Reasons for product data management

Before introducing a PIM system, we clarify the question of why a PIM should be used together with interested parties and customers. This definition is the only way to find the right system. The main question is therefore: what are your short, medium and long-term goals when deciding on a centralized product data management system? In the following, we outline typical factors from our experience.

In our discussions, the following reasons for a PIM system emerge again and again:

Central data storage

In many companies, Microsoft Excel is still the measure of all things, or product data. Employees in a wide variety of departments work with Excel lists to manage product data for their respective purposes.

The advantage is that everyone has Excel and most people can use it. The disadvantages, however, are the lack of collaboration options, change tracking, the simultaneous editing of different data records, the lack of clarity and the lack of flexibility in communication with other systems.

In most cases, the use of Excel leads to the same product data being available in different places. This means that there is no single point of truth, i.e. one place in the company where correct and up-to-date product information is available. Centralized data storage is particularly advantageous for a wide variety of channels that access product data. This is the only way to ensure that the same product data is always available in the online store, on marketplaces, in the catalog, in social media channels, for retailers, etc.

The desire for centralized data management is usually the first goal for a PIM project. Once central data storage has been secured, the other objectives usually follow:

Better data quality

Once all product data has been integrated into a PIM system, the data quality can be analyzed. This means that employees from different departments define what a product data record must contain in order to fulfill good data quality.

In the e-commerce sector, for example, an online store requires product data that is optimized for search engines. In a first step, for example, the meta information meta title and meta description must be maintained so that a search engine such as Google can find the product data.

Consequently, it can be defined in the PIM system that the product data record is considered to be of good quality if the meta information has been completed. In Pimcore, our preferred PIM system, we often implement a dashboard for this purpose in order to have an overview in one place of the tasks that have been completed and those that still need to be completed. The status of data quality is thus visible every day.

Intelligent processes

The advantage of a PIM system is the possibility of collaboration. This means that different employees of a company can work on the same database. The rights and user management of a PIM system allows the administration of the system to define exactly which options a user has. Workflows can also be used to define which steps and processes a data record must go through before it is sent to a communication channel. Ideally, the entire product life cycle of a product is mapped in the PIM system, from the initial creation from the ERP system to the archiving of product data after a product has been discontinued.

External resources, for example for the translation of product data, can also be easily integrated into a PIM system. This ensures that a translator is only allowed to process the data for which they have been approved. And once the translation has been completed, a quality check is carried out by the marketing department, for example.

Flexibility

Using a PIM system reduces the effort involved in providing product data. Employees in companies can access the central database at any time and use it for the desired application. For this purpose, Pimcore offers a wide range of export options, for example. Both manual exports, for example in CSV or XML format, and automated interfaces to communicate with other systems via the API. At scope01, for example, we offer a PIM interface to communicate product data from Pimcore to an online store based on Shopware. In addition, product data can be sent to a variety of channels:

Brochures and catalogs, either dynamically generated from the PIM or via exports to software such as Adobe Creative Cloud or Microsoft 365.
We usually generate technical data sheets dynamically from product data such as title, description, properties and images.
Provision of product data as CSV, XLS or XML files, for example for marketplaces, retailers or suppliers

In addition to exporting, the PIM also offers a wide range of import options. Both via interfaces, for example to import master data from an ERP system. As well as via CSV importers, for example, to enrich product data with external data.

The structure of product data is subject to constant change. This is why a PIM system such as Pimcore also offers the option of quick and easy data modeling. This allows you to permanently adapt the data scope and structure.

Why PIM? We will be happy to advise you.

There are many more reasons for using a PIM system. Talk to us. And we will show you what possibilities a PIM system offers for your requirements. And how we implement these requirements for our customers.