Customized product information management with Pimcore
Auerswald’s own solutions make communication easier for their clients. Internally, however, employees struggled with complex product information. We therefore developed a customized product information management system, allowing employees to focus once again on moving their customers’ needs forward.
Customized product information management with Pimcore
Auerswald’s own solutions make communication easier for their clients. Internally, however, employees struggled with complex product information. We therefore developed a customized product information management system, allowing employees to focus once again on moving their customers’ needs forward.
A PIM system for efficient central data maintenance
Product data maintenance supported by a Pimcore workflow will in the future orient users in the system, define cross-departmental tasks, and create a real single point of truth. By extending the data model, product-related service information can now also be maintained centrally and within the PIM environment. In addition, we moved the generation of product data sheets — one of the most important output media for product information — to the PIM. In the future, print materials can be created easily and automatically from the PIM at the push of a button. The Auerswald PIM system is also characterized by its clear data structure and intuitive user interface. Finally, employees use their PIM system both frequently and enjoyably.
Redundant Data, unclear processes, and manual data maintenance
At Auerswald, product information and associated assets were managed on many different, separate systems. In addition, the data records were often redundant. For employees, data maintenance was time-consuming and laborious. Product data sheets were solely created manually using Microsoft Word, and the product information they contained had to be entered and kept up to date manually as well. Every subsequent change led to employee uncertainty as to whether they had maintenance under control. In addition, work processes and responsibilities were not clearly defined. A PIM project that had already been initiated showed conceptual weaknesses. Neither maintenance nor data processing could be improved under this system. The employees hardly used the system, and it was ultimately not used productively. We therefore wanted to create a real, sustainable solution for Auerswald with Pimcore.
A product data model for the future
Using an agile approach, we first fundamentally revised Auerswald's product data model. Different brands’ product information was to be made available in several languages. The class structure and attributes of the data model were optimized, and individual object classes were merged. Work processes for maintaining the product data were then identified in workshops and SIPOC analyses. On this basis, we worked together with the employees to develop workflows tailored to Auerswald's needs and a rights and roles model. Finally, we integrated both into the PIM. In addition, the system was expanded to include a corresponding reporting system that allows employees to precisely track the processing status of a data record. With a new interface for querying product information stored in the PIM, individual compilations of data can be transmitted to any output channel, where the products can then be displayed.
