Gain operational and strategic insight from your product-related data, even across discrete data sets spread throughout the business, via the creation of a unified ‘Single View of Product’ using dn:Director for Product Data Management.

The extent of the Product Data Challenge

Product data management is becoming increasingly challenging – not least because the sheer volume of product information continues to increase almost exponentially. Using FMCG as an example, a single product line’s basic information (such as product codes/sku numbers, pricing information, pack and outer sizes, packaging dimensions and short descriptions) has now enhanced by category references, customer-specific coding, product features, benefits & uses, links to associated products, detailed views, ingredients, health and safety data, 3D animations, and comprehensive product text, to name but a few. The same is equally true for high-value, durable goods.

This rapid increase in data is being driven in part by the commercial demands resulting from increased competition: shorter product lifecycles, increasing numbers of sku lines, servicing of international markets and new channels such as online shops and catalogues.

Harmonising your Product Data

To leverage maximum value for your product data management programme, it’s vital that the product information within the system is fit-for-purpose: complete, accurate, deduplicated and appropriate for its intended use. This poses problems as product data is often generated and stored in discrete locations throughout the organisation; in different systems and with different data structures. Important information can often be held in spreadsheets and flat files as well as databases, in addition to dedicated ERP and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems.

This harmonisation of the data into a ‘Single View of Product’ to feed your product data management system allows you to achieve an accurate picture of all your data throughout the end-to-end manufacturing, marketing, sales and distribution process.

dn:Director for Product Data Management enables you to quickly and easily consolidate, deduplicate and standardise data from the various functions or locations within the business (manufacturing, warehousing, product management, sales and marketing, freight and logistics, finance etc) and from external sources such as third-party materials manufacturers, component suppliers, and supply chain/distribution partners.

The Impact of Poor Quality Product Data

There are a multitude of potential impacts when companies fail to generate a reliable single source of accurate product information, including: lost sales when new product introductions are delayed; out-of-stocks resulting from the exchange of inaccurate product information with suppliers; an inability to access reliable product views across multiple channels such as online, call centre and in-store; and an inability to report on consolidated data from global operations.

With a single, reliable view of the product and consistent product definitions, companies can improve performance management in the following critical areas:

• New product introductions
• inventory and product-specific business rule customisations
• Channel performance
• Inventory replenishment
• Service level measurement
• New application and system population
• Global data synchronization
• Spend and inventory analysis
• Reporting and business intelligence consistency
• Product recall management for compliance
• Instant identification of item substitutes or alternatives
• Inventory management efficiency
• Rapid and thorough adherence to changes in regulations
• Improved leverage of global supply contracts

dn:Director for Product Data Management provides the platform on which to discover data inconsistencies, transform, enhance, match, deduplicate and standardise product codes, descriptions, abbreviations and product related data to create a single unified view of a product across all operational systems and geographies.

Datanomic offers the technology to allow your organization to create a more complete and accurate view of your product data. Datanomic solutions allow you to identify and link information about your products and inventory, allowing you to build accurate information that you can share across buyers, sellers and distributors.

Get your product data into shape and eradicate costly data chaos. For more information call us on +44 (0)1223 228450 or email marketing@datanomic.com.