BMECAT 2005

Introduction

InstallData supports imports and exports in the BMEcat 2005 format. BMEcat 2005 is a German standard for distributing catalogue information. Technically it is a very comprehensive and extensible XML format. The format is mainly focused on sellable products from manufacturers. It pays less attention to the method of distinguishing manufacturer products from wholesalers trade items in comparison to GS1 (on which InstallData is based). BMEcat 2005 format is very well documented and "fused" with an XML schema. We will validate every import against this schema.

More information about BMEcat can be found here http://www.bme.de/en/start.

Different model

It is good to keep in mind that the BMEcat 2005 format has some other roots in comparison to the GS1 standard on which InstallData is based. As noted earlier, a main difference is the way of distinguishing manufacturer products from wholesalers trade items within InstallData. Another difference is the method of describing the trade item information. Following BMEcat you will order a product one or more times but in GS1 World you order a packaging (for example using a GTIN) with some products in it. 

There are many other differences - probably every field has a slightly different nuance.

ETIM Guide and Extension

ETIM Germany has done a very good job by creating a manual and some extensions to BMEcat 2005, especially for the electrical industry. Some of the differences between BMEcat and GS1 are faded out by ETIM. InstallData follows the ETIM guidelines as far as possible, we support the last version (2.2) of the "ETIM Guideline for Suppliers". Although we can import a standard BMEcat 2005 file, we prefer a BMEcat 2005 file formatted and extended using the ETIM Guidelines. Unfortunately there is no complete XML schema available. Based on the work of our Swiss friends, InstallData has created a schema with the most essential parts. For downloading, please refer to the next paragraph.

More information about ETIM Germany and the supplier's guide can be found here http://www.etim.de.

Validation
To be sure that the BMEcat file is specified along the right schema, InstallData developed the XML Validation Tool. This tool will check the BMEcat file on some critical points along the XSD schema.

When file exchange takes place via XML-orientated file formats (such as BMEcat or INSBOU), it is of great importance that the provided file should be structured according to the correct (XSD or DTD) schema. The XML Validation Tool provides you with the option of checking the file against the essential points of the associated schema before you process it to InstallData.

InstallData Extension
Although much can be imported and/or converted from BMEcat 2005 + ETIM to our database, we needed to import some additional or slightly different information. We have made a minimum of additions to the ETIM Extended fields in two categories. The first are extensions to the main PRODUCT and the second some extensions to the ETIM PACKAGING_UNIT.

Extension to BMECAT/T_NEW_CATALOG/PRODUCT/USER_DEFINED_EXTENSIONS

Extension to BMECAT/T_NEW_CATALOG/PRODUCT/USER_DEFINED_EXTENSIONS/UDX.EDXF.PACKING_UNITS/UDX.EDXF.PACKING_UNIT

The XSD is available here: https://bb.2ba.nl/downloads/schemas/bmecat/bmecat_2005_ETIMLF2.2.xsd

Mapping
Currently the mapping definition is not yet available.

Import process
First of all we validate the delivered file to the corresponding XML schema. Please take care of delivering a VALID file. Although we try to import invalid files, we will not take any time to fix import problems caused by an invalid file!

From the BMEcat file we try to import every product as a product AND as an base trade item to the 2BA database. We are using, if available, the ETIM packaging information from the MIN=1 and MAX=1 level at creating the base trade item. In the near future we will create multiple trade items from multiple packaging levels in BMEcat.

Example
All Element names should be in capitals. You can download the example source code here.