At Nousmedis, we specialize in automating all kinds of publications (thanks to the EasyCatalog plugin for Adobe InDesign). We are also experts in detecting if your catalogs can be automated.
Throughout our more than 20 years of experience we have worked with all types of clients with very diverse needs. However, they all agree on one thing: they need automation solutions that will allow them to generate catalogs, manuals, price lists, textbooks, etc. in a more unattended, exponentially faster and error-free way.
We have also faced different needs in terms of data import. EasyCatalog allows import from a source as simple and universal as a text file – for example, a price list created in Microsoft Excel or a comma-delimited text file – directly from any ODBC-compatible database, such as FileMaker Pro, Microsoft Access, MySQL or Microsoft SQL Server, or from more complex solutions such as Sales Layer or Catalog Cloud.
But what happens if my data is somewhat scattered or if my catalog has very complex data presentation logics? What if it is multi-language and/or multi-currency? What if I have thousands of products and references? Will I be able to apply different corporate designs in the final result? Is my catalog really automatable? And by what percentage?
The answer is: yes, with Nousmedis, your catalog is automatable. And if, in addition, in our previous analysis we observe a series of important characteristics that, without knowing it, your catalog already fulfills, you will be on the right path to reach the almost 100% automation that almost 100% of the projects can be aimed at.
Catalog automation is an indispensable solution to optimize your processes and productivity. Here are 8 clues that tell us if your project has features that are already part of that solution:
1. The data source is well structured
The fundamental basis for effective automation is consistently structured data. If the information in your data source is already organized in a logical and consistent way, this will facilitate the implementation of EasyCatalog.
2. Product categorization follows a logic
If your products are organized in logical and coherent categories it will be easier to create sections and assign products. If the layout of your catalog does not follow a pre-established logical criterion, all is not lost. If you have not already done so, consider adding an order field in your data source.
3. There is consistency in the nomenclature
It is a very good sign if you have already determined a consistent nomenclature, not only for products but also for categories. For example: choosing to use upper or lower case consistently, deciding whether to use hyphens, underscores, or spaces to separate words, always avoiding certain special characters, etc. Consistency in nomenclature is key so that the automation programming always expects the same formatted data and a harmonious, unrestricted design can be produced.
4. The images are of high quality
If you have already made sure you have high quality, high resolution images for your products and vector files for logos, seals and iconography, you have already scored points in improving the visual quality of your catalog.
5. There is consistency in sizes and units
Expressing measures or dimensions consistently and in the same units is another good indicator of reflection and organization in data. Sometimes it is also useful and smart to add an extra field in your data source to specify the corresponding unit and avoid presentation problems.
6. You have already taken into account your language diversity
If your catalog requires output for multiple languages, play to your advantage and organize the data in a way that makes it easy to add translations to translatable fields. This will promote the expansion of your catalog to international markets.
7. Additional fields are clear
If there is additional information to be included in the catalog, such as specific attributes external to the product, it is a very good practice to have clear and structured external data sources for this data.
8. You already promote regular updating
You know better than anyone how regularly your catalog is updated. For frequent updates, it is best to consider implementing a system that allows automatic data extraction. Keeping the information updated is simple and efficient and helps to make your catalog automatable.
Regardless of your current catalog structure, following these tips will help you pave the way for a successful EasyCatalog implementation with us.
At Nousmedis, we want to provide you with the necessary support in your journey towards catalog automation. Make your company stand out with accurate and efficient catalogs!
Contact us and we’ll talk about how can we help you, and we’ll show you how much your catalog can be automated.