Thomas Kern
Herby Tessadri
Application modules at a glance
Crossbase's PIM, MAM, CMS and Crossmedia solution with a sense for the big picture
-
Data maintenance
Product database
The flexible product data model for features, relationships and views
Media Asset Management
Manage image material in a media-neutral manner and operate each medium optimally
Channel Output Management
Managing sales channels for eCommerce and print in line with demand
Basic modules
Database base module
The crossbase software solution is based on an Oracle database and includes an embedded software license. This enables optimum system integration, easy administration and flexible usage, without those responsible for IT having to deal with organizational or technical details.
Multilingual user interface
The user interfaces of the crossbase applications are delivered with a selectable language and optionally offered in other languages. The application languages German, English and French are currently available.
Web application server
The web architecture is based on web and API servers. It enables users to maintain and translate product information and media assets. This is done regardless of location and according to the authorizations assigned to the respective user. In addition, characteristics, images, texts and relationships can be edited in tabular comparison. At a glance, users are able to see where data is missing, where it differs or where it has been inherited. There are extensive options for sorting, grouping, filtering and customizing the interface.
Data import
ERP interface
crossbase is an open system and has an XML standard interface for importing data from upstream systems. Data such as item numbers, brief texts and prices can be imported into the PIM database automatically at defined times. Furthermore, data requiring maintenance in the PIM system can also be transferred back into the ERP system.
Data import configurator
crossbase offers a graphical user interface to analyze the structure of Excel files and to connect columns with database fields. Transformation rules can be used for fully automatic forming. These settings can be saved and reapplied to similar files.
Data maintenance
Product database
The item master data in the ERP system is generally insufficient for customer-oriented, market- and media-specific product communication. This is followed by the additional maintenance of product structures, product characteristics and product relationships. These can be spare parts, accessories and product recommendations. To optimize data maintenance you can use mandatory fields and inheritance functions.
Media Asset Management
In the integrated Media Asset Management (MAM) photos, graphics, symbols, documents, videos and CAD drawings can be combined and categorized media-neutrally. Starting from the source format, media-compatible output formats are automatically generated for print, Internet or Office, for example. This is done with the integrated graphic and video converter, or alternatively with Adobe Photoshop. With the video converter all common video formats can be created and video sequences can be cut.
Text management
Texts are managed as text modules or formatted continuous texts. This means that they can be reused many times and the maintenance effort can be kept as low as possible. The variety of texts can be clearly structured by means of categories, versions and languages. Thanks to XML and Unicode, the texts in the crossbase database can be managed media-neutrally and in all languages of the world.
Channel Output Management
Due to eCcommerce and increasing internationalization, the demands on market-specific media are constantly rising. This applies equally to printed catalogs as well as online and electronic catalogs. The Channel Output Management offers the possibility to create market- or country-specific assortments and price lists and to take this into account in automated media production.
Workflow management
When maintaining data and producing media, product managers, editors, translators, graphic designers and layout specialists work hand in hand. The integrated workflow module supports all participants during the work process by means of a configurable task list and completeness check.
Translation
Translation management
Product communication can be made available rapidly in all markets with a standardized, database-driven translation process. The translation can be carried out directly in the crossbase database, externally at an agency or in the national company. Each text is given a status so that it is always clear whether it is in translation and whether it has been checked.
Online translation
With browser-based online translation, translators and correctors in the country offices have access to translation or correction jobs. Control is provided by the translation manager. The translator can view the progress at any time, assign orders accordingly and inform the translators.
Online
CMS / Website
The CMS can be applied flexibly as the basic platform for all online modules. The website, the online catalog with product finder and shop functions as well as the media service are implemented with individual templates and layouts. Marketing specialists can use the CMS to easily maintain the company's website without any knowledge of HTML. This also includes dynamic categories such as trade fairs, new products, jobs, press and contact, which can be expanded to suit individual customers.
Online catalog
The module for the integration of online catalogs (optionally with dynamic product finder and shop functions) is based on the CMS platform by crossbase. It allows templates or style sheets to be modified even without crossbase support. All data supplied for online media is sourced media-specifically from the PIM system and kept continually up-to-date for all countries and languages.
Media service
Often employees, national companies or partners need up-to-date and uniform photos, graphics, videos and documents to market the products. In the fully integrated MAM, media files can be made available to authorized users via a comfortable web interface.
Mobile applications
Mobile devices have established themselves in sales conversations (keyword "sales 4.0"). All records, catalogs, media and documents can be stored digitally on the tablet and carried along without taking up space or additional weight. crossbase offers an interface to mobile applications.
Print-Publishing
Automatically produced InDesign pages that you would never be able to see "from the retort" - with the crossbase print tools, this is easy to achieve. Using the flexible layout kit, you can produce not just structured print publications, but also creatively complex pages, such as artwork pages and editorial pages, with the aid of a database.
Office connection
In many areas of the company, images and graphics from marketing are used - for example for offers, data sheets and presentations. The direct Office connection (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) ensures the provision of current marketing content with powerful search mechanisms and easy operation. This reliably supports compliance with the corporate design and wordings.
Provision of data
Data export XML / Excel
One of the most important tasks in marketing is the provision of data for online catalogs, shops, third-party systems, trade partners and portals. For this purpose, in the crossbase database electronic catalogs are created with a customer-specific catalog range and a price list. The mapping of the fields to the contents in the database can be defined individually depending on the format or classification.
API server
The crossbase API Server (Application Programming Interface) offers a flexible way to access data in the crossbase database in third-party systems. These accesses remain independent of changes to the underlying data model. With relatively little effort, software developers can write programs that retrieve data from the crossbase database.
2020 crossbase mediasolution GmbH