PIM and product data glossary
Plain definitions of the terms used across PIM, MDM, DAM, syndication, product data standards, EU regulation and AI.
3D asset
- A 3D asset is a digital three-dimensional model of a product, including geometry, materials and textures, used for interactive viewers, augmented reality, configurators and rendered images. Product 3D assets are usually created from CAD data or scans and managed in a DAM with renditions in delivery formats such as glTF and USDZ. Read: 3D, AR and video product content: managing rich media
Agentic commerce
- Agentic commerce is buying and selling in which AI agents act on behalf of users, for example by searching for products, comparing offers, checking specifications and completing purchases with limited human input. It places high demands on product data: machine-readable attributes, accurate prices and availability, clear identifiers and structured policies. Read: Agentic commerce: preparing product data for AI shopping agents
AI Act
- The AI Act is Regulation (EU) 2024/1689, the European Union's horizontal law on artificial intelligence, which classifies AI systems by risk and sets obligations for providers and deployers. The Digital Omnibus on AI, Regulation (EU) 2026/1744, postponed obligations for stand-alone high-risk systems to 2 December 2027 and for high-risk systems embedded in products to 2 August 2028. Read: The EU AI Act: what product content teams need to know
API-first
- API-first is a design approach in which a software product exposes all of its functions through documented application programming interfaces before, or alongside, any user interface. For PIM and DAM, an API-first design means that integrations, automation and custom front ends can read and write the same data and actions available to users. Read: PIM integration architecture: ERP, commerce, DAM and APIs
Attribute
- An attribute is a single, named characteristic of a product, such as width, voltage, colour, material or marketing description. In a PIM, each attribute has a data type, optional unit, validation rules and sometimes a value list. Well-defined attributes make product data filterable, comparable and exportable to classification standards and channel templates. Read: Product data modelling: families, attributes and variants
Auto-tagging
- Auto-tagging is the automatic assignment of keywords, categories or attributes to digital assets using computer vision and machine learning, for example recognising product type, colour, scene or text in an image. In DAM systems, auto-tagging speeds up metadata entry and search, but tags still require vocabulary control and spot checks for accuracy. Read: AI auto-tagging and visual search in DAM
BMEcat
- BMEcat is an XML-based standard for exchanging electronic product catalogues between suppliers and buyers, widely used in German-speaking and European B2B markets. A BMEcat file carries product identifiers, descriptions, prices, media references and classified attributes, often using ETIM or ECLASS. The most common version in use is BMEcat 2005. Read: ETIM, BMEcat and ECLASS: B2B product data standards
C2PA
Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity- C2PA (Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity) publishes a technical specification for recording where digital content came from and how it was changed. Signed statements about an asset are bound to it with cryptographic hashes in a C2PA manifest, stored as Content Credentials. DAM teams use it to label AI-generated or edited product imagery. Read: Managing usage rights and licences in DAM
CDN
Content delivery network- A CDN (content delivery network) is a distributed network of servers that caches and delivers files, such as product images and videos, from locations close to the end user. DAM and PIM platforms use CDNs to serve renditions quickly to webshops and apps worldwide, often combined with on-the-fly image resizing and format conversion. Read: What is DAM? Digital asset management for product-led businesses
Channel
- A channel is any destination through which product information reaches buyers, such as an own webshop, mobile app, marketplace, retailer, distributor, print catalogue, point of sale or procurement system. In a PIM, each channel can have its own attribute set, locales, completeness rules, asset formats and export schedule. Read: Product data syndication: reaching retailers and marketplaces
Completeness score
- A completeness score is a metric showing what share of the required attributes, media and documents for a product is filled for a given channel and locale, usually expressed as a percentage. PIM systems calculate it from rules per family and channel, and teams use it to gate publication and to prioritise enrichment work. Read: Product data quality: metrics, completeness and scoring
Composable commerce
- Composable commerce is an approach to building digital commerce from independent, interchangeable components, such as PIM, search, cart, checkout, content management and pricing, selected from different vendors and connected through APIs. It gives flexibility to change individual parts, but requires stronger integration, orchestration and governance capabilities than a single suite. Read: PIM integration architecture: ERP, commerce, DAM and APIs
- Content syndication is the distribution of rich product content, such as enhanced descriptions, image galleries, videos, comparison charts and feature tiles, to retailer and marketplace product pages. It complements syndication of core attributes and is often delivered through retailer-specific templates or embedded content services rather than standard data feeds. Read: Product data syndication: reaching retailers and marketplaces
cXML
Commerce eXtensible Markup Language- cXML (commerce XML) is an XML-based protocol created by Ariba for exchanging business documents between procurement applications, e-commerce hubs and suppliers. It covers punchout sessions, purchase orders and changes, order confirmations, ship notices, invoices and catalogue content, and is widely supported by procurement suites and supplier e-commerce platforms. Read: PIM for B2B e-commerce: catalogues, pricing context and punchout
DAM
Digital asset management- DAM (digital asset management) is software for storing, describing, finding, approving and distributing digital files such as product photos, videos, 3D models, documents and brand assets. A DAM system manages metadata, versions, usage rights and renditions, and typically supplies approved product media to a PIM, website or marketing tools through links or APIs. Read: What is DAM? Digital asset management for product-led businesses
Data pool
- A data pool is a service that stores and exchanges product data on behalf of suppliers and recipients within GS1's Global Data Synchronisation Network. Each data pool must be certified and tested by GS1 and connects to the GS1 Global Registry. A company needs to join only one certified data pool to reach trading partners on any other pool. Read: GS1, GTINs and GDSN explained
Data quality rule
- A data quality rule is a defined, testable condition that product data must meet, such as a mandatory attribute, an allowed value range, a valid GTIN check digit or a minimum image resolution. PIM systems run these rules automatically on import or edit, report violations, and can block publication of records that fail them. Read: Product data quality: metrics, completeness and scoring
Data steward
- A data steward is the person accountable for the quality, definitions and correct use of a defined set of data, such as the product attributes for one category or region. In product data governance, data stewards maintain attribute definitions and value lists, resolve data issues, approve changes and monitor quality metrics. Read: Product data governance: roles, workflows and ownership
Digital Product Passport
DPP- A Digital Product Passport (DPP) is a structured digital record of a product's sustainability, circularity and compliance information, established by the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (EU) 2024/1781. It is linked to a unique product identifier and accessed through a data carrier such as a QR code. Delegated acts define its content per product group. Read: The Digital Product Passport and PIM: preparing for ESPR
EAA
European Accessibility Act- The EAA (European Accessibility Act) is Directive (EU) 2019/882 on accessibility requirements for products and services. Member States apply its measures from 28 June 2025, and it covers e-commerce services provided to consumers. For product content, it raises requirements for text alternatives for images, accessible product information and accessible online shops. Read: The European Accessibility Act and product content
ECLASS
- ECLASS is a classification and product description standard for products and services, maintained by ECLASS e.V. and described by its publisher as ISO/IEC-compliant. It defines classes, properties, values and units in a machine-readable form, and is widely used in industrial procurement, engineering and Industry 4.0 applications. Release 16.0 is the current version in 2026. Read: ETIM, BMEcat and ECLASS: B2B product data standards
Enrichment
- Enrichment is the process of adding the information needed to sell a product to its basic record, such as descriptions, technical attributes, classifications, images, documents, translations and relationships. Enrichment may be manual, rule-based or AI-assisted, and is usually organised as a workflow with defined owners, quality checks and approval before publication. Read: AI enrichment: attribute extraction, classification and translation
ERP
Enterprise resource planning- ERP (enterprise resource planning) is the core transactional system for finance, purchasing, inventory, production and order management. For product data, ERP is usually the system of record for item numbers, units of measure, costs, prices and stock. It rarely holds the rich descriptive content, media and classified attributes that a PIM manages for sales channels. Read: PIM and ERP: which system should own which product data
ESPR
Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation- ESPR (Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation) is Regulation (EU) 2024/1781, which entered into force on 18 July 2024 and repealed the Ecodesign Directive 2009/125/EC. It sets a framework for product-group ecodesign requirements, introduces the Digital Product Passport and bans the destruction of unsold apparel and footwear. Delegated acts apply it to specific product groups. Read: The Digital Product Passport and PIM: preparing for ESPR
ETIM
ElectroTechnical Information Model- ETIM is an open classification standard for technical products that defines product classes with their features, values and units. It began in the Dutch electrotechnical sector and now covers HVAC, plumbing, building materials, tools and shipbuilding. ETIM International coordinates it with member organisations representing 21 countries, and ETIM 10.0 was released on 5 December 2024. Read: ETIM, BMEcat and ECLASS: B2B product data standards
GDSN
Global Data Synchronisation Network- GDSN (Global Data Synchronisation Network) is a GS1 network that lets trading partners share standardised product data automatically. Suppliers publish data through a GS1-certified data pool, which connects to the GS1 Global Registry, and subscribing retailers receive updates through their own data pool. It is widely used in grocery, consumer goods and healthcare. Read: GS1, GTINs and GDSN explained
Generative AI
- Generative AI is a category of artificial intelligence that creates new content, such as text, images, audio or code, based on patterns learned from training data. In product content, generative AI drafts descriptions, titles, translations and image variations, which teams then review against brand, accuracy and regulatory requirements before publication. Read: Generative AI for product descriptions: quality and governance
GEO
Generative engine optimisation- GEO (generative engine optimisation) is the practice of structuring and writing content so that AI assistants and AI-driven search engines can find, understand, trust and cite it in generated answers. For product content, GEO relies on complete structured attributes, clear definitions, schema.org markup, consistent identifiers and factual, quotable descriptions. Read: Generative engine optimisation (GEO) for product content
glTF
GL Transmission Format- glTF (GL Transmission Format) is a Khronos Group format for efficient transmission and loading of 3D content in applications and on the web. Version glTF 2.0 was published as the international standard ISO/IEC 12113:2022 in July 2022. It is widely used for web-based 3D product viewers and augmented reality. Read: 3D, AR and video product content: managing rich media
Golden record
- A golden record is the single, consolidated and trusted version of a data entity, such as a product, created by matching, merging and validating data from several source systems. In MDM, survivorship rules decide which source wins for each attribute. Downstream systems then consume the golden record instead of maintaining their own conflicting copies. Read: PIM vs MDM: where product information ends and master data begins
GPSR
General Product Safety Regulation- GPSR (General Product Safety Regulation) is Regulation (EU) 2023/988, which applies from 13 December 2024. For distance sales, Article 19 requires offers to show the manufacturer's identity and contact details, an EU responsible person where relevant, information identifying the product, and any warnings or safety information. These become mandatory fields in PIM. Read: GPSR: product safety information obligations for online sellers
GS1 Digital Link
- GS1 Digital Link is a GS1 standard for expressing GS1 identifiers, such as the GTIN, batch or serial number, as web addresses. Encoded in a QR code or other carrier, one GS1 Digital Link can serve point-of-sale scanning and link consumers to online information. QR codes carrying it are one of the 2D options retailers are preparing to scan under Sunrise 2027. Read: GS1, GTINs and GDSN explained
GTIN
Global Trade Item Number- A GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) is a GS1 identifier for trade items, used to identify products uniquely across companies and channels. GTINs have 8, 12, 13 or 14 digits and are encoded in barcodes such as EAN-13 and UPC-A. GS1 allocates a company prefix to each member, which then assigns item references to its products. Read: GS1, GTINs and GDSN explained
Headless
- Headless describes an architecture in which the back-end system that stores and manages content or commerce logic is separated from the front-end presentation layer, and the two communicate through APIs. A headless PIM or commerce platform supplies product data to any number of front ends, such as websites, apps, kiosks and marketplaces. Read: PIM integration architecture: ERP, commerce, DAM and APIs
IPTC
International Press Telecommunications Council- The IPTC Photo Metadata Standard, published by the International Press Telecommunications Council, defines descriptive, administrative and rights properties for images, such as creator, caption, keywords, copyright notice and licensing details. Its values are embedded in image files using XMP and the older IIM format. Version 2025.1 is current. Read: DAM metadata and taxonomy design
LLM
Large language model- An LLM (large language model) is a neural network trained on very large text collections to predict and generate language. LLMs power chat assistants and many PIM features, such as description writing, attribute extraction, classification suggestions and translation. Their output can contain errors, so product teams pair them with source data, rules and human review. Read: AI in PIM: what delivers value in 2026
Localisation
- Localisation is the adaptation of product content to a specific market, covering translation as well as units of measure, size systems, currencies, legal statements, cultural references and channel conventions. A PIM supports localisation through locale-specific attributes, inheritance from a base language, translation workflows and completeness checks per locale. Read: AI enrichment: attribute extraction, classification and translation
MACH
Microservices, API-first, Cloud-native, Headless- MACH is an architecture principle combining microservices, API-first design, cloud-native deployment and headless delivery, promoted by the not-for-profit MACH Alliance founded in 2020. In product data, MACH-aligned PIM, DAM and commerce services are deployed independently and connected through APIs, so each component can be replaced without rebuilding the whole stack. Read: PIM integration architecture: ERP, commerce, DAM and APIs
Marketplace
- A marketplace is an online platform on which third-party sellers list and sell products to buyers, with the platform operating the storefront, search and often payment. Marketplaces impose their own category trees, mandatory attributes, value lists and image rules, so sellers usually map PIM data to each marketplace's requirements through feeds or APIs. Read: PIM for retail and fashion: speed, seasons and marketplaces
MDM
Master data management- MDM (master data management) is the discipline of creating and maintaining a single, trusted version of core business entities such as products, customers, suppliers and locations across enterprise systems. Product MDM focuses on identifiers, hierarchies and operational attributes shared by ERP, supply chain and finance, while PIM focuses on the commercial content used to sell products. Read: PIM vs MDM: where product information ends and master data begins
Metadata
- Metadata is structured information that describes other data or files, such as the title, keywords, product codes, photographer, rights and expiry date attached to an image. In DAM and PIM, consistent metadata makes assets searchable, links them to the right products and controls where and how long they may be used. Read: DAM metadata and taxonomy design
OCI
Open Catalog Interface- OCI (Open Catalog Interface) is a punchout protocol developed by SAP that connects a buyer's procurement system to a supplier's online catalogue. After the buyer checks out, the catalogue posts the basket lines, including description, supplier part number, quantity, unit and price, as HTTP form fields to a return address supplied by the buyer's system. Read: PIM for B2B e-commerce: catalogues, pricing context and punchout
PIM
Product information management- PIM (product information management) is the discipline and software used to collect, enrich, govern and publish the marketing and technical information that describes products. A PIM system holds attributes, descriptions, classifications, relationships and links to media in one governed repository, and distributes channel-ready product data to webshops, marketplaces, print, retailers and distributors. Read: What is PIM? A practical definition of product information management
PLM
Product lifecycle management- PLM (product lifecycle management) is software that manages a product from concept and engineering through manufacturing, change control and retirement. PLM holds specifications, bills of materials, CAD references and engineering changes. In a typical architecture, approved PLM data is handed to ERP for operations and to PIM for commercial enrichment and publication. Read: PIM and PLM: handing product data from engineering to commerce
Product content supply chain
- The product content supply chain is the end-to-end flow of product information and media from creation to consumption, covering engineering or supplier input, enrichment, asset production, approval, localisation, syndication and performance feedback. Managing it as a supply chain means measuring lead times, quality and bottlenecks at every step. Read: The product content supply chain: from creation to channel
Product family
- A product family is a group of products that share the same set of attributes and often the same descriptive content, such as all office chairs or all LED drivers. In a PIM, the family defines which attributes apply and which are mandatory, and serves as the parent from which variants inherit shared values. Read: Product data modelling: families, attributes and variants
Product feed
- A product feed is a structured file or data stream containing product records formatted to the specification of a receiving channel, such as a shopping engine, marketplace or advertising platform. Feeds usually include identifiers, titles, descriptions, prices, availability, images and category mappings, and are refreshed on a schedule or by API. Read: Product data syndication: reaching retailers and marketplaces
Punchout
- Punchout is a B2B purchasing method in which a buyer leaves their procurement system, shops in a supplier's online catalogue and returns the selected basket to the procurement system as a requisition for approval. The main protocols are SAP's Open Catalog Interface (OCI) and cXML. Punchout keeps catalogue content and prices under the supplier's control. Read: PIM for B2B e-commerce: catalogues, pricing context and punchout
PXM
Product experience management- PXM (product experience management) is an approach to product content that extends PIM with channel-specific storytelling, context and optimisation. It covers tailoring descriptions, media and attributes to each channel, audience and market, and measuring how that content performs. Several vendors use the term for PIM products that add syndication, content scoring and analytics. Read: What is PXM? Product experience management and its relationship to PIM
RAG
Retrieval-augmented generation- RAG (retrieval-augmented generation) is a technique in which an AI system retrieves relevant documents or records from a defined source, such as a PIM or knowledge base, and supplies them to a language model as context for its answer. RAG grounds generated text in approved product data and reduces invented facts. Read: AI in PIM: what delivers value in 2026
Rendition
- A rendition is a derived version of a digital asset produced for a specific use, such as a thumbnail, a web-optimised JPEG, a WebP file, a marketplace image at a required size or a print-resolution TIFF. DAM systems generate renditions automatically from a master file, so channels receive correctly formatted files without manual export. Read: What is DAM? Digital asset management for product-led businesses
Rights management
- Rights management is the control of how digital assets may be used under licences, contracts and consents, covering permitted channels, territories, time periods, credits and model or property releases. In a DAM, rights metadata and expiry dates restrict downloads and distribution, and trigger alerts before an image or video may no longer be used. Read: Managing usage rights and licences in DAM
Schema.org Product
- Schema.org Product is a structured data type from the schema.org vocabulary for describing any offered product or service on a web page. Properties include name, brand, sku, gtin, mpn, offers and aggregateRating, typically published as JSON-LD. Search engines and AI systems read this markup to understand product pages and show product details. Read: Generative engine optimisation (GEO) for product content
SKU
Stock keeping unit- A SKU (stock keeping unit) is an identifier a company assigns internally to each distinct item it stocks or sells, such as one size and colour of a garment. SKUs are merchant-specific, so the same product carries different SKUs at different companies. Global identification across trading partners uses the GTIN, while the SKU supports internal inventory and ordering. Read: Product data modelling: families, attributes and variants
Supplier onboarding
- Supplier onboarding is the process of collecting, validating and importing product data and assets from suppliers into a retailer's or distributor's systems. It typically combines standard feeds such as GDSN or BMEcat, supplier portals with templates and validation, and mapping rules that convert each supplier's structure into the receiving company's data model. Read: PIM for wholesale and distribution: supplier onboarding at scale
- Syndication is the automated distribution of product data and assets from a company's systems to external channels such as retailers, marketplaces, distributors and data pools. Syndication tools map the master data to each recipient's taxonomy, attributes and formats, validate it against their rules and deliver it by API, file or network. Read: Product data syndication: reaching retailers and marketplaces
Taxonomy
- A taxonomy is a hierarchical scheme that organises products into categories and subcategories, such as a navigation tree on a webshop or an internal classification. In product data, companies often maintain several taxonomies in parallel: a master classification that drives attributes, navigation trees per channel, and mappings to external standards such as ETIM, ECLASS or UNSPSC. Read: Designing a product taxonomy and classification scheme
Translation memory
- A translation memory is a database of previously translated text segments paired with their source text, used by translation tools to reuse approved translations for repeated or similar content. In product data, translation memories reduce cost and keep terminology consistent across thousands of similar descriptions, attribute values and documents. Read: AI enrichment: attribute extraction, classification and translation
UNSPSC
United Nations Standard Products and Services Code- UNSPSC (United Nations Standard Products and Services Code) is an open, global, multi-sector standard for classifying products and services in a hierarchical code set. GS1 US manages it on behalf of the United Nations Development Programme. It is used mainly in procurement and spend analysis, where buyers ask suppliers for a UNSPSC code per catalogue line. Read: Designing a product taxonomy and classification scheme
Variant
- A variant is a version of a product that differs from its siblings on one or more defined axes, such as size, colour, voltage or capacity. Variants inherit shared content from a parent product or model and carry their own identifiers, such as a GTIN, and axis-specific values. Good variant modelling avoids duplicate records and supports channel parent-child listings. Read: Product data modelling: families, attributes and variants
Webhook
- A webhook is an automated HTTP message that one system sends to another when a defined event occurs, such as a product being approved or an asset being updated. Webhooks let PIM and DAM systems notify downstream systems in near real time, which reduces the need for frequent polling or large scheduled exports. Read: PIM integration architecture: ERP, commerce, DAM and APIs
Workflow
- A workflow is a defined sequence of tasks, roles and approval steps that a product record passes through, such as creation, enrichment, translation, legal review and publication. PIM workflows assign tasks to users or groups, track status and deadlines, and ensure that only approved data reaches sales channels. Read: Product data governance: roles, workflows and ownership
XMP
Extensible Metadata Platform- XMP (Extensible Metadata Platform) is a framework for embedding metadata in digital files, such as images, PDFs and videos, so that the information travels with the file. Adobe introduced it in 2001, and its core data model was standardised as ISO 16684-1 in 2012. IPTC photo metadata is commonly stored using XMP. Read: DAM metadata and taxonomy design