Frequently Asked Questions

ETIM is managed in Australia and New Zealand by the Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) according to the guidelines laid out by ETIM International.

No. ETIM is a data format or model which, if followed correctly, ensures that all manufacturers’ technical data is supplied consistently and accurately.

It is not a database although, of course, ETIM-ised data needs to be stored and maintained somewhere in your business. A “database” that’s ideally suited to this task is a Product Information Management (PIM) system.

A PIM will make a huge difference to your data management capabilities and should be considered as a long-term, strategic investment. PIM systems are excellent repositories for ETIM-ised data and other important data sets including Manufacturer Master Data, photos and other digital assets and marketing content.

There are plenty of PIMs on the market and if you need help finding the right one for your needs we can help. Call Lindsay Le Compte at Ai Group on +61 (0) 417 481 500

ETIM is confined to data relating to technical characteristics and performance. The kind of data which customers will use to search or filter on a web site and find products which match a particular specification or meet a specific need.

As an extension of regular ETIM product classes, ETIM Modelling Classes standardise parametric content for BIM objects. Parametrisation of (3D) BIM models is especially suitable for repeatable products that come in many sizes and dimensions but are similar in shape, like fittings, cable trays and pumps. Many commercial BIM content libraries use this technology, but all kept reinventing the same parametric models for pumps, vessels, junction boxes and windows. This results in manufacturers having to supply different data sets to different BIM platforms for exactly the same product.

ETIM Modelling Class data is both vendor and BIM standard independent, so that manufacturers are relieved from the constant burden to choose between BIM object file formats, BIM standards and platforms.

By standardising and separating the parametric content from appearance, manufacturers can now offer one data set with parameters for every BIM object, in any format. BIM objects in any library, on any software platform can be made as templates for consuming ETIM data. Without manufacturer-specific data these objects can serve generic design purposes, but they can also be made manufacturer-specific simply by loading a set of data.

In ETIM there is no provision for pricing data, no pictures, or free text space to write promotional marketing content.  On a web site ETIM data will be used in conjunction with these data elements.

While ETIM is a data format or model that pertains to the technical data of products, ETIM AUNZ is developing additional rules that will enable manufacturers to include reference to a product’s compliance with legislative or regulatory requirements that are being implemented in various Australian and New Zealand jurisdictions.

This is often referred to as a chain of responsibility obligation and these relate to traceability of products and obligations to provide information down the supply chain (eg manufacturers, distributors, designers, contractors and installers) as to a product’s compliance with relevant standards and whether it is fit for its intended purpose. These new responsibilities are important as they place legal obligations on company boards and managers with potentially severe penalties for non-compliance.

So, using ETIM across a manufacturer’s product range coupled with additional consistent information will be of assistance in meeting statutory and regulatory responsibilities.

Manufacturers know their products. However, if you supply incomplete, inaccurate or inconsistent technical product data along the supply chain, you risk two things:

• Your ultimate customers will overlook your products because the information they can find on the wholesaler’s website is incomplete, inaccurate or inconsistent when compared to another manufacturer’s product and you may also be in breach of chain of responsibility legislation.
• You leave the wholesaler to try and populate the missing information about your product with all the inherent risks that involves, especially when the wholesaler has to provide accurate data to purchasers and installers of your products.

By adopting ETIM you can provide data in a single format to many customers, you increase the chances of your products being selected and you remain in control.

Many distributors now require manufacturers to supply them with ETIM Classified Product Data.  Basic data such as the ETIM class codes can be provided using Microsoft Excel but we don’t recommend this for complex data such as ETIM features and values. Instead, ETIM Data is best provided in a BMEcat format or by uploading it into an industry data pool such as EDATA.

Manufacturers know their products. However, if you supply incomplete, inaccurate or inconsistent technical product data along the supply chain, you risk two things:

• Your ultimate customers will overlook your products because the information they can find on the wholesaler’s website is incomplete, inaccurate or inconsistent when compared to another manufacturer’s product and you may also be in breach of chain of responsibility legislation.
• You leave the wholesaler to try and populate the missing information about your product with all the inherent risks that involves, especially when the wholesaler has to provide accurate data to purchasers and installers of your products.

By adopting ETIM you can provide data in a single format to many customers, you increase the chances of your products being selected and you remain in control.

Firstly you need to identify the appropriate ETIM Class for each of your products.  You can review the Aust, NZ English versions of ETIM Classes using the ETIM Classification Management Tool (CMT) or ETIM Viewer. Please note that the Aust/NZ versions of ETIM English are compatible with the UK English version.

Secondly you can start applying the values to each feature, again guided by the CMT.  All this can be done using spreadsheets, but it is highly recommended that you invest in a PIM (Product Information Management) system which already has a built-in facility for applying ETIM data to your products.

Ai Group will be able to offer more advice.

One of the benefits of the ETIM Standard is the ease of translation from language to language. Every country has the same consistent ETIM Codes that are unique to each individual Class, Feature, Value and Unit; these unique identifiers are the key by which each country translates and manages their own in-country version of ETIM, tailoring it with local terminology.  For manufacturers who sell into different markets, you only have to create ETIM in one language as it is mapped automatically to other ETIM member languages.

“ETIM English” is the base language for ETIM. All new classes, features etc. are created in ETIM English from the outset and this serves as the basis for all the ETIM country organisations to develop their own translations. Because of this need it is worded in a way that makes the meaning clear to native speakers of many languages and often does not use UK market terminology.

But back to the original question:

“English (UK)” is the UK English translation that has been developed since 2017 by the EDA, and now ETIM UK Ltd, through industry working groups. This ETIM ‘language’ uses UK market terminology and everyday English translations and class synonyms to make the product classification better tailored to the UK Market. ETIM UK recommends that ETIM UK Ltd members using the Classification Management Tool always switch to English (UK) to avoid any confusion (this can be changed using the drop down in the top right hand corner).

“English (AUNZ)” is the Australian and New Zealand translation that was developed in 2023 in consultation with Australian working groups using the UK English as a template because many of the products in the UK translation are the same as, or substantially similar to, those available on the Australian and New Zealand markets.

The AUNZ English version of ETIM is reviewed and updated on a regular basis but at least yearly.

ETIM is probably the longest established standard for structured technical data.  However, as product data has grown in importance, other standards have emerged covering different data elements (GTIN/EAN codes), different classification structures (UNSPSC, eCl@ss) or data used at different stages in the construction process (BIM product data templates).  These serve a different purpose and complement, rather than compete with, ETIM.

Consider for a moment how you, as a consumer, research products online before buying.
You’ll probably put in a long-tail search into Google describing the product you’re looking for or the problem you want to solve. Here’s an example of a long-tail search “garden sheds with window for small garden”. You’d expect the SERP (Search Engine Results Page) to show you sheds with plenty of information concerning dimensions, size of windows, material it’s made of and so on. If that information is not easy to find, you’re unlikely to buy. The same is true for contractors whether they operate in the electro-technical, HVAC & Sanitary or Building Materials sectors.

If you’re not able to tell them how your products will perform, isn’t there a risk that they’ll buy from a brand that will?

Whether the ETIM Standard is a foreign concept to you or if you are aware of ETIM but do not need to classify products, we recommend perusing the ETIM standard through the ETIM Viewer. Formerly known as ‘ETIM in your Pocket’, the ETIM Viewer allows you to navigate the standard with ease and with the search function you can utilise the ETIM AUNZ synonyms to find what you are looking for.

For those working on classifying their company’s product data, the Classification Management Tool (CMT) can be used for a myriad of purposes:

• You are able to view the Standard in a more detailed and technical format;
• Solution providers who are members of ETIM AUNZ are able to utilise the API link to ensure that changes are automatically fed into your data platforms
• You can comment on Requests for Change and the ETIM Community offers a forum for conversation and support
• You are able to use the ETIM BMEcat Certification Tool to verify that your XML conforms to the standard and can request a certificate to provide to your customers alongside your data
• You are able to view any ongoing discussions or RFCs in real time, to see if your desired changes or topics have been raised before.  Some of these functions require you to log in to the CMT – ETIM AUNZ members can contact ETIM AUNZ to issue a user registration.

It will depend on the number and type of products you supply, the systems you use, and on whether you already hold product data in a structured form which can be converted to ETIM.

As a manufacturer, it would be advisable to check with your wholesalers which products they most want to sell through their web sites. Then you can prioritise these and see tangible results in the shortest possible time frame.

You can also contact ETIM AUNZ and we will assist you generally and also by providing you with the contact details of people and organisations with experience in data and with ETIM and they will be able to further assist you. But please note that ETIM AUNZ has no commercial relationships with service providers.

Yes. ETIM AUNZ welcomes approaches from industry solution providers who wish to integrate ETIM into their systems.

As the use of ETIM becomes more widespread, the ability to offer ETIM readiness “out of the box” will be a significant competitive advantage to solution providers.

BMEcat is an XML file format, specifically developed for transfer of product catalogue data. The format can accommodate not only the ETIM data but also other key data including product part numbers and descriptions, links to images, data sheets and other digital assets and packaging and logistics data.

A BMEcat file is not designed to be manually edited (e.g. in Excel) but it can be generated by many PIM systems and imported into data pools such as EDATA, other PIM systems and web-platforms.

As a wholesaler, when you receive a BMEcat file from a manufacturer you’ll want to check that the formatting is correct before you upload the file to your own systems. Similarly, as a manufacturer, you will want to check the BMEcat file output by your PIM before distributing to customers.  For that you’ll need access to the BMEcat Certification Tool or CT. There are certain country-specific variations to the format so when you upload a file to the CT you can choose which country you want to double check the format for. The CT will run the file and show you which fields, if any, require attention.

The CT tool is password protected and you’ll need a log in which ETIM AUNZ can create for you. Contact Lindsay Le Compte on +61 (0)417 481 500 or by email at lindsay.lecompte@aigroup.com.au

You’ll find more information in this ETIM International tutorial video.

In the past it was sufficient to supply basic product data such as part number, short description and price which was all wholesalers and merchants needed to sell the product.

Now as those companies move towards digital or multi-channel sales strategies you need to provide far richer data, enabling your products to be found and selected from their web sites. Manufacturers who don’t provide this data will lose out as their products won’t appear in search results or won’t contain enough information for buyers to select them with confidence.