Product data management (PDM or PIM) is the process of collecting, maintaining and transmitting all information about products to various channels. Instead of managing product data in Excel spreadsheets, professional product data management uses specialized PIM systems.

A PIM system is necessary if you have more than 500 products, use more than 3 output channels, serve international markets, or product data is maintained by several departments. Excel then reaches its limits.

While Excel appears “free,” there are hidden costs due to manual work, errors, and missed market opportunities. Depending on size, PIM systems cost 15,000-100,000 € per year, but typically pay for themselves within 6-12 months through efficiency gains.

Yes, migrating Excel product data to a PIM system is standard. Professional PIM providers offer migration services that clean, structure, and import your Excel data.

No, not for companies with e-commerce, multi-channel sales or international markets. ERP systems are not optimized for product information management. You can manage basic master data, but not marketing texts, media, or channel-specific content.

No, PIM systems are not built for transactional processes, financial accounting or inventory management. They complement the ERP, but do not replace it.

Integration typically costs 10,000-50,000 € depending on complexity. Standard interfaces (e.g. to SAP, Microsoft Dynamics) are cheaper than custom developments.

For standard interfaces: 2-4 weeks. With custom integration: 2-4 months. The duration depends heavily on the data quality in ERP.