Keep Protect and Exchange Aligned Without Duplicate Entry
| What this guide covers: How the opt-in connection keeps product records and supported Safety Data Sheet (SDS) data aligned between 3E Protect and 3E Exchange. Your 3E team confirms eligibility and publishing scope before activation. |
Opt-in: You choose when to enable it | 500,000: Current product and material record limit per Exchange account, increasing to 2 million in late 2026 | Background: Updates continue without a nightly window |
THE OUTCOME: LESS DUPLICATE DATA
| Why it matters: Using both solutions separately can mean maintaining the same product information twice, re-entering supplier details, and checking whether an SDS is current in each place. Interoperability removes that duplicate effort for the records you choose to connect. |
BENEFIT | WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT |
Publish selected records once | Choose which Protect product records should appear as Materials in Exchange, ready for supplier data requests, product passports, and compliance workflows. |
Use indexed SDS data in Exchange | Supported SDS and indexed data from Protect can populate the Exchange SDS summary and Bill of Materials (BOM), giving your in-scope portfolio a head start on compliance determinations and easy survey sending. |
Send surveys with supplier contacts ready | Available supplier details and contact information can move with the material record, reducing manual re-entry when you send a survey. |
Set your publishing scope up front | You and your 3E team agree which records and locations are included before activation. |
Receive reviewed SDS updates | For a linked material, an SDS submitted through Exchange follows 3E’s review and indexing process before the linked records are updated. |
| Opt-in by design: Nothing is published until interoperability is enabled for your account and the agreed publishing scope is configured. |
HOW THE CONNECTION WORKS
| In one sentence: Protect remains the source of truth for Protect-managed product and SDS content. Exchange shows the linked Materials and supported data needed for its own workflows. The connection continues after the initial publication; it is not a one-time file transfer. |
| What links the records: Every connected Material carries a persistent 3E UID — the identifier that ties a Protect product record to its Exchange Material. It is what makes an update land on the right record, and what Exchange checks on every SDS import. Your 3E team connects the two environments, so published records always appear in the right Exchange account. |
STEP 1 Choose the connection
You and your 3E team confirm that both subscriptions are active and agree the records and locations to include.
STEP 2 Connect the accounts
3E links the corresponding Protect and Exchange customer environments so records appear in the right Exchange account.
STEP 3 Publish selected records
Selected Protect product records appear as Materials in Exchange. The records stay linked so later updates can reach the corresponding Material.
STEP 4 Keep data moving
Background synchronization looks for qualifying changes. There is no nightly window; a large queue can make some updates visible before others.
STEP 5 Handle incoming SDS files
For a linked Material, an SDS submitted in Exchange follows 3E’s review and indexing process, then the linked record is updated. An unlinked Material continues through Exchange’s normal SDS workflow.
WHAT MOVES BETWEEN THE SOLUTIONS
| Scope of the data: Only supported data is shown in Exchange. If Protect contains data that has no supported Exchange destination, it does not appear there. |
DATA AREA | WHAT YOU SEE IN EXCHANGE |
Product record | The product record appears in the Materials Library with its linked Material reference. |
Supplier details | Supplier or manufacturer information and available supplier contact information can be linked to the Material. |
SDS reference and metadata | A reference to the Protect-managed SDS, plus supported revision or issue date, language, jurisdiction, last-synced date, and related SDS information. |
Hazard data | Supported H-codes, P-codes, signal word, and GHS pictograms. |
Physical properties | Supported values such as physical state, boiling point, vapor pressure, and flash point. |
Indexed ingredients | Supported Section 3 ingredient data can populate the Exchange SDS summary and BOM. Later revisions do not automatically overwrite richer BOM data captured through a survey. |
Status | Protect-managed status, review status, and synchronization date where supported. |
WHAT MOVES BETWEEN THE SOLUTIONS
| Automatic by design: Data moves on its own once the connection is active — there is no schedule to set and no button to press. Four things set the background synchronization in motion: |
TRIGGER | WHAT HAPPENS |
Your publishing scope | Only the records and locations you agreed with your 3E team are connected. Records outside the agreed scope are not synchronized. |
An update in Protect | A linked product record or SDS is updated in Protect, and the linked Material in Exchange refreshes automatically. |
An SDS is imported in Exchange | A user imports an SDS, or a supplier attaches one to a survey response. A linked Material follows the 3E review path described below; an unlinked Material continues through the normal Exchange workflow. |
Background synchronization | The connection runs continuously — no schedule, no nightly window. A large queue can make some updates visible before others. |
INCOMING SDS: WHAT YOU WILL SEE
| Choose the path: The route depends on whether the Material is already linked to Protect. |
LINKED MATERIAL | UNLINKED MATERIAL |
Exchange checks the link. | Exchange handles the SDS through its normal import and review flow. |
The SDS goes through 3E review and indexing. | The data does not enter the Protect-managed synchronization path. |
Protect records the current revision; the prior revision is superseded, not deleted. | Existing Exchange behavior stays unchanged. |
Exchange shows “Pending 3E Protect Review,” then “Synced from 3E Protect” when complete. | No Protect-linked status is shown for that Material. |
The person who submitted the SDS receives an email when the review finishes. | If you want the record connected later, ask your 3E team about the available path before re-importing it. |
BEFORE YOU START
REQUIREMENT | WHAT YOU'LL NEED |
Active subscriptions | Both 3E Protect and 3E Exchange subscriptions are active. |
Connected customer environments | Protect and Exchange are connected to the same customer organization. |
Ready Protect data | Product records are indexed, SDS records are available, and required inventory and location associations are complete. |
Agreed publishing scope | You and 3E agree which records and locations are included. Interoperability is opt-in. |
Named support contact | A 3E Customer Success contact is identified for setup and follow-up questions. |
| Current scale: The current published Exchange limit is up to 500,000 product and material records per Exchange account. This limit will increase to 2 million in late 2026. Your 3E team will confirm the supported volume and batch plan for your portfolio during scoping. |
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU USE IT
TOPIC | WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU |
Changing scope | If a record is removed from the publishing scope after activation, its Material remains in Exchange but the automatic link to Protect is broken. Contact your 3E team before changing scope. |
Existing separate records | The publication path described here creates linked Exchange Materials from Protect. If the same material already exists separately in both solutions, ask your 3E team to confirm the available linking path before activation. |
Current revision view | Exchange shows the current revision and issue date; it does not provide a full revision-history view in this experience. |
BOM preservation | A later SDS revision does not automatically replace richer BOM data captured through a survey. Review the available BOM controls before applying a change. |
Non-SDS edits | Edits made to non-SDS fields in Exchange do not synchronize back to Protect. |
Timing | Updates are usually visible within minutes, but a large queue can take longer. Records can appear progressively while work is being processed. |
WHAT EACH SOLUTION SHOWS
3E PROTECT | 3E EXCHANGE |
Protect-managed product and SDS content remains maintained and versioned in Protect. | Linked product records appear in the Materials Library with their persistent connection. |
Incoming linked SDS revisions become the current Protect revision; the prior revision is superseded, not deleted. | Supplier details, SDS metadata, and supported hazard, physical-property, and ingredient data appear where supported. |
Protect retains the source SDS while Exchange shows the supported reference and data. | Non-linked Materials remain on the normal Exchange workflow. |
A SIMPLE HANDOFF AFTER ACTIVATION
OWNER | ACTION | DUE |
You | Confirm the business process and the products or locations that should be included. | Before activation |
3E team | Confirm account eligibility, current scale, and the setup sequence for your portfolio. | During scoping |
You + 3E team | Review the first published records and linked SDS statuses together. | After activation |
GETTING HELP
| If a record looks wrong or stale: Contact your 3E support team with the material record and account context. They can trace the record and advise on the correction path. You do not need to re-enter the same SDS while that review is underway. |
| Questions: For questions this guide does not answer, contact your 3E Customer Success representative. |