Connect ERP systems to the PIM: MicrosoftDynamics, SAP, canias, Sage …

When we talk about the automation and optimisation of internal processes, effective interfaces play a major role. In combination with a PIM, the first step often involves transferring the existing product data from the ERP system to the PIM. This is because in 99 per cent of projects, the ERP remains the leading system. This means that the products are still first created in a rudimentary form in the ERP; prices, delivery times and stocks are also only maintained here. The actual product data – usually an article number, the name, perhaps a brief description, a photo or a sketch – is often the end of the story. This data is then automatically transferred to the PIM, usually once a day. It doesn’t matter to us which ERP system is used, as we almost always have to customise this interface. This is because the data structure often differs from company to company, and “standard” is rarely found.



Information (technical data, photos, data sheets, descriptions, etc.) from various sources is then enriched in the PIM. This can be entered manually by employees or automatically imported and assigned from other data formats (e.g. Excel, Word, Access, PDF, etc.) using import scripts. This enriched data is then transferred to the various online platforms and sales channels via the middleware.



If orders are placed there, they are sent back to the ERP system via the middleware. For security reasons, access is not set up directly here, but an intermediate table is used. The orders are stored there and retrieved by the ERP system. This means that the ERP is also the leading instance here and there is still no external access to the ERP system.



Conclusion: The interaction between ERP and PIM is the basis for the automation of processes and therefore the basis for optimised workflows. It’s not just about having the right software, but rather a reliable service provider that can offer a customised solution for medium-sized companies.