to another, eliminating the need to support and maintain multiple formats of the same data.

An ACES subscription includes access to the VCdb, Qdb, PCdb, and Brand Table. See the subscription page for more details.

The Medium/ Heavy Duty ACES subscription includes the VCdb for Medium and Heavy Duty Truck vehicle types (classes 4 – 8), the PCdb, Qdb and Brand Table. The PCdb, Qdb and Brand Table contain the same content as the Light Duty & Power Sports Subscription.

iShop is an open technology standard that lets unrelated computer-based products and services in an auto service facility work together as one seamlessly integrated shop information system.

The  product classification database (PCdb)  was developed primarily to support ACES and PIES. The PCdb is a critical component of coding catalog applications data as it addresses the need to categorize groups of auto care market replacement parts and commodities. The PCdb standardizes automotive parts nomenclature and validates parts that are used in multiple positions on the same vehicle, resulting in more consistent and accurate application data. The PCdb is used to classify products in the  Product Information Exchange Standard (PIES)  and as a supporting tool for implementation of the  iShop Standard .

The  vehicle configuration database (VCdb)  is a fully normalized, relational database of vehicle configurations for passenger cars and light trucks sold in the US, Canada and Mexico. Base vehicle information (Year, Make, Model and Submodel) for Vintage vehicles (1896 – 1950) has also been added to the VCdb. The VCdb represents nearly 50 unique attributes, organized into vehicle systems or attribute groups that are validated against base vehicle and sub-model combinations. The structure of the database allows auto care industry companies to communicate applications with as much or as little detail as necessary. The result is more precise, accurate data. The  VCdb  is an essential element of any data solution that aims to manage and communicate complex vehicle information in an industry standardized format.

Your shop equipment and systems can communicate with each other either over a wired or wireless shop network. At a minimum, this involves running network cable and router hardware (or a wireless access point and wireless receivers). If you do it yourself, the cost is a few hundred dollars. If you have a computer vendor or consultant do the work, it may cost a thousand dollars or more.

The most recent versions of the databases can be downloaded from www.autocarevip.com. Some databases, such as the VCdb, Qdb and PAdb require an active subscription to access and download. 

Nearly all manufacturers, suppliers and retailers in the auto care industry subscribe to and utilize ACES and the VCdb. Many other companies contract data service providers and mappers for their electronic cataloging needs. New companies are continuously joining the ACES community. To connect with industry peers and determine if ACES is right for you, please visit autocare.communifire.com.

Businesses in the automotive industry use ACES to exchange catalog and application specific product data in a standardized format. The use of a single ACES standard reduces duplicative efforts in communicating and distributing product related data throughout the supply chain. Adoption will increase efficiency, save you time and money and reduce errors in communicating with trading partners. It may open the door for new trading partners as well!

No. You will need to research, create, or buy your own application fitment data. Although ACES is an invaluable tool for the research of part application data, it is not intended for that purpose. If you sell a certain part, such as a type of water pump, without your own application data, ACES will not tell you what vehicle that water pump will fit. You will still need to research, create or buy your own application data.