PDFreactor and Product Information Management (PIM)

Empower catalog software for digital catalog printing from HTML

About this article

This article addresses following issues:

  • Why does automated catalog creation streamline today’s B2B or B2C solutions?
  • How can a powerful and versatile PIM solution in combination with PDFreactor truly facilitate your omnichannel or multichannel e-commerce?
  • Learn how a PIM solution + PDFreactor ease the creation of catalogs or price lists within cross media publishing or web-to-print processes.
  • Understand why the flexibility of automated PDF print products is essential for digital publishing initiatives, incl. product catalog maker, online catalog creator, catalog builder and catalog making software and APPs.

PIM catalog software, catalog builder and catalog APPs

A Product Information Management (PIM) system is the foundation for e-commerce, multichannel publishing, web-to-print and digital catalog making software. Being between the front-end technologies (like e-Commerce, web/mobile-applications) and the backend platforms (such as DAM, ERP, EDW, CMS or CRM), the PIM is the connecting layer that has the ability to manage all data from the desired sources toward the consumer-facing channels. It leverages product information to various channels. Furthermore, PIM guarantees that the product information is equally complete and representative on each commercial channel, whether online or offline. The web-to-print or catalog making functionality within a PIM is usually based on a HTML or XML to PDF converter or plug-in, such as RealObjects PDFreactor.

PIM solutions and tools

PIM systems form a central platform for all product information in the company, are used by employees to procure and process data, and enable sales channels to be filled efficiently with consistent, correct information. In addition, a PIM system can avoid redundancies and improve data quality.

The selection and introduction of PIM systems is not easy because product content or data is often stored in a very disorganized and, above all, decentralized way. In addition, the range of different PIM systems is continuously growing. From the entry-level class (e.g. noxum, asim, Advanced Concepts) to the professional class (e.g. ContentServ, jCatalog, Viamedici) to the enterprise class (e.g. Stibo Systems, Informatica, SAP Hybris), or the open source class (e.g. Pimcore, Akeneo), there are numerous providers. The diversity of the PIM providers with their different approaches to solutions, functions and conditions for catalog software makes a selection rather complicated. So, the cooperation with an experienced and specialized IT service provider is recommended.

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PIM + PDFreactor – the perfect catalog maker software combination

Catalog automation and catalog creator software

Catalog automation helps you to quickly make better, clearer and more engaging printed catalogues, price lists, product sheets and brochures, which are important for growth and success of your traditional and e-commerce business. Digital catalog maker or automatic print catalog builder software allows you to cut catalog design and layout labor costs. Thus your catalogues will cost less, be produced faster and contain fewer errors while your digital assets and catalog database are always up-to-date.

PDF catalogs for electronic distribution, paper and print with PDFreactor as PIM add-on

A PIM allows you to collaborate and manage rich product data across multi channels, including e-commerce, print, social media and traditional stores. You need to ensure that the customer experience across multi channels is consistent, authentic and on time. With a solid PIM system + PDFreactor as catalog software in place, you will meet and exceed customer expectations in order to provide rich B2B or B2C experience, including online digital product catalog creation, catalog production, catalog management and catalog printing via HTML + CSS and PDF.

Data quality - most important for catalog maker APPs, cross media publishing and web-to-print initiatives

A Product Information Management (PIM) system ensures consistence and completeness of product content. It complements e.g. Digital Asset Management (DAM), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) or Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW) applications, which commonly do not handle product attributes and rich marketing descriptions well. A PIM allows you to make product lineup changes or content and description information changes within your database quickly and in an interactive way. This is vital for publishing up-to-date data any time from your system as digital catalog to the Web/PDF or as hard copy to paper/print, streamlining B2B or B2C offerings. The catalog creation is usually done through a PDF converter like RealObjects PDFreactor.

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