Preparing Your Data & How Product Enrichment Works
This article explains how to prepare and upload product data into Proton PIM, what happens during the enrichment process, how data is enhanced and validated, and how enrichment scales to support large product catalogs efficiently.
Preparing Your Data to Upload to PIM
Before uploading products into Proton PIM, it’s important to understand what data is required and what additional fields can improve quality, and eventually enrichment results.
Proton PIM is designed to work with the data you already have — not force you into a rigid format.
Required Fields
At a minimum, each product must include:
- Product ID
A unique identifier such as a SKU or ERP ID. This is required to track products, prevent duplicates, and align enriched data with your systems. - Product Description
A text description of the product’s features, attributes, or specifications. This field is critical because it helps Proton PIM identify the correct product during enrichment.
Without these two fields, products cannot be uploaded.
Optional (But Strongly Recommended) Fields
Providing additional information improves accuracy and completeness. Common optional fields include:
- Product name
- Brand
- Manufacturer part number (MPN)
- Category or taxonomy path
- Image URL
- UPC
- Any structured attributes you already have (size, material, voltage, etc.)
All additional fields are used as context during enrichment, even if they aren’t mapped to a specific attribute.
How Much Data Should You Include?
You don’t need perfect data to get started.
Best practice:
- Start with what you already have
- Include all available fields in your upload
- When needed, let Proton PIM enrich and standardize the rest
Example: Sample Upload
The format below allows Proton PIM to demonstrate value quickly before scaling to your full catalog. Having your products initially uploaded in this format will not only allow more product information to flow into Proton PIM, it will also help ensure your data is set up well for potential enrichment.
|
Product ID |
Product Name |
Product Description |
Image URL |
Add’l Fields |
|
1234-567 |
Repair Tape: Self-fusing Tape, Er Tape, 1 In X 12 Yd, Black With Green Stripe |
Metalized duct tape is a cloth-backed tape that has been coated with a thin layer of metal. The cloth backing makes the tape conformable, and the metalized coating blends with ductwork, foil-covered sheathing and insulation. |
https://quantumindustrial.com/product/ER-TAPE-Repair-Tape-Self-Fusing-Tape-32XV29 |
To be filled with any add’l product information |
|
8912-101 |
Class 1 Electrical Glove: 7500v Ac / 11,250v Dc, 16 In Glove Lg, Straight Cuff, Black/orange, 1 Pr |
These electrical-insulating rubber gloves meet NFPA 70E Voltage Class 1 standards. Voltage Class 1 protects workers up to 7500VAC. Workers should use a voltage class rating that matches the requirements set by their work site. |
https://quantumindustrial.com/product/ER-TAPE-Repair-Tape-Self-Fusing-Tape-32XV29 |
A typical CSV upload might include:
- Product ID
- Product name
- Product description
- Image URL
- Additional identifying fields
Once your data is prepared, you’re ready to upload products.
How Product Enrichment Works
Product enrichment is the process where Proton PIM transforms raw product inputs into structured, standardized product records.
This process occurs when you select a product or products to enrich in your products page.
What Happens During Enrichment?
During enrichment, Proton PIM:
- Analyzes the product description and identifiers
- Gathers information from trusted sources
- Generates standardized product names and descriptions
- Extracts technical specifications
- Identifies manufacturer and brand details
- Suggests categories and relevant attributes
- Generates keywords and synonyms to improve searchability
The goal is to produce a complete, usable product record that can be confidently reviewed and approved.
Accuracy and Data Quality
Proton PIM prioritizes accuracy over completeness:
- When data conflicts, unreliable values may be excluded
- Some attributes may be left blank if trustworthy information isn’t available
- Source references are provided where possible to support verification
This ensures your catalog remains reliable rather than filled with guessed data.
Enrichment at Scale
For bulk enrichment:
- Products are enriched in parallel
- Large catalogs can be processed efficiently
- Enrichment continues in the background while you work elsewhere in Proton