Push-to-Publish: Database Publishing at fischer

fischer, known for their wall plugs and fastening solutions, is a family-owned company from the Black Forest that was founded in 1948. Discover how fischer has automated publishing through central data storage and optimized processes, so that catalog pages, as well as line drawings, are now created almost incidentally in day-to-day business. Throughout this article, we explain the initial situation, the implementation plan, and share important insights and the advantages achieved.

From “data last” to “data first”: How fischer transformed its data processes

The existing data management and production processes at fischer were increasingly reaching their limits. Product data was entered manually into Office documents and transferred to the PIM system at a late stage. This approach led to incomplete information, delays and an inefficient workflow.

To meet these challenges, fischer initially launched a preliminary project to fundamentally redesign key processes. Later, a new Informatica PIM system was implemented in collaboration with Parsionate and the publishing solution priint:suite was integrated.

With this step, fischer completed the paradigm shift from a “data last” to a “data first” approach. Today, data is collected early, consistently, and in a structured way, which has led to significant improvements in processes.

In addition to the automation of catalog production, another milestone achieved was the automation of line drawings. Thanks to the linking of specific product data from the PIM system, these can now be automatically provided with the correct dimensions and information – precisely, efficiently and error-free.

From challenge to vision

Before the switchover, the data flow was highly centralized: 30 national subsidiaries delivered their content to the central PIM team in the form of Excel spreadsheets. This process was time-consuming, resource-intensive and often blocked by approval loops.
The vision was clear:

• Accelerated time to market: Bring products to market faster and more efficiently
• Promoting independence: Country organizations should be able to work independently with the PIM system
• Driving automation: Especially in the area of print production

The central task of supplying retailers with the information, data and materials they need to ensure smooth sales and successful marketing is at the heart of all of fischer's marketing activities. Therefore, it’s not only important to provide retailers with visually appealing catalogs, but most importantly with up-to-date, precise and easily accessible data.

The project timeline

The project was a demanding and intensive challenge, but now fischer can generate thousands of catalog pages at the push of a button. Between 2018 and 2021, the company went through an intensive project phase. Originally, it was planned to finalize the central catalog in 2021 and then move on to the price list. However, due to strategic priorities, the catalog process was put on hold in favor of the price list. The catalog pages were revised and recreated step by step, alongside day-to-day business. In 2022, fischer was finally able to successfully revise the division catalogs, which is comprised of around 2,500 pages.

In the following years, 2022 and 2023, catalog production was continuously optimized, with the clear and structured database being the key to increased efficiency and automation. Today, fischer can generate content almost automatically. Catalogs containing technical data and tables are available for customers to download from the fischer website – an important part of the catalogs, especially given the complexity of technical data tables.

Looking at the success factors

Harmonizing layouts was a crucial point in the operational approach to this project. Graphics departments were involved at an early stage to ensure that technical requirements and design demands were seamlessly integrated. Standardized tools and best practice approaches were also crucial to the success of the project. This meant integrating logic into the templates that could flexibly adapt catalog pages to the data from the PIM system.

The development of two main table layouts and variable layouts was an important measure in reducing technical complexity while still allowing the necessary flexibility.

From the PIM definition to the finished catalog production: A well-thought-out workflow for data maintenance andout put structure

• Highest data quality: Today, nearly 100% of product data comes from the central PIM system
• Automation at record levels: Catalog production is automated at 97-99%
• Significant time savings: The workload in the publishing team could be reduced by 1.5 to 2 FTE - the time gained is now used for innovative use cases
• Error-free processes: Automated line drawings are precise and always provided with the correct dimensions, which raises data quality to a new level

Automated creation: Catalog pages, line drawings and packaging designs based on central data

Takeaways and findings

An important factor for success was the preliminary project that fischer helped to get early commitment from management. In addition, clear processes, the collaboration of a compact team with decision-making authority and consistent project implementation throughout the entire duration were crucial. Another key to success was the careful cleansing of the data before migration to ensure high quality from the start.

Current developments and outlook

fischer continues to make progress in automation and is achieving great success by using Gen AI. With the help of this AI technology, texts are automatically translated efficiently and accurately, significantly improving both data quality and efficiency in data management. Another highlight is the automated creation of line drawings, which are adapted precisely and error-free in conjunction with the article-specific data from the PIM system.

Current developments show that fischer is on the right track; processes have been optimized through AI-supported solutions, which increases both efficiency and data quality. In the future, fischer plans to continue down this path, relying more heavily on automation and AI to respond to the increasing demands for data management and catalog production.