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Implementing a strong product information management (PIM) solution is important for your business when it boils down to managing large amounts of complex product information and data points. This is because maintaining consistent product data across your sales channels is crucial to winning and maintaining customers. Two strong contenders in the PIM market in Pimcore and Akeneo. One provides PIM & MDM services, and the other mainly on PIM services.

This article compares both best-in-class platforms in-depth to help you decide which platform is best for you. Let’s dive in!

What is PIM & MDM?

PIM and master data management (MDM) are often mistaken as solutions that serve the same purpose. While they both manage data, the idea that they are the same isn't entirely true. So, what really is the difference? The answer lies behind the type of data being managed.

PIM primarily focuses on managing product information or data to ensure that it's accurate and consistent across all channels, helping in marketing and selling products effectively. On the other hand, MDM acts as a “jack of all trade” encompassing all critical data within an organization, ensuring it's accurate, consistent, and actionable. 

While PIM is a subset of MDM, focusing only on product information, MDM is a more comprehensive solution that handles a wide array of data, including customer and supplier data, aiding in better decision-making and compliance.

Pimcore offers both PIM & MDM capabilities, while Akeneo focuses more on PIM and PXM.  

What are the functions of PIM? 

PIM is a system that helps businesses manage their product data. PIM systems can store, organize, and share product data across different departments and systems. PIM systems can also generate product catalogs, websites, and other marketing materials.

The key functions of PIM include:

• Data centralization: PIM systems create a single source of truth for product data, which all authorized users across the business can access. This helps to ensure that everyone is working with the same data, which can reduce errors and improve efficiency.

• Data enrichment: PIM systems can enrich product data with additional information, such as images, videos, and technical specifications. This enriched data can create more informative and engaging product descriptions and marketing materials.

• Data syndication: PIM systems can syndicate product data to various channels, such as e-commerce websites, marketplaces, and social media. This helps businesses to reach their target customers wherever they are shopping.

What are the functions of MDM? 

MDM is a set of processes and technologies for creating and maintaining a single, authoritative source of truth for all critical business data. MDM functions include:

• Data integration and consolidation: MDM solutions collect data from disparate sources, such as ERP, CRM, and HR systems, and consolidate it into a single repository.

• Data cleaning and enrichment: MDM solutions cleanse the data to remove inconsistencies and errors and enrich it with additional information, such as hierarchies, relationships, and attributes.

• Data governance and compliance: MDM solutions establish policies and procedures for managing and controlling the data and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

• Data sharing and syndication: MDM solutions make the data available to other applications and systems and enable it to be shared with external partners.