As an organization, do you have many products or product variations in your assortment? Then it is advisable to consider whether you should not store this information separately in a so-called Product Information Management system (PIM). Why would you do that?

Many ERP packages, including Wholesale and SAP Business One allow organizations to manage their products and their product inventory within the ERP system. When all is said and done, this ERP system is the heart of your organization, so why would you want to store your product information elsewhere?

Well, there are some good reasons for that. The most important consideration to make is: what does the structure of my organization look like? What (digital) information flows and what systems am I all using?

Structure

Many organizations have some other software programs they use in addition to their ERP package. For example, a CRM package for managing customer data or an HRM system where personnel data is managed. There is a list of products on the Web site and perhaps in your Point Of Sale system for checkout of those products.

There are also many companies that have not yet fully digitized product information, especially those with many options or product variations. They often fall back on leaflets and brochures or have to call their supplier for the exact details.

Shred

In practice, we see all too often that the information that exists about a product is often very fragmented across different digital and non-digital systems. Especially if these systems are not linked, it is impossible to constantly update and keep all the data up to date.

In practice, we see all too often that the information that exists about a product is often very fragmented across various software packages.

In addition, we see that ERP systems frequently lack capabilities for adding different types of information. For example, consider:

• Colors, weight and dimensions
• Product descriptions
• Images or product videos
• Versions by country
• Manuals and instructional videos
• Taxonomy: what falls under what?

In other words, product information management is a profession in its own right, which is precisely why you would prefer to store the available product information centrally.

PIM and the Digital Product Passport (DPP)

Increasingly, a PIM system is also becoming important in the context of new European regulations, such as the Digital Product Passport (DPP).
These regulations require manufacturers to make comprehensive information about the origin, composition and sustainability of products available digitally.

A well-designed PIM system forms the logical basis for this: all relevant product data is centrally managed and enriched, and can be easily shared with consumers, chain partners and regulators.
Thus, a PIM not only helps to keep product information consistent, but also to meet future sustainability and transparency requirements.

Difference between PIM and ERP

In an overview, your PIM system would look like this:

All connected sources draw their product information from a central Product Information Management System. The main functions of your PIM system are then threefold:

1. Gather information about the available product from a variety of sources.
2. Enrich and update product information.
3. Distribute product information to other systems.

An ERP package, on the other hand, has many more tasks. This package is more about internal processes and links not only software packages, but especially activities of various internal processes (and departments):

Isolating the product data in a separate Product Management System ensures that the information can be managed and enriched from 1 central point and that the other systems are always working with the same information.

Wholesale now offers users this option: you can find more information here:
Unit4 BizzLayer Product Information Management (PIM).

Do I need to purchase a PIM system?

Not necessarily. A Product Information Management system is especially relevant if you have many products and product variations and if the products you have are complex in nature.

So our consultants do not always recommend a separate PIM system, but will always look at the nature of your products and how the information flows are organized in your company or organization.

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