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"ETIM 9.0 has been released – what should be considered?"

Excerpt: Since December 2022 there is a new update to ETIM 9.0. Almost 5000 change requests submitted from 20 countries have been processed, 200 new classifications are included in the new version.

Electrical industry is the biggest sector

Up to version ETIM 8, the release change took place every three years, ETIM 9 has now been released after two years. It can be assumed that the first wholesalers will demand data deliveries exclusively in ETIM 9 from the second half of the year. The changes are always a challenge for manufacturers, but the right tools can provide valuable support.

The classification standard ETIM (European Technical Information Model) regulates the transfer of product and catalog data between industry and wholesalers. Measured by the number of classes and features, the electrical industry is still the largest sector, followed by HVAC, tools and construction. There are two to support the introduction of ETIM 9 mapping tables available: a first version as a simple overview of the additions and deletions and a second, more up-to-date variant, which also contains the successors of characteristics and values. Ideally, with the latter it is possible to update a large part of the data automatically, so that one only has to take care of the changes for which a one-to-one assignment is not possible. Modern product information management systems can automate this process through rule-based and configurable Mappings for groups, characteristics and values ​​and reduce manual maintenance to a fraction.

ETIM 9 - What to be considered

Basically, the question then arises whether ETIM 8 should simply be replaced by ETIM 9 in the systems, or whether it is advisable to manage both versions, at least temporarily. The latter can facilitate data deliveries to the specialized trade during the transition period, but it is not advisable to keep any number of classifications in parallel. On the one hand, this can impair the clarity of the systems, and large volumes of data can lead to a loss of performance. Of course, it would also be conceivable to generate data classified according to ETIM 8 during export via a downward-compatible mapping from ETIM 9, but this mapping would have to be created manually once beforehand. In the course of the changeover to ETIM 9, manufacturers should also check whether the BMEcat formats used still comply with the current status of the guidelines, so that nothing stands in the way of a smooth exchange of data.

ETIM Dynamic Release is to be expected

In view of the dynamic changes and constantly growing challenges in the market, it can be assumed that the current two-year release cycle will not last long and that ETIM Dynamic Releases will prevail in the medium term; a model that is already in productive use in the Netherlands, for example. Another hot topic in this regardis the Provision of data for the various BIM systems of planners and architects. Here, too, ETIM International is trying to create a uniform standard for the more complex data structures by means of so-called modeling classes. The requirements for data management systems are therefore likely to increase further in the coming years, both in terms of the volume and complexity of the data and in terms of the required maintenance and update processes.

Conclusion: With the help of modern, configurable software solutions such as prodexa PIM, companies can effortlessly master the standardization of product information in three-tier sales. Seamlessly from the first classification of the data, through all updates, to the exciting topics of the near future. Arrange a non-binding online demo and learn more about how prodexa Cloud can support you.

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