The Plytix Blog

How PIM Can Help You Quit Being Your Office’s ‘Data PA’

Written by Abigail Bosze | Mar 19, 2025 1:04:27 PM

Are you that person in the office? You know, the one everyone turns to when they can’t find the latest price list or need help figuring out which spreadsheet is the real source of truth.

Your official title might be Product Data Manager, Catalog Manager, Product Content Specialist, or you’re just the person who knows stuff—but you’re still the go-to for product information. 

Like which spreadsheet to open, where that elusive product image is stored, or how to fix the formulas that just broke…again.

You probably spend a good chunk of your day fielding questions like: “Where can I find that file?”, “Which version of this product spec is right?” and “Can you fix this formula?”.

Meanwhile, you’re secretly praying that no one accidentally breaks your spreadsheet—again. Sound familiar?

If this is hitting a little too close to home, you’re not alone. But don’t worry—there’s a better way. With a Product Information Management (PIM) system, you can finally stop being the office data assistant and start focusing on more important tasks.

Table of Contents

Why you need a PIM

1. People won’t be able to mess with your data anymore

2. Every department will be able to work with the same system

3. You won’t need to waste time finding product information for everyone anymore

4. Your product data and media assets can live together

5. You can connect your entire tech stack to one system

Get your time back with Plytix PIM

 

Why you need a PIM

If you’re tired of chasing data, fixing spreadsheets, and answering endless questions, a PIM system can help. Here’s how:

1. People won’t be able to mess with your data anymore

Managing product data shouldn’t feel like playing Jenga—but when everyone’s poking around your spreadsheets, it’s only a matter of time before something falls apart.

If you’ve ever opened a spreadsheet to find broken formulas, missing data, or incorrect product details, you know the frustration. Spreadsheets are fragile, and one accidental change can trigger a chain reaction of Excel errors that leave you scrambling to fix the mess.

The cost of data errors can be high—and the bigger your product catalog, the riskier spreadsheets become.

How PIM helps 

A PIM gives you the control you need to protect your product data and maintain data hygiene (which basically means keeping everything organized, accurate, and error-free). Here are some PIM features that can help you keep everything in tip-top shape:

  • Formula attributes: Create automated calculations (like discounts based on pricing) that are tied to data attributes and won’t break with one wrong click.
  • Version control and change log: Track who changed what—and easily change it back if something goes wrong.
  • Data permissions: Set clear rules to control who can make updates, keeping your data accurate and secure.
  • Data confidentiality: Protect sensitive product information by restricting access to only those who need it.

With these product data tools, you’ll have peace of mind that your data stays accurate and secure—and more time to focus on the work that actually matters. Because you’ve got better things to do than play spreadsheet babysitter.

2. Every department will be able to work with the same system

Managing product data isn’t just your job—your entire team relies on it. But when different departments work in their own systems, staying aligned becomes a challenge.

Sales uses Shopify. The warehouse runs on an ERP. Marketing has its own tools. Each team manages its own data, and without a shared space to collaborate, things get messy.

The result? Teams work in data silos (information is stuck in separate systems that don’t share updates), data gets duplicated or overwritten, and important updates slip through the cracks.

How PIM helps 

A PIM solution makes teamwork easy by giving everyone a shared space to manage product data—without stepping on each other’s toes.

  • Role-based access control (RBAC): Assign customized permissions so teams can only access what they need. For example:
    • Sales can view product information but can’t edit it.
    • Marketing can update descriptions but can’t modify SKUs or pricing.
    • Only authorized admins can control core product data like inventory and pricing.
  • Personalized views: Each team can set up their workspace to see only the data that’s relevant to them—helping them stay focused without risking other people’s work.

With a PIM, your entire team can collaborate confidently without overwriting each other’s changes, duplicating work, or constantly asking, “Where’s the latest version?” By giving your team a single, organized space to manage product data, you’ll improve collaboration, reduce errors, and keep your business moving forward—together.

3. You won’t need to waste time finding product information for everyone anymore

If your day is filled with questions like “Where’s the latest price list?”, “Can you send me the updated product description?”, or “Do you know which image goes with this product?”, you’ve become your team’s unofficial product data assistant.

You're the walking, talking product data encyclopedia—and it’s exhausting.

As a result, you spend way too much time managing endless product data queries instead of focusing on your actual responsibilities.

How PIM helps

PIM gets rid of the constant interruptions by giving your team the tools to find product information on their own.

  • Self-service product data access: A PIM acts as a team knowledge base, allowing your colleagues to search for product details without asking you.
  • Knowledge base creation: By centralizing information in a central product database, PIM makes product descriptions, prices, SKUs, and media files accessible to everyone.
  • Reduced data requests: With organized data and easy search features, your team can find answers without relying on you.
  • Data ownership boundaries: By establishing clear guidelines on who owns and manages product data, you create a smoother, more efficient product data workflow.
  • Product data training: A PIM can guide teams on how to access information properly, reducing dependency on you.

With a PIM in place, your team can confidently manage product data requests without your constant involvement. Instead of playing “data assistant,” you’ll finally have the space to focus on your real responsibilities—and reclaim your sanity in the process.

4. Your product data and media assets can live together

Managing product data is hard enough—but when you have to track down product images, videos, or documents separately, things get even messier.

Spreadsheets can’t store media files, which means you’re stuck manually matching assets to product data.

The result? Mismatched assets, incorrect product displays, and wasted time chasing down the right files.

How PIM helps

A PIM system that’s integrated with a Digital Asset Management (DAM) solution solves this by creating a centralized, automated system for linking product data with media assets.

  • DAM and PIM integration: A combined system automatically connects product data and media assets, making sure every product is linked to the right images, videos, and documents.
  • Automated DAM: Product assets are assigned to their corresponding products without the need for manual matching.
  • Product content sync: When you update a product description or swap out a product image, the change syncs across all sales channels automatically.
  • Media consistency: A DAM system make sure your product visuals remain accurate and uniform across ecommerce platforms, marketing materials, and customer portals.

With these features, a PIM + DAM combination keeps your product data and visuals aligned. By automating product data and media assets, you’ll improve efficiency and accuracy and maintain a stronger brand presence—all without the frustration of manual updates.

5. You can connect your entire tech stack to one system

When your systems don’t communicate, mistakes are inevitable.

Your ERP holds one version of your product data, Shopify holds another, and your CRM has yet another. Each system runs independently, creating data gaps.

The result? Price mismatches, incorrect product descriptions, and preventable product returns—all of which hurt customer trust and sales.

How PIM helps

A Product Information Management (PIM) system eliminates these gaps by acting as your single source of truth for product data.

  • Unified product data platform: A PIM centralizes your product information, making sure all systems pull data from the same source.
  • PIM integration: By connecting your PIM with key systems—like your ERP, Shopify, and CRM—you make sure data flows seamlessly across your tech stack.
  • Automated data sync: Any updates you make in your PIM instantly push to all integrated platforms, reducing the risk of manual entry errors.
  • Completeness tracking: A PIM makes it easier to spot and resolve inconsistencies, improving your data accuracy across channels.

With a PIM, your tech stack finally works with you, not against you. With all your platforms—from your ERP to Shopify—pulling data from one central source, you’ll reduce costly mistakes, speed up product launches, and keep your data accurate and consistent as your business grows.

Get your time back with Plytix PIM

Being the go-to person for product data might feel like part of the job—but it doesn’t have to be. With the right PIM, you can finally break free from endless data requests, chaotic spreadsheets, and messy media files.

A PIM centralizes your product information, protects it with secure access controls, and syncs it across your tech stack to keep everything accurate and consistent. Your team gets the tools to help themselves, your data stays clean and secure, and you finally get to focus on the work that really matters.

So, if you’re tired of fixing broken spreadsheets and playing “data assistant,” it’s time to make a change. See how Plytix PIM can take the pressure off and let you get back your time, your sanity, and your to-do list.