Technically checking product data is a precondition for B2B processes. BMEcat validation surfaces format errors before the data is exported.
The BMEcat standard demands fixed structures following exact XML schemas (XSD or DTD). A faulty data record blocks the target parser immediately when the online shop reads the file.
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Why does a BMEcat data import fail?
Buyers impose hard requirements on electronic catalogues and define platform-specific customer guidelines. These requirements go beyond the official BMEcat standard. Poor data quality stops the order inside the customer’s ERP system.
Typical errors in BMEcat data exchange include missing mandatory fields, invalid XML tags, faulty ETIM classes or broken image references. Networks such as Unite Mercateo check catalogue data automatically against their own platform rules.
Our article on the Unite Mercateo integration has the details.
Also of interest: what is cXML?
Creating BMEcat: converter vs. validator
Creating BMEcat from data sources such as Excel is not enough for reliable data exchange. Simple tools act as pure converters: they merely change the shape of a file. A converter does not detect logical breaks.
This blind export produces work and manual effort during error hunting. Only a validator checks the BMEcat file thoroughly for structural and content errors. Producing validated catalogues requires active error checking on top of format conversion.
Three levels of validation across BMEcat versions
A validator compares different BMEcat versions against the official specification automatically. The check runs through three technical levels.
1. Syntax check (XML basis)
The first level examines the underlying XML structure. Is the file valid XML at all? Valid XML requires a single root element and closed tags, and the BMEcat format demands UTF-8 encoding. The data manager escapes special characters in text (for example, an ampersand becomes &). Without this foundation, the recipient’s parser aborts the import.
2. Structural check against the BMEcat 1.2 specification (XSD/DTD conformity)
The structural check compares the catalogue against the official BMEcat schema (XSD or DTD). The validator inspects the order of structures, the mandatory fields and the correct data types. Prices require positive numbers with a full stop as the decimal separator.
Mercateo use case
The marketplace requires the BMEcat 1.2 specification for catalogues and limits the item number (SUPPLIER_AID) to a maximum of 12 characters. An XSD validator surfaces such a length violation immediately.
3. Semantic and content check (context) with Schematron
A structurally correct XML file often still contains content errors. The third level checks logical dependencies – business rules – for products, product information and descriptions. An end date (“valid to”) must fall chronologically after the start date (“valid from”). A link must point to media that physically exist. The system checks the consistency of technical attributes.
Conventional XSD checks fail on complex business rules, and Schematron closes that gap. The rule-based language uses XPath to make content dependencies machine-checkable, and Schematron validation produces clear instructions for the data manager.
Practical example: Mercateo
The platform forbids HTML tags used for layout purposes in the long description. If an item carries a hazardous substance class (GHS), the Schematron rule raises an alarm when no safety data sheet is linked in the media section (MIME_INFO).
The challenge of checking ETIM, BMEcat and classifications
Platforms require standardised classifications. Incorrect ETIM structures or ECLASS codes lead to rejection. The BME requires unambiguous assignment to industry-specific product classification systems.
- Complex business rules: the system checks logical dependencies automatically. A hazardous goods item needs a linked safety data sheet in the
MIME_INFOelement. - Customer guidelines: platforms tighten the official standards. Mercateo limits the item number (
SUPPLIER_AID) strictly to 12 characters and forbids HTML tags in the product description. - Classification depth: ETIM BMEcat combines XML with electrotechnical data models. The validator checks hierarchies and versions such as ETIM 5.0 or eCl@ss Advanced. Where specific attribute values are missing, ETIM requires exception codes such as “NA” (not applicable) or “MV” (missing value).
- Multi-version management: BMEcat 1.2 and BMEcat 2005 use different XML architectures. Version 1.2 uses the
ARTICLEelement, version 2005 requiresPRODUCT. The mapping has to translate this structural change without errors. - Compliance and logistics data: BMEcat 2005 integrates REACH information, SCIP numbers and hazardous substance labelling (GHS). Validation checks this compliance data for completeness.
- Unit mapping and multilingualism: the software converts divergent units of measure (for example “ST” into the internationally required “PCE”) and validates language codes in international catalogues precisely against ISO 639-2.
Specialised tools such as the ETIM BMEcat validator take over rule checking for electrotechnical products.
BMEcat software: automated validation with Primus Catalog
Manual product data management produces errors. Specialised BMEcat software automates catalogue management and reduces manual work. Cloud-based solutions such as Primus Catalog integrate directly into an existing system landscape, a PIM system for instance.
The platform maps different data sources on its own and validates product and item data strictly before export. This compares the catalogue against official XML schemas and customer-specific business rules.
A detailed validation report then documents the results. The log points to the exact location of the error in the code, which makes it far simpler to use the data reliably across every connected system.
Validate and export error-free BMEcat catalogues with Primus Catalog
Use case and conclusion: avoiding errors protects the supplier relationship
An error-free exchange format is the foundation for digital procurement processes between companies. Every e-procurement use case requires clean raw data. Validated files guarantee immediate listing at the business partner and protect suppliers, manufacturers and distributors from aborted orders.
Binding standards accelerate technical development. BMEcat defines the machine-readable language for every partner, and providing checked catalogues opens up new digital sales channels.
Primus Catalog cleans this data foundation. Logical follow-on technologies build on the validated master catalogue:
- Primus PunchOut: PunchOut connects purchasing systems directly. The OCI PunchOut integration requires a valid data foundation – an OCI interface following the OCI 4.0 standard only works with error-free XML catalogues.
- Primus Exclusion: filtering a catalogue per customer necessarily requires a flawless XML structure.
Check your BMEcat catalogue for free
Upload your BMEcat file to the Primus Catalog validator. The report shows structural errors against the BMEcat DTD and common content errors.
Check your BMEcat catalogue for free
FAQ – frequently asked questions about BMEcat validation
What distinguishes a BMEcat converter from a BMEcat validator?
A converter turns data sources such as Excel into an XML format purely structurally; a content-level logic check is missing. A validator actively checks the resulting BMEcat file against official XML schemas (XSD) and platform-specific business rules (Schematron), identifying errors consistently before export.
Which BMEcat version does Unite Mercateo require for an error-free import?
The Unite Mercateo platform requires the BMEcat 1.2 specification for catalogue imports. Providing newer BMEcat versions such as BMEcat 2005 blocks the parser, and the target system aborts the import on a divergent version.
Can I export an error-free BMEcat directly from Excel?
No. Creating BMEcat directly from Excel inevitably produces errors. Spreadsheets cannot represent hierarchical XML structures or logical dependencies such as hazardous goods rules. Specialised BMEcat software is required to translate flat files into valid XML.
Does validation also detect incorrect ETIM or ECLASS classifications?
Yes. Professional validation checks the assignment to industry-specific product classification systems. The software verifies referenced classifications according to ETIM or ECLASS (for example “ECLASS-8.0”) for structural and formal correctness, and lists missing mandatory attributes directly in the validation report.