Electronic parts catalog (EPC) integration:
from Microcat to the quote
The automaker's electronic parts catalog tells you WHICH part it is. Your catalog tells you whether you STOCK it and what you sell it for. Between those two worlds sits a gap that gets bridged by hand today — look up the OEM part number, cross it to aftermarket, check stock — and sales fall into that gap every single day.
What an electronic parts catalog (EPC) is
An EPC (electronic parts catalog) is the vehicle manufacturer's official catalog: the complete exploded-view diagrams, navigable by VIN or by model, with the OEM part number for every component. It is the source of truth for identification: if the VIN is right, the part the diagram points to is exactly the one that came on that vehicle.
The most widely used electronic catalogs
Every automaker has its own, and the pattern is always the same: VIN → exploded view → OEM part number. The ones you will run into most:
| Catalog | Scope |
|---|---|
| Microcat (Infomedia) | The most widespread across dealer networks of multiple brands |
| ETKA | The Volkswagen Group's (VW, Audi, SEAT, Škoda) |
| ETK | BMW's |
| Mercedes-Benz EPC (WIS/EPC) | Mercedes-Benz's |
| FAST | Nissan's |
| Mopar | The Stellantis parts catalog (Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, RAM) |
| GM EPC / ACDelco catalog | General Motors' |
And on the multi-brand and aftermarket side:
| Catalog | Scope |
|---|---|
| TecDoc (TecAlliance) | The European aftermarket standard — the worldwide cross-reference benchmark |
| PartsLink24 | Online access to OEM catalogs of multiple brands |
| Distributor catalogs | In Mexico, the big distributors publish digital catalogs with OEM↔aftermarket cross-references |
An honest note: the exact affiliations (which automaker uses which EPC in which region) change by contract — verify which one applies to your network before assuming.
What the EPC does NOT know: whether your store stocks that part, in which aftermarket brand, at what price, and how many are on the shelf. That is where its job ends and yours begins.
The gap: from OEM part number to your sale
The real workflow of a counter that works with an EPC looks like this: the customer (or the shop, or the adjuster) shows up with the number they pulled from the exploded view. And the pilgrimage begins — search that OEM number in your system, remember which brands cross to it, dig through printed interchange catalogs or the memory of your most senior counterman, check stock and price, and only then answer. On a good day, 10-20 minutes per part. On a bad one, the sale went to whoever answered first.
💡 The key fact: the EPC and your catalog speak different languages — OEM vs. aftermarket. The integration is precisely the translation between those two languages, done with documented data, not from memory.
How the integration works: the full chain
The connection point is the data the EPC produces: the OEM part number or the VIN. It does not matter which EPC you use — Microcat, ETKA, or your automaker's — what travels is the number. The chain, integrated with Suplifai:
- The number comes in over WhatsApp — the customer pastes the OEM number they pulled from the exploded view (or the VIN and the part they need, straight up).
- It gets cross-referenced against your catalog — interchange numbers and documented equivalences, using the industry standards (ACES and PIES) and your suppliers' cross-references.
- It answers with YOUR data — your SKU, your aftermarket brand, your price, and your stock. Price and SKU come out of your catalog, never invented.
- If the cross-reference does not exist, it escalates — a person on your team gets the request with the full context, and that part gets flagged so the catalog can be enriched.
An example with real catalog data: the customer sends the number for a stabilizer link and the reply comes back identified and complete — Front stabilizer link OEP · Renault Duster 2013-2023 · SKU OP-2119003 · $223.13 MXN (VAT included) · in stock. That is the leap: from "let me look into it" to the quote inside the same conversation.
EPC alone vs. EPC integrated
| EPC alone | EPC + integration | |
|---|---|---|
| Identify the part (VIN → OEM) | Yes | Yes |
| Cross to your aftermarket lines | Manual, from memory | Automatic, with documented cross-references |
| Price and stock | Look it up in another system | In the same reply |
| Time per part | 10-20 min | Minutes, in the conversation |
| Hours | Counter hours | 24/7 on WhatsApp |
What you need to integrate
The integration is only as good as the cross-references your catalog documents. What it takes: your catalog with interchange numbers (your suppliers' catalogs already carry them), your price list, and your inventory. Nothing special is needed on the EPC side — the OEM part number it produces is the industry standard, and that is exactly the starting point of a well-built parts quote. If your catalog has cross-reference gaps, the integration itself surfaces them: every escalation is a part waiting to be documented.
Frequently asked questions
What is an electronic parts catalog (EPC)?
It is the vehicle manufacturer's official catalog: exploded-view diagrams navigable by VIN or model, with the OEM part number for every component. Microcat (from Infomedia) is the most widespread across dealer networks; ETKA is the Volkswagen Group's. The EPC identifies the exact part, but it does not know whether YOUR store stocks it or what you sell it for.
What is Microcat?
Microcat is Infomedia's family of electronic parts catalogs, used by dealer networks of multiple brands around the world. It lets you locate the part in the vehicle's exploded-view diagram and pull its OEM part number.
How does an EPC integrate with my quoting tool?
The connection point is the data the EPC produces: the OEM part number or the VIN. That data comes in over WhatsApp, gets cross-referenced against the interchange numbers in your catalog (using standards like ACES and PIES), and the reply comes back with your SKU, your price, and your stock — no matter which EPC you use.
What happens if the OEM number does not cross to my catalog?
The request escalates to a person on your team with the full context. The rule is never to invent: if the documented cross-reference does not exist, a human answers — and that part gets flagged so the catalog can be enriched.
With your real catalog, not toy data
Connect your EPC flow to the quote
In 30 minutes we look at your catalog, your cross-references, and your EPC workflow — and how far you are from quoting inside the same conversation.