Catalog & database publishing

How to tackle the multichannel publishing in a coherent manner within budget?

One solution certainly lies in the “single source” publishing approach, ie that all published information come from a single centralized source. Thus the communication of product offerings through the web, paper or electronic files will be coordinated and require fewer resources.

Publishing on the internet requires the use of a database. Nobody disputes. The same database can be used for the layout of paper catalogs, brochures, offers, product etc.

With “database publishing” software, the link is established between the database and desktop publishing.

An additional advantage of database publishing is the use of “template”s. Not only data must no longer be encoded, but the layout can also be automated. Depending on the target audience, the documents can either be formatted automatically (like many catalogs or B2B) or semi-automatic (as catalogs for general public B2C ).

When the layout is automatic, on demand publishing can address each specific request.

The main advantages of database publishing are :
  • Cost Reduction:
    Publishing a catalog regularly can be obtained in a few hours even if the product range has been completely revised.
  • Time to Market:
    It is possible to modify the data (product descriptions, prices, pictures etc …) until the last moment. The final document will be really “up to date”.
  • Data Consistency:
    The document data is 100% the same as the database. This has the consequence that one must devote less energy to long and boring tasks like data comparison between the catalog and the ERP system. This also gives a feeling of quality to readers who don’t understand that nowadays a price list is still layout manually.
  • Consistency of layout:
    It is easy to offer a clear key to reading with dynamic templates. Readers prefer your document because they find easier the information of interest for them.
  • Customization:
    In addition to the catalog or price, it is possible to produce in a few minutes or a custom theme partial catalog to annex such an offer or issue between two catalogs complete. In this way you are always ready to take up the ball and your selections can change rapidly while keeping your customers fully informed.
  • Efficient production of multilingual catalogs:
    Simply insert translations, local prices and the respective sets in the database to be able to generate in a few moments the different versions of the same document.