CRA Retail Link Data Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In Retail Link, what does the metric 'On Hand Units' represent at the store level?
- Units ordered but not yet received by the store
- Units physically present in the store including backroom and sales floor (Correct answer)
- Units sold to end consumers in the trailing 7 days
- Units in transit from the distribution center to the store
Correct answer: Units physically present in the store including backroom and sales floor
On Hand Units represents all physical inventory in a store, encompassing both the sales floor and backroom stock.
Question 2: A supplier notices that Retail Link POS data is refreshed daily but shows a one-day lag. Which best explains this lag?
- Walmart stores transmit POS data to headquarters only on weekends
- Data is uploaded at end-of-day and processed overnight before becoming available (Correct answer)
- Suppliers must manually request a data refresh through the portal
- POS data is encrypted and requires a 24-hour decryption cycle
Correct answer: Data is uploaded at end-of-day and processed overnight before becoming available
Retail Link POS data is collected at end-of-day and processed overnight, resulting in a one-day lag before suppliers can view it.
Question 3: Which Retail Link hierarchy level sits directly above the Item level?
- Department
- Category
- Subcategory
- Fineline (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Fineline
Walmart's merchandise hierarchy goes Department → Category → Subcategory → Fineline → Item, so Fineline is directly above Item.
Question 4: What is the primary function of the Retail Link 'Query Builder' tool?
- To submit new item setup forms directly to Walmart buyers
- To create custom ad hoc reports by selecting specific data fields and filters (Correct answer)
- To automate replenishment orders based on inventory thresholds
- To manage supplier scorecards and compliance metrics
Correct answer: To create custom ad hoc reports by selecting specific data fields and filters
Query Builder allows suppliers to construct custom reports by selecting desired data dimensions, metrics, and filters without relying on pre-built templates.
Question 5: When analyzing Retail Link data, a supplier's 'Weeks of Supply' (WOS) at the store level is calculated as:
- On Order Units divided by Average Weekly Sales
- On Hand Units divided by Average Weekly Sales (Correct answer)
- Total Sales divided by Current Inventory
- Replenishment Lead Time multiplied by Safety Stock
Correct answer: On Hand Units divided by Average Weekly Sales
Weeks of Supply equals On Hand Units divided by Average Weekly Sales, indicating how many weeks of sales the current inventory can support.
Question 6: In Retail Link, which data category best describes the 'Modular' field associated with an item?
- The promotional pricing module assigned to an item during an event
- The planogram or shelf fixture arrangement where an item is placed in-store (Correct answer)
- The supplier module number used for EDI transaction routing
- The distribution module that controls which DCs service an item
Correct answer: The planogram or shelf fixture arrangement where an item is placed in-store
A modular in Retail Link refers to the planogram shelf set that defines where and how an item is displayed in the store.
Question 7: A supplier wants to identify which Walmart stores are currently listed as 'Active' for their item. Where in Retail Link would they find this information most efficiently?
- The Item Activity report filtered by store and authorization status (Correct answer)
- The POS Sales Summary report sorted by store sales volume
- The Replenishment Forecast report at the store-item level
- The Supplier Scorecard under the Distribution section
Correct answer: The Item Activity report filtered by store and authorization status
The Item Activity report shows the authorization and active status of items by store, making it the most direct source for identifying active store listings.
CRA Retail Link Data Management 2
In Retail Link, what does the metric 'On Hand Units' represent at the store level?