In e-commerce and manufacturing, product configurators have become essential tools with rapidly growing demand. However, their operational background often remains a mystery. For instance, some believe that product data can simply be imported from Excel into a configurator, but in reality, configurators need a Product Information Management (PIM) system to function accurately. Here’s why that’s the case.
How Does a Configurator Work?
A configurator is an application that allows customers to customize product parameters, helping them find solutions tailored to their needs. For a configurator to work, all products and their parameters must be entered into it. For example, ETS NORD’s configurator includes noise silencers, Solarstone’s features solar panels, and RFix’s configurator manages balcony railings and fasteners. The configurator ensures precise compatibility between products.
What’s a product configurator?
Configurators are used across industries—from car and bicycle design to home furnishings. They offer advantages for both customers and businesses: customers can quickly find the right product for their project, while businesses can respond to inquiries automatically and efficiently.
Where Does Configurator Data Come From?
If the configurator is the system’s polished façade that customers see and interact with (front-end), then product data—dimensions, components, prices, etc.—resides behind the scenes (back-end). For the configurator’s interface to look good and function effectively, the entire product portfolio must be consolidated into a web-based PIM system (Product Information Management).
Previously, we’ve described PIM as the “single source of truth,” where all product data is systematically and securely managed.
Thanks to an API, updates made in the PIM software are instantly reflected in the configurator. This allows for automatically generated and displayed up-to-date PDFs and ensures customers always see the freshest data and options.
PIM or Configurator: Which Comes First?
Although PIM and configurators work hand-in-hand, we recommend starting with the implementation of a PIM system. While it’s technically possible to build a configurator using other data systems, it’s often not practical. Adopting a PIM system achieves multiple objectives simultaneously—enabling a configurator while transferring the company’s database to a secure, well-organized, and constantly updated system.
Why Pair a PIM System with a Configurator?
- Automatic synchronization – When product information is updated in the PIM, it’s immediately updated across the website, configurator, and other integrated systems.
- Version control – All changes are trackable and reversible if needed.
- Draft vs. publish – Teams can collaborate on a draft until it’s finalized, then publish the information seamlessly.
- Multi-user collaboration – Different team members can manage information based on their roles and permissions.
- Multilingual support – Product information can be offered in multiple languages.
Which PIM Works Best with a Configurator?
While there are many PIM providers, we use Wenture’s own PIM system for configurator development. It’s designed to allow businesses to independently add new products to the configurator if needed. This makes it similar to platforms like WordPress, where technical assistance isn’t required for every change, enabling sales staff to handle updates with ease.
In Conclusion
The synergy between a PIM system and a configurator is crucial for enhancing both company productivity and customer experience. If your goal is to remain competitive, efficient, and precise, investing in a comprehensive solution where PIM and configurator work harmoniously together is a worthwhile step.
