BMEcat software such as Primus Catalog is a cloud-based SaaS solution for automated B2B catalogue management. Industrial and trading companies across the German-speaking B2B market use the system to exchange data without errors. Manual product data maintenance produces faulty catalogue exports and ties up internal IT resources. BMEcat software removes these sources of error through automated validation and reduces the operational workload in sales.
This article outlines where the solution fits, explains the functions for adjusting mass data automatically, and describes how to generate pre-award catalogues for procurement processes.
The technical core functions of catalogue management
- The software converts unstructured tabular data (Excel, CSV, CIF) into XML structures without any programming effort.
- A single consistent format reduces friction during transfer.
- The system exports catalogue data natively into the BMEcat format (1.2 and 2005).
- The engine validates the export files strictly against the BMEcat standard to prevent transfer problems and raise data quality.
- Catalogue management maps item data to the ECLASS, ETIM and UNSPSC classification systems.
- The system synchronises product data with ERP systems directly via API interfaces, the OCI interface, FTP or sFTP.
- The software architecture is prepared for the forthcoming syntax binding of the European standard EuroCat (EN 17015-2) (BME).
Check the fit: an architecture review for your catalogue data
We evaluate your existing Excel or ERP structures and show you the live mapping inside the system.
Arrange a personal system demo
Where BMEcat software fits: mass data handling vs. a classic PIM
The architecture of Primus Catalog serves highly specific use cases in B2B catalogue management. Its boundaries and suitability profile are as follows:
- ✅ Suitable for multi-channel suppliers: Sales teams generate customer-specific catalogues from a single global item master, fully automatically. The software supports multilingual catalogues in the BMEcat 2005 standard.
- ✅ Suitable for high-volume bulk processing: Data managers clean and overwrite large volumes of product data in an auditable way through automated bulk edits.
- ✅ Suitable for IT-independent business departments: Users map product data through a no-code interface without programming knowledge.
- ❌ NOT suitable for building master data from scratch: Primus Catalog refines and distributes existing data. The software does not replace large PIM systems for building master data structures from the ground up.
- ❌ NOT suitable for live cart routing: The BMEcat software generates static catalogue files for file export. For dynamic live cart routing (checkout bypass) out of an existing webshop, Pro3Con provides the specialised middleware Primus Connect.
B2B catalogue management: customer-specific ranges from a single source of truth
Users cannot export BMEcat files directly from Excel because flat tables cannot represent logical XML hierarchies. Primus Catalog closes that gap and centralises product data in a cloud infrastructure. For straightforward BMEcat creation, suppliers import a global master item list from spreadsheets. The software then applies target-system-specific filters to that data pool.
From it the system generates customer-specific BMEcat catalogues fully automatically for procurement platforms such as Unite Mercateo. Catalogue management adds individual ranges and discount tiers to those catalogues at the press of a button. This single-source-of-truth approach eliminates the decentralised upkeep of redundant price lists for different key accounts.
Automated bulk edits
B2B catalogue data requires constant modification. Primus Catalog performs rule-based bulk edits directly in the software interface. The software cleans data automatically before export: it strips HTML tags out of description fields and excludes empty price entries.
The engine maps proprietary classification codes to official standards and converts divergent units of measure. Catalogue management therefore prepares the item data ideally for automated error checking (BMEcat validation).
Use case: generating pre-award BMEcat catalogues during tendering
BMEcat software brings product data into early procurement phases. Primus Catalog generates pre-award catalogues for tenders dynamically. The system produces these BMEcat catalogues before the items are physically listed in the customer ERP. Catalogue management thereby places product information precisely where it matters in digital procurement processes. This validated master catalogue provides the error-free data foundation for subsequent PunchOut processes.
Pro3Con: your integration partner for error-free BMEcat catalogue management
Pro3Con GmbH supports companies as a technical partner in automating B2B catalogues. In a first, non-binding conversation our data specialists evaluate your existing table structures (Excel, CSV). In a system demo we show you directly how the mapping of your item master works in practice.
If you already have a BMEcat catalogue, check it beforehand for free in the BMEcat validator.
Frequently asked questions about BMEcat software
What is the difference between a BMEcat converter and BMEcat software?
A simple converter turns flat data sources (Excel, CSV) into a one-off XML file through linear conversion. BMEcat software such as Primus Catalog acts as central product data management. The system optimises product data handling for companies in the B2B sector: it filters global databases and generates customer-specific product catalogues from them fully automatically.
How does the software automate data exchange with systems and partners?
The BMEcat software synchronises BMEcat data directly with existing IT systems and online shops. The system uses XML as a machine-readable exchange format. It automates communication and data transfer for error-free exchange of product information as an XML or cXML document. Catalogue management delivers continuously validated catalogues to business partners via API interfaces, FTP or OCI 4.0.
Which versions and standards does catalogue management support?
The system exports products natively into the BMEcat format and supports the official versions BMEcat 1.2 and BMEcat 2005. The engine produces customer-specific BMEcat variants on demand and validates the files against the BMEcat standard. Practical guidance for BMEcat creation is documented in our follow-up article: creating BMEcat from Excel.
Which classification systems does the BMEcat software support?
Primus Catalog supports the ECLASS, UNSPSC and ETIM classification systems. On import it checks catalogue data automatically for valid structure codes and flags outdated classifications for automated mapping.
Can multimedia data be maintained in the software?
Catalogue management processes MIME information. The system references product images, safety data sheets and technical documents in a structured way inside the XML code, and hands the correct media URLs to the target systems in a compliant format.