FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions.
Here are some common questions about SkuDB.
Is SkuDB a PIM?
Product Information Management (PIM) refers to a class of software that acts as a master repository of product information for syndication to different consuming systems. PIMs have strong production environments for master taxonomy management but tend to be inefficient, inflexible environments for taxonomy design, product reclassification, and attribute design. While SkuDB has many PIM-like features, the application is optimized for a fluid product information design process, which means it is easier to make changes to the taxonomy, attributes, and related metadata. Some of our customers use SkuDB as a “pre-PIM” environment, or as a governance and analytics environment for PIM data, but SkuDB is not an enterprise MDM hub like a traditional PIM.
Is SkuDB a PXM?
Product Experience Management (PXM) refers to a class of software that acts as a mediator and controller for customer-focused product experiences, blending aspects of PIM, CMS and ecommerce platforms. While SkuDB has many PXM-like features related to optimizing taxonomy, attributes and related metadata to drive customer experiences, it is not a PXM that holds and syndicates master production data. SkuDB is used to design PXM data, but is not typically a master data hub.
Can I use SkuDB to design taxonomies for non-product entities?
SkuDB’s features are optimized for product information, but the application can also handle non-product entities like Brands, Industries, and Applications. Some users operate in complex product sales and marketing environments and have used SkuDB to manage taxonomies related to customer personas and geographical regions.
How many users can SkuDB support?
SkuDB features a scalable environment that can accommodate more than 100 concurrent users. Users can work in the application simultaneously and make edits and changes instantly. In practice, design teams working in SkuDB range in size from 1 to 10 active users with editing permissions, with additional read-only users as required.
Where does data loaded to SkuDB typically come from?
Users load data from a variety of systems into SkuDB. Some of those systems include ERP, CMS, DAM, or PIM systems, as well as other sources such as excel files, catalogs, price lists, and other product data repositories. Any structured data can be loaded into SkuDB, but the easiest data to load is comma separated text files. Source data can be loaded directly by users with SkuDB’s upload functionality.
Where does data designed in SkuDB typically end up?
Data from SkuDB typically ends up in PIM, DAM, CMS, PXM, ecommerce platforms and other product information repositories. SkuDB allows one-click exports for most major PIMs and custom exports can be created easily.
Can I manage multiple taxonomies in SkuDB?
Yes, SkuDB can handle hundreds of taxonomies, and creating a new taxonomy can be done in a few clicks. Most users create fewer than 10 taxonomies (typically a mix of master and display taxonomies with variations for specific markets and regions), but there is no inherent limit in SkuDB on the number of taxonomies that can be created.
How does data from SkuDB get into my PIM?
Data is exported into a load-ready format for PIM using the SkuDB export functionality, and most major PIM systems have a load template that can be aligned with SkuDB exports. Export customization is a simple task in SkuDB, and allows for alignment with the unique PIM upload requirements of each project.
How does data from SkuDB get to into my search engine?
SkuDB has a simple export functionality that allows a search thesaurus, indexed attributes, or redirects to be exported to search technology easily. Exports are customizable, which makes it easy to align with specific formats required by search technologies like Solr and Elastic.
How is SkuDB different than other taxonomy management applications?
SkuDB is purpose built for product data, which makes it different than other taxonomy management applications that are more generalized to accomodate domains like legal, financial services, media and education. SkuDB’s standard functionalities make working with products easy, and include multiple product tiers, SKU summary views, navigation analytics and product listing page (PLP) preview mode. SkuDB’s focus is to design, govern and analyze taxonomies that are mastered in other applications.
Who typically uses SkuDB?
SkuDB is typically used by Information Architects, Taxonomists, Data Stewards, Product Managers, Content Analysts, Master Data Management Specialists, Product Data Specialists, PIM technicians, Ecommerce Managers and other product taxonomy and product experience stakeholders. Users are segmented into 3 standard permission groups: admin, standard and read-only.
In what ways is SkuDB customizable?
Metadata, reporting, screen views and many aspects of the data model are configurable. Some users choose to customize the application to organization-specific design and governance requirements, including data load templates, user-specific analytics, preview modes and custom exports and APIs. Examples of customizations include a part number generator, rules-based descriptions, and feeds to or from master data sources. Users work with SkuDB developers to build customizations as needed, at a fixed hourly rate. Some customers identify required customizations before using the application, others identify customization opportunities after using the application for a while, and others never require customizations.
Is SkuDB compatible with my ERP/PIM/PXM/DAM?
If a given ERP, PIM, PXM, or DAM can consume text, CSV, XML or excel data, then SkuDB can almost always hit the target format. The interface makes it easy to export data with a single click, whether that is for data loads, review files, or ad hoc analysis. SkuDB developers can set up custom export formats to meet the requirements of whatever consuming system is receiving your data.
Is SkuDB compatible with my e-commerce platform?
Yes, SkuDB is system agnostic and imports/exports can be customized to the specific needs of any ecommerce platform. Ecommerce is one of the most common targets for data structures designed and built in SkuDB, and we have a variety of preconfigured and customizable export templates configured for Hybris, Sitecore, Magento and other platforms.
Does SkuDB manage product images and other product assets?
Yes, SkuDB can store images for products, attributes, categories, and other entities. Other assets like documents, videos, design files, presentations, etc. can by hyperlinked and associated with any entity. Although SkuDB is not a DAM, it can be used to aggregate and review images before they are loaded to DAM.
Can SkuDB be used for print catalogs?
Yes, SkuDB can be used to design and store product data for print catalog layout structures. User-defined metadata at the category level, item multiclassification and table view features all contribute to support print catalog design. Although SkuDB can be used to design and analyze print catalog copy and layout structures (e.g., sections, sub-sections), content is typically exported to separate application for final pagination and copyediting.
How does SkuDB manage access control and user permissions?
SkuDB has multiple user profile types (administrative, standard, read-only) to manage access, security, and govern users. Additional controls to restrict access at the category, attribute or field level can be configured for more refined access control. In general, users can be summarized in three permission groups: Admin: Users with advanced administrative and reporting functionality. Standard: Standard users can edit, report and export all data elements, and can open and close issues. Read-Only: Read-only users can access the application and view all data in real time, but do not have permission to edit or change any data.