What is TecDoc (and is the license worth it)?

TecDoc is the industry-standard aftermarket auto parts catalog, run by TecAlliance. It contains over 10 million parts linked to 110,000+ vehicle models, with cross-references between OE (original equipment) numbers and aftermarket equivalents, technical schemas, and images.

For an auto parts online shop, TecDoc answers the question: "Which part fits this vehicle?". Without it, customers order the wrong parts, returns go up, and trust drops.

Parts search by make, model, year, engine, and VIN. Cross-references between OE numbers and aftermarket equivalents. Images, technical schemas, installation instructions. Periodic catalog updates from every manufacturer.

Access is through SOAP or REST web services provided by TecAlliance. All data comes as a taxonomy (make, model, engine, part group, part), with linkages across these levels. It is not "ready to use"; it has to be mapped into your own data model.

The TecDoc license is obtained directly from TecAlliance GmbH. Cost depends on the volume of data accessed, the number of end users on your platform, and your distribution model. No public fixed price, negotiated annually.

In most EU countries, official TecAlliance partners can broker the license and help with API setup. Important: the license is commercial, you cannot run a shop on TecDoc data without one.

The TecDoc API is powerful but verbose. A vehicle query can return hundreds of megabytes of data if you do not know exactly what to ask for. Aggressive caching and careful normalization are essential.

The catalog updates periodically (quarterly, sometimes monthly). You need a reliable sync process, otherwise stale parts end up shown as available.

OE to aftermarket cross-references are not perfect. Sometimes equivalents are missing, sometimes parts are included that do not fit your commercial context. You need a custom filtering layer.

Integration with supplier pricing is a separate problem from TecDoc. The catalog tells you which part fits, not what it costs at your warehouse. For that you need price feeds (CSV, XML, API) or TecCom.

TecDoc is the standard for the European aftermarket. If you work with cross-brand aftermarket parts (Bosch, Mann, Valeo etc.), TecDoc gives you complete coverage.

If you sell exclusively OEM (original parts from a single brand, e.g. BMW, Mercedes, Ford), TecDoc is not the right fit. Every manufacturer runs its own OEM catalog with a different structure. BIMAUTO (BMW OEM) is a real example where we integrated the BMW catalog directly, no TecDoc.

If you sell only a few dozen universal parts (oil, batteries, tyres), the TecDoc license is not cost-effective. A manual catalog works.

TecDoc answers "which part fits". TecCom answers "how do I buy efficiently". The two complement each other: TecDoc populates your catalog, TecCom handles availability queries, pricing, and electronic ordering to every supplier through one integration.

On the XParts platform (public case study), both are integrated. Customers search via TecDoc, the platform queries availability and pricing through TecCom in real time, then places the order electronically with the right supplier. One connection, not 60.