ETIM International has published its new ETIM standard in December 2022, ETIM 9, as a static version. Almost five thousand applications have been processed since the previous version. With more than two hundred new classes, new translations and de-duplications, Etim 9 is the most up-to-date ETIM version for structuring article data in a logical way. For manufacturers, suppliers and retailers, efficiently exchanging product information is still a major challenge. The new ETIM standard in combination with a solid PIM or MDM system ensures that your product data are complete, up-to-date and easily exchangeable with other parties.
Get ready for ETIM 9
YellowGround helps you with ETIM standards
At YellowGround, we work with all kinds of data on a daily basis. During the PIM and MDM projects we supervise, we help our customers gain insight into the quality of their data. Moreover, we support them in optimising their product information, connecting to data pools or even implementing a whole new PIM or MDM system.
With years of experience in this field, we have not only built up extensive expertise in PIM and MDM processes, but also have a broad knowledge of different software solutions. In addition to these partnerships, YellowGround is also a partner of 2BA and Ketenstandaard Bouw en Techniek.
ETIM is the international classification standard for technical products. By adding structure to the flow of technical information within the value chain, ETIM facilitates effective interaction between B2B professionals around the world.
The classification is used by the entire chain in the construction, installation and marine sectors, including manufacturers, wholesalers and installers.
The current static version ETIM 8.0 dates from October 2020 and will be 2 years old by then. ETIM International’s aim is to come out with a version update every 2 years (it used to be 3 years). Are you still using an older ETIM version and want to make use of all the new classes and features? Then now is the time to switch to ETIM 9!
- Within the ETIM model, products are classified and provided with characteristics and feature values.
- ETIM is available in 12 languages, allowing data to be easily converted to another language. This makes it possible to manage data in one central location and distribute it to customers at home and abroad.
- With ETIM MC, an extension to the ‘basic’ ETIM product classification, even geometric features can be added to products, which can then be used to generate 3D objects.
ETIM releases a static version of the standard every few years. It also publishes interim publications; ETIM Dynamic. This dynamic version meets the market’s desire for a more flexible standard that can respond more quickly to new developments. This means that change requests, which are internationally approved before the next official publication, are made available by ETIM on a weekly basis.
By using ETIM dynamic, you can spread the impact on the workload over time. If you wait two years for a new version, you may have to start modifying or reclassifying a huge number of things all at once. With an ETIM dynamic, these changes come in little by little and the impact on the organisation is less.
ETIM Static
Changes 1x each 2 years
Stable version
No ongoing maintenance
Classes can change
Some B2B customers expect dynamic
New classifications or features are not readily available
Migration to new static version is a lot of work and time-consuming
ETIM Dynamic
Always the most recent version
New features and classifications are readily available
Customers always get the latest information
No big and time-consuming update every 2 years
Migratie is not a lot of work
Customers still using an older version
You will have to make minor changes more often
Whether you are a manufacturer that wants to submit its product data correctly to 2BA or a wholesaler or retailer that wants to use this data to enrich its own articles; a PIM (or Product Information Management) system enables you to collect, import, manage and publish article data efficiently. Master Data Management goes one step further and offers more possibilities to classify products, but also other entities (suppliers, locations, customers). The ‘inheritance’ of product information but also complex workflows and golden record creation can be found in MDM solutions.
In the latest ETIM 9 standard, obsolete classes and features are removed but at the same time, more than 1,000 new classes and attributes are added. This can have an impact on your current product range. A PIM or MDM system enables you to determine this impact, classify the articles error-free, and provide them with the correct product information.
4890 change requests were processed since ETIM 8.0
These requests were submitted by the local department from 20 countries
ETIM 9 contains 200 new classes
If you are still on ETIM 7, for example, you need to switch to version 8 before you can move to ETIM 9.
This transition is a very time-consuming and intensive task. Fortunately, there are tools available to make this transition from an old ETIM easier. In Stibo Step, a BMEcat export can be built by YellowGround which can be validated to the latest ETIM version via an online tool. A conversion tool can also be used to facilitate the translation from an old ETIM version to a new ETIM version.
Are you still on an older ETIM version and want to switch to the latest ETIM 9? Contact our PIM experts and we will work out a plan tailored to your needs.