Archive data with the DAM and PIM tool

The Changes in Online Marketing

Always up to date and complete thanks to clever data management with a DAM and PIM tool. This makes archiving product data easy and keeps it organized.

Anyone working with a DAM or PIM system not only makes use of the possibilities to structure data. What is important above all is how a system archives or manages the data. After all, product images, ingredients, packaging sizes, or even special formats for sales must always be kept up to date. It can also happen that certain information should only be temporarily accessible for specific user groups. Our PIM tool dynamicPIM® and dynamicDAM® take such lifecycle management into account as part of group and role management. The archiving of data is easy in these systems and can be carried out directly for each product. The prerequisite for this is: the clean and complete maintenance of master data.

The Master Data: The Basis of a PIM and DAM System

Master data are the actual product-describing data fields of a PIM system that are filled in our PIM tool. This includes all logistical data such as dimensions, packaging types, delivery terms, requirements, but also, for example, prices. Furthermore, product descriptions or structured data of any kind such as marketing texts, search terms, titles, claims, statements, ingredients, allergens, etc.

The system builds the master data in such a way that any field types are possible. These include text, formatted text, integers, dropdowns, radios, and checkboxes, etc. You can create such master data fields as you wish. Thanks to the API interface, the filling and maintenance is automated. Another option is manual maintenance, where you have to enter and update the data yourself.

dynamicPIM® and dynamicDAM® also map hierarchies from expert systems, such as pallets, trays, single products, etc.

Manual Maintenance vs. API Interface in the PIM Tool

Manual maintenance and assigning to a workflow is also part of our PIM and DAM software. Additionally, the API can automatically fill certain data fields, for example from a global SAP system. Mixed forms are also conceivable. Which forms are considered relevant and effective strongly depends on the individual conditions of the customer.

The Lifecycle Function: Archiving Data with Expiry Date

Once the master data is maintained, you can directly define how each product should be managed. One way to archive data in PIM or DAM is the lifecycle function. With it, you set a start and end date as a kind of "lifecycle" for your products. You can also model different scenarios in which a publication for certain user groups occurs days or weeks before "start of shipment".

Supply Chain Requirements in Lifecycle Management

Let's illustrate this with the following example: Products go live only from point X. However, the data is available for internal purposes and certain target groups 60 days before that. This approach is very important, as product life cycles typically require a lead time for marketing, sales, and logistical activities. Service partners, contracted agencies, etc. need data in advance, even though the products are not yet available for sale.

dynamicPIM® and dynamicDAM® can take this directly into account. The group and role management enables simple lifecycle management for specific user groups.

Archiving Data – Automatically: The Archive Function

Of course, we also thought of a classic archive function in dynamicPIM® and dynamicDAM®. It ensures that products can be automatically archived according to the publication date or any other defined period.

The archive function creates a storage in our PIM tool that represents the final stage of lifecycle management. Directly in the backend, product data receives an expiration date. On this date, the PIM tool automatically moves the products to the archive.

Archiving Based on User Groups

The idea behind it is that the archive storage can only be reached by internal or previously defined user groups. This removes products with all data from live access, but they remain available to archive-authorized users at any time. This allows the system to meet all requirements for product workflows, even at the end of the product life.

It remains particularly important that product information in the PIM tool is not deleted. Especially in sales scenarios for products that are "on stock", it makes a lot of sense to still be able to access this product data. If necessary, they can also be made live again. This way, data can be archived without being permanently lost. Very simple and with just one click.

Our systems serve all target groups. This means that many different users also have access to the system, depending on their user rights. But not all users need to be able to access all data or functions. How this challenge can be addressed is explained in our article on the topic "Making Data Accessible to Externals".