PIM Integration - All You Need To Know
Product-based enterprises need to keep their product details updated. These details are essential to get the attention of potential customers. Product details like technical specifications, digital data, etc. should be accurate to gain customer confidence.
The product information management (PIM) system allows processing all the product-related details across the different distribution channels. It has a centralized hub that stores all the data and manages it to provide the details to all the teams involved in supply chain management.
What are Product Information Management services?
The different product information management services include:
Product Data Management (PDM)
Helps in managing the data related to any particular product like the product description, technical specifications, etc.
Product Resource Management (PRM)
Also known as product content management (PCM) that manages the data source and does the product details.
Product Life-cycle Management (PLM)
It includes the product management strategy related to IT. It optimizes the product life cycle from inception till manufacturing.
Media Asset Management (MAM) or Digital Asset Management (DAM)
This includes services included for the management of the digital assets like the images, graphics, videos, etc. included as primary in the media business.
Cross Media Publishing (CMP)
It includes services related to the advertising data such as texts, data, images, graphics, etc.
Product Experience Management (PXM)
It allows in delivering the best customer experience for the services and products throughout the customer lifecycle.
To get better insights about the advanced capabilities of Product Information Management, visit What is PIM? – An Ultimate Guide for Product Information Management Services
Challenges of PIM Implementation
Implementing the PIM system in the business requires complex processing and deep analysis of the working environment. The different challenges that the business can face while the PIM implementation includes:
Data inconsistency
Many users can lead to an increase in content errors. The product data needs to be collected from different sources and each source provides the data in a different format.
All the data that is provided to the different channels should be consistent as data inconsistency can lead to the loss of some crucial data and unnecessary clustering of duplicated data. The best option is to have progressive functionality offering backups, technical supports, activity logs, etc.
On-boarding non-technical users
Many times it becomes difficult for the non-engineering employees to hand in the product information management software. Mistakes while using the software can create an issue as the data is located centrally but viewed by the users through different channels.
The product information management software vendors need to arrange training sessions and workshops for the staff and employees of the organization for understanding the logic and workflow of the system.
Involve lots of stakeholders
Many people working on the product information management system may have different opinions and this can slow down the PIM system integration process. Thus it is important to allot a specific in-charge person that will look after the workflow implementation.
Don’t miss to read Do’s and Don’ts to consider while Product Information Management Implementation to avoid such PIM challenges.
Are you looking for a technology partner that helps you in selecting, developing, and implementing the tailored PIM solution that empowers your product-driven operations?
What is PIM Integration?
Product data is very crucial as it is important for the different individuals involved in the product supply chain. The data is important for the customers making the purchase.
This information is crucial for the sales and the marketing team for making the product available to their customers efficiently. The manufacturing teams need this data for the development or up-gradation of the product.
This product data is available in different formats and is stored and used by different teams at different levels. The product details in different formats can lead to incorrect descriptions and maybe reflect in the listing thus leading to some errors. This can prove costly for business development.
PIM integration provides the ability for integration of the product information management system with many other applications and systems involved in the efficient working of the organization. This supports both B2C and B2B types of business.
Different software helps in saving different types of product data that play a crucial role. Synchronizing all the product-related details between these different systems and applications can reduce the repetitive data and also lead to improved quality of the product data.
PIM integration with the eCommerce software or the ERP application helps in improving the management and consistency of product data for sales. The inventory record for the product is usually stored in the ERP system and allows in controlling the details like the inventory control, accounting, costing, pricing, customer relationship, purchase order, etc.
PIM integration allows in having synchronized stock details across the different eCommerce stores, marketplaces, etc. while reducing the repetitive bidirectional data entries. This enables reducing the time to market for the product.
There are different types of integration available for the PIM system and each has its added benefits. These include the PIM Shopify integration, PIM Bigcommerce integration, PIM Magento integration, and PIM WooCommerce integration.
PIM Integration Benefits
The different added benefits of integration of the product information management services include:
- The PIM software allows all the different departments within the organization to communicate well with each other.
- This improved coordination within the organization leads to enhanced performance of the company.
- The product details include an enormous amount of data and handling this type of data can be tiresome, tedious, and time-consuming. Handling this data manually can incorporate errors and repetitive details that may affect the quality of the data. Using the PIM integration makes the task of data handling easy and reduces the chances of having errors and repetitive data.
- PIM integration saves time, money, and effort. The organization can use these resources more efficiently in addressing other major issues.
- PIM integration allows in handling the various tasks like product catalog, building relationships with suppliers, improving the marketing activities, etc.
- PIM integration leads to simplification of the product information management process.
- It helps in reducing the repetitive bi-directional data entry activity,
- PIM integration ensured providing accurate and true data to all the members across the different channels.
- It reduces the time required for go-to-market and enables expansion of sales channels.
- It provides complete visibility of the different product catalogs by aiding in decision-making.
- It reduces operational costs.
Do you want to leverage all the above listed benefits by integrating advanced platforms or software with the Product Information Management solution?
PIM Integration with Shopify
The Shopify integration systems help in the improvement of the product consistency for the catalog. This also helps in improving the channels and supplier management for the product data and pricing list.
The different tools used for the integration ensure that the product consistency is maintained across the PIM inventory, Shopify, cloud-based business systems, sales channels, etc. It also provides advanced tools for understanding the business rules and workflow logic, document automation, automated alerts, etc.
System integration
It allows the integration of various tools like PIM inventory, ERP, Access dimension, SAP Business one, etc.
Product management
It allows for automated import and export of data, creating, editing, and deleting the product details from the various channels. It allows in setting up the custom attributes and product variants like description, pricing, manufacturing, images, etc.
Multiple Shopify stores
It automatically allows the synchronization of product details with multiple stores.
Stock levels
It automates the stock levels between the application and the system.
Sales channel management: It automatically updates the details on the different sales channels and marketplaces.
Order management
It automated the process of pulling out the sales orders and placing them into the ERP system. It includes various details like customer name, address, payment details, transaction details, product details, etc.
Supplier management
It allows automatically updated supplier details like product data, order history, contact details supplier price change, etc.
Automated reports
It provides automated reports for the inventory levels, product lines based on category, monthly sales reports, etc.
Workflow logic and Business rules
It provides the notification or re-orders points, PO approvals, Downloading fully paid sales orders, and stock level changes in pseudo-real-time.
Do you want to build a PIM solution by integrating your Shopify platform and get better insights into how it helps you streamline your product data and eCommerce related operations?
PIM Integration with Bigcommerce
The different scenarios for using the PIM Bigcommerce integration include:
System integration
It allows the integration of the different systems like PIM, Amazon, Microsoft Dynamics, Sage, Epicor, etc.
Automated stock items
It allows for automation of the stock records for all the data regarding the product links, product descriptions, videos, images, manufacturers, pricing, etc.
Synchronization of stock levels
It allows in dynamically monitoring the changes in the database and allows in adjusting the inventory levels to ensure that the product is in stock based on the pseudo-real-time.
Product pricing updates
It allows in automatically updating the price changes from the PIM inventory to the ERP system these include the sales prices and the promotional discounted rates.
The download of sales orders
It enables automated download of the deals or orders and placing them into the ERP system. This includes details like the shipping address, customer details, product details, transaction details, payment details, etc.
Customer accounts
It allows in automatically creating the new guest account in the ERP system.
Confirmation of order and shipping
It automates the order and shipping confirmation and distributes these details to the customers through mail or message.
Do you want to create a tailored PIM solution by integrating Bigcommerce platforms that help you to attain all the product and eCommerce focused business goals effortlessly?
PIM Integration with Magento
For the integration of the PIM system and the Magneto 2 system, it uses the BPA platform. It provides the ability for seamless synchronization of the product catalog between the various systems like PIM inventory, primary business systems like ERP, WMS, etc.
It also can synchronize the product with multiple sales channels like eBay, Amazon, print catalog, POS, etc. Magento 2 PIM integration is useful for the B2C and B2B organizations, manufacturers, and distributors for having the centralized solution with increased visibility and consistent product details. The PIM Magento integration scenarios include:
Stock item synchronization
It ensures updated stock records across the different systems regardless of the system used for making the change.
Stock level synchronization
It monitors the database change and allows in keeping the check on the inventory levels to ensure that the stock levels are consistent across the different systems.
Product catalog
It automatically synchronizes the product details in the catalog across different systems like product details, product links, media, pricing, manufacturers, etc.
Sales channels and marketplace
It updates automatically the details of the sales channels and market places with the updated product line information.
Sales order
It synchronizes the details of the sales orders confirmed from Magneto 2 and other channels and copies them to the ERP system.
Customer management
It synchronizes the customer details like number, contact details, ordered product, transaction details, payment details, billing data, etc.
Reports
It allows the generation of automated reports for the distribution, inventory levels, product lines per category, sales report, etc.
Business rules and logic
It allows checking the stock levels in pseudo-real-time and downloads fully paid sales orders and workflow approvals.
Do you want to develop a PIM by integrating the Magento platform and understand how it helps you manage your product and eCommerce related processes from a single platform?
PIM Integration with WooCommerce
The PIM WooCommerce integration solution allows the B2C and B2B organizations to integrate with the different systems like the PIMventory with multiple cloud-based business systems. It allows additional process automation through the BPA Platform that reduces operational costs and enhances the company revenues.
PIM WooCommerce Integration
It applies to various systems like ERP (SAP Business One, Sage, Microsoft Dynamics, etc.). It also allows integration with the web Services and an extensive range of 3rd party APIs through connectors.
Product Catalogue
It allows in generating the centralized product catalog for creating, updating, and deleting product data including description, title, name, manufacturer, images, pricing, etc.
Stock Item Synchronization
It synchronizes stock records when any change occurs in pseudo-real-time across different systems and sales channels
Stock Levels
It automatically monitors different database changes and adjusts the level of inventory in all systems. It ensures that stock levels are maintained correctly.
Sales Channels and Marketplaces
It automatically updates the sales channels and marketplaces with updated product information.
Sales Order Processing
It allows downloading the sales orders from WooCommerce and placing them into the ERP system. This includes the data like customer name, shipping address, transaction details, etc.
Order and Shipping Confirmations
It directly sends the order confirmation and shipping notifications to the customers with the updated and relevant data.
Automated reporting
It creates and distributes reports for stock levels, sales reports, product lines per category, etc.
Business rules and logic
It provides dynamic workflow logic and business rules for achieving the complete business solution with the BPA Platform. It enables downloading fully paid orders, automated reorder point notifications, stock level changes in pseudo-real-time, PO approvals, etc.
Do you want to build a PIM platform by integrating WooCommerce and explore how the amalgamation of these two technologies ensures the growth and success of your brand?
Bottom Line
PIM integration plays an important role as it is helpful for the various departments within the organization like the retailers, distributors, manufacturers, designing team, IT, eCommerce, as well as customers.
It allows the transparency of accurate product details. It has a track record of allowing the organization for process automation and system integration while improving company revenue.
Tags: