Noam Naveh
CEO @Stylib
Growth is a good problem to have. But for suppliers of architectural products, scaling fast often brings a wave of operational headaches, especially when it comes to managing product data.
Suddenly, there are more SKUs to track, more certifications to update, more people touching the same files, and more channels requesting product info in different formats. If your data isn’t well-managed, speed turns into chaos.
That’s why establishing strong data management practices early is critical to supporting sustainable growth.
What is product data management?
Product data management is the structured process of organising, maintaining, and distributing all the technical, descriptive, and visual information that defines your products. For manufacturers and suppliers, this includes:
Product names, SKUs, and variants
Technical specifications and dimensions
Certifications, compliance data, and sustainability credentials
Images, drawings, and marketing materials
Status and availability across regions or collections
Good data management doesn’t just keep things organised, it enables teams to work faster, communicate clearly, and respond to new opportunities with confidence.
5 Data management best practices for suppliers
1. Centralise your data early
Don’t wait until you’re managing hundreds of products across multiple teams. Centralising product data into a single platform or structured system gives you a reliable foundation. It eliminates version confusion, reduces manual duplication, and ensures everyone works from the same source of truth.
2. Use structured attributes instead of free text
Describing a material as “fire-rated and water-resistant” in a description field might sound clear, but machines (and people) can’t filter or export that easily. Use structured attributes: create dedicated fields for fire rating, water resistance, finish, sustainability, etc. This improves searchability, formatting, and data integrity.
3. Build with multi-channel distribution in mind
Even if you’re only selling through one channel now, plan for more. Structure your data in a way that makes it easy to repurpose for websites, catalogues, internal tools, specifiers, and partners. The more standardised your data, the easier it is to scale.
4. Assign clear ownership and access levels
As teams grow, more people interact with product data – sales, marketing, product managers, and technical staff. Assign clear roles and permissions: who can edit, who can approve, and who just needs to view. This reduces accidental errors and streamlines collaboration.
5. Track changes and maintain version history
When specs change, whether due to regulation updates, supplier changes, or product improvements, you need a reliable audit trail. Make sure your system allows you to see who changed what, when, and why. This is critical for accountability, regulatory compliance, and efficient support.
Why it matters
As your catalogue grows, data management is no longer a back-office task; it becomes central to how your company operates. From product launches to marketing campaigns to client communications, clean, accessible product data powers every interaction.
Suppliers that invest in structured, scalable data systems are better equipped to grow without friction. Those that don’t? They end up fighting their own complexity.
Solutions built for scaling suppliers
If you’re growing fast and looking for a more reliable way to manage product information, Stylib offers tools designed specifically for architectural material suppliers.
Hub is a centralised supplier information management platform that helps structure, maintain, and distribute product data efficiently.
Showcase and SearchTech build on that foundation – making your data work harder across presentations, digital tools, and search experiences.
👉 See how Stylib helps suppliers grow without chaos
Stylib Hub gives every product a consistent, customizable data structure with attributes for technical specs, certifications, dimensions, finishes, and more. Instead of scattered fields or improvised formats, you get a clean, scalable system that supports filtering, validation, and export across any channel or platform.
Datasheets, images, test reports, and certificates all live in one place, connected to the correct product and version. Stylib Hub makes it easy to upload, organise, and update files so you always know what’s current, and you never have to dig through folders or chase the right PDF again.
Not every audience needs the same data. Stylib Hub lets you configure outputs for different destinations, whether it’s a spreadsheet for a distributor, a selection for a client, or a structured feed for your digital tools. One source of truth, multiple outputs, no copy-pasting.
