What is Product Data Management?
Data is an essential part of the business. It is the source of insights, data analytics, and business intelligence. Product Data Management is the process of keeping track of all products. It ensures that data will be accurate, complete, and reliable. It also ensures that data is accessible and usable for the right people, at the right time, and in the right way.
The Ultimate Guide to Product Data Management and Why You Should Care
What is Product Data Management?
Product Data Management (PDM) is a systematic approach to managing the data associated with products and processes throughout their lifecycle. It ensures that product data is accurate, consistent, and readily available to authorized users throughout an organization. PDM systems are used to store and retrieve product information and track changes to product data through the process of product development as well as through the supply chain.
What does Product Data Management include?
Product data management involves the computer aided input, maintenance, and output of product information. This can include things like product descriptions, pricing, and other customer-facing materials. It also encompasses more technical aspects, such as engineering drawings and bills of materials. An effective product data management system ensures that all relevant stakeholders have access to accurate and up-to-date information throughout the product development process. This information is also tremendously useful when trying to locate a product through the supply chain.
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Why is Product Data Management important?
There are many reasons why product data management (PDM) is important. In today's global economy, companies must be able to quickly and easily share accurate product information with their suppliers, customers, and partners. PDM systems help companies achieve this by providing a centralized repository for all product-related data and ensuring efficient information management.
Another reason product data management is important is that it helps companies keep track of the ever-changing landscape of the products they make. With PDM, companies can manage engineering changes, track versions and revisions, and maintain a complete history of each product. This helps ensure that everyone involved in the product development process has access to the latest information about a product. It also ensures effective change management.
Additionally, effective product data management reduces costs. Storing product data electronically instead of on paper can save money in the long run and ease processes, and being able to quickly find information can help avoid costly mistakes.
Lastly, PDM can help companies save time and money by reducing the need for manual data entry and error-prone paper-based processes. By automating key aspects of the product development process, PDM systems can help streamline workflows and improve efficiency throughout an organization.
Benefits of Product Data Management
Product data management (PDM) is the process of managing product-related information throughout the product lifecycle. Product data includes all the attributes and characteristics of a product, such as its name, description, price, supplier information, and more.
One of the main benefits of PDM is that it helps organizations keep track of their product portfolio and better understand what products they have available. This is especially important for companies with large portfolios or multiple products in different stages of development. Additionally, PDM systems can help reduce costs by streamlining processes and eliminating duplicate data entry.
Another key benefit of PDM is that it facilitates collaboration between various teams involved in the product development process. By providing a central repository for all product data, PDM makes it easy for team members to access the latest version of a file or quickly find the information that is needed. Such efficient data management can save time and improve communication between team members.
Finally, product data management can help companies with regulatory compliance by ensuring that only accurate and up-to-date information is used in decision-making processes.
Key Product Data Management capabilities
An effective product Data Management strategy enables companies to control their product data across channels, locations, and SKUs. In this way, businesses can create a single source of truth for their product data, which eliminates the need for manual processes and ensures that everyone is working with the same accurate information.
Some key capabilities of an effective product Data Management system include-
- The ability to track and manage inventory levels across multiple locations.
- The ability to easily update information through the product lifecycle (such as pricing or descriptions) in one place, and have those changes propagated across all channels.
- Real-time visibility into all aspects of the product lifecycle, from planning and development through production and distribution to sales and customer service.
- Powerful tools for managing complex product relationships, such as configurable products or products with multiple versions or options.
- Integration with other enterprise systems such as ERP, CRM, or eCommerce platforms) to ensure consistency and avoid duplicate data entry.
You have a product and you want to use it. But without the right data, you can’t
Product data management can help your company keep track of its product data, so you don’t have to worry about where it is or how to use it
How is Product Data Management software used?
Product Data Management software, also known as product information management (PIM) software, is a system used to centralize and manage product information. This type of software is used by businesses in order to create efficiencies in their processes and to ensure that accurate product data is disseminated to all sales channels. In many cases, PDM systems are integrated with other enterprise software applications, such as customer relationship management (CRM) and eCommerce platforms. PDM software can also be used to manage customer orders and inventory.
Product Data Management versus Product Lifecycle Management
There is a big difference between Product Data Management and product lifecycle management (PLM). PLM is a process that encompasses the entire lifecycle of a product, from ideation and design to manufacturing and throughout the supply chain. PDM, on the other hand, focuses mainly on managing the engineering data and documents associated with a product.
While both PDM and PLM are important management software for any company that designs and manufactures products, PLM is usually seen as the more strategic initiative. That's because it can have a major impact on all aspects of the business, from improving efficiency and quality to reducing costs.
You’re not tracking your product data, and you don’t know what you have or where it is
The Ultimate Guide to Product Data Management will walk you through everything you need to know about product data management, including how to get started