ERP and Product Information Management: from macro to product vision

ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) and PIM (Product Information Management) are two management tools used to transmit data related to a company's products. They share certain objectives: to transmit infallible information and to improve processes, but they do not intervene at the same moment in the product's life cycle.

Just as CRM (Customer Relationship Management) has become indispensable for customer management, today ERP and Product Information Management solutions are inseparable when it comes to implementing an integrated omnichannel product information strategy and boosting sales. Find out why in this article.

ERP & Product Information Management: two data management software packages

ERP is designed to structure and track all information within a company, across all its departments. It is positioned as a matrix that standardizes and analyzes data to provide a unified global view of a company's activities. Like the Product Information Management solution, ERP is designed to receive, integrate and manage data within a company. Both ERP and Product Information Management solutions act as a centralized system for information and data management.

The information managed in the ERP allows the same references to be shared across all other information systems and also across all business processes.

The scope of management varies mainly according to the size of the company, but the different modules of an ERP solution generally cover the following areas

• Purchasing management
• Accounting management
• Sales management
• Inventory and supply management
• Customer data management (CRM)

The Product Information Management solution is a platform that focuses on product-related data. Its aim is to simplify work processes within marketing teams. Product Information Management & DAM brings together all product-related descriptive data (text, visuals, SEO elements, etc.).

By integrating with external information systems, it is the company's tool for distributes its product data sheets on every invested channel (Print and Digital).

Put simply, ERP and Product Information Management are both data management solutions, but their areas of application differ somewhat. While ERP manages data relating to operations, finance, human resources, production, etc., PIM focuses on product-related data such as descriptions, technical aspects, images... The duo will therefore be used for a variety of business-related purposes.

The PIM/ERP tandem at the service of the product

ERP is part of a more global vision of the company, It's where the product data life cycle begins with the creation of the product reference. This reference will then be the same throughout all the company's departments, from R&D to accounting. In this way, the combination of the 2 tools proves highly effective in strategic product management, since by combining their different functionalities, the two solutions optimize the management and marketing of products.

Let's take a look at how this tandem is structured around the product data lifecycle.

1. The Product Information Management solution connects to the ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) to retrieve the freshly created product reference.

2. Product Information Manager users are then notified. Enrichment can begin!

3. The Product Information Management workflow then brings together Marketing, Product, SEO, E-Commerce, Photography and Translation teams to enrich :

Marketing descriptions to convince future customers,

Technical details (materials, food, etc.),

A storytelling around the making of the products,

Photographs and videos,

Customised attributes specific to each activity (allergens, labels, standards, etc.).

4. The hyper-enriched product sheets are distributed at full speed on the Print channels on the one hand (catalogue, brochures, lookbooks, etc.) and Web (extranet, marketplaces, e-commerce platforms, etc.).

The ERP is not able to manage the more specific product-related data, as these are not intended to be used as reference points for other internal company processes.

The Product Information Manager therefore supplants the ERP to centralize all the data describing products and distribute it to sales channels. This enables more flexible and personalized management of this data, which is easier to tailor to the business needs of marketing teams.

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Product Information Management and ERP: towards greater efficiency

Implementing the complementary nature of ERP and Product Information Management to manage product data enables marketing teams to save time and increase productivity. By automating data transmission between ERP and Product Information Management within the information system, errors and potential redundancies are avoided.

The Product Information Manager's process mapping and activity monitoring tools then take over:

• Product Information Management workflows help control data quality and promote efficient collaboration,
• The Dashboard offers a global follow-up of the activities and the completeness of each product sheet

The result is :

• a brand image boost through consistently high quality product information
• a reduction in time-to-market on all sales channels

ERP is positioned at the source of cross-functional thinking about the business and enables the productivity of its various branches to be optimised.

As a result, the complementary functionalities of the 2 types of solution enable complete management of all data and all aspects linked to the company's products and operations. By integrating the Product Information Management solution with an ERP, the consistency of product data is continuously maintained, and data can therefore be used seamlessly and accurately for any area of the business. What's more, by making solutions work together, business processes can be optimized, directly improving operational efficiency. Last but not least, decision-making is also optimized thanks to the integration of these solutions, with the help of more advanced and refined data analysis.

The PIM DAM solution is part of the same dynamic on a precise segment: the product data of which it is the nerve center.

ERP solutions compatible with Product Information Management software

To manage products throughout their entire lifecycle, companies rely on ERP software. Most PIM DAM solutions can be connected to ERP systems. Quable offersimport from ERP as well as the ability to integrate IS tools using API / Webhooks technologies. ERP solutions that can be connected to Product Information Management & DAM software include: Cegid, Microsoft Dynamics 365 or SAP, Sage, Odoo or Divalto.

More info on the interconnection possibilities of PIM.

Would you like to boost your growth with a Product Information Management solution? Request a free demo.