Database publishing
Automation for your publications
Do you regularly produce advertising materials such as POS displays, catalogs and price lists for your products and services? If so, you know how time-consuming and error-prone the production of these documents is if it is done manually in a layout program. The data has to be repeatedly restructured, the layout does not link to data sources and updates cost both time and effort.
myCATALOG is a flexible SaaS solution that automates the creation of your publications. Whether product catalogs, price lists or data sheets: structured layout templates are directly linked to the product data and you can create printable or web-ready PDFs at the push of a button, without any manual layout work.
You can also individually map complex logics and, if required, intervene in the catalog system at a later stage, for example to change templates or hide or show individual products. Since the solution is based on the PDF standard, you can generate thousands of pages in a very short time – saving you expensive licenses for DTP and layout programs. For printed publications, the system automatically adjusts page numbering and indexes, calculates print sheets and, if desired, also takes into account crop and punch marks, paper characteristics, black-plate versioning, etc.
Your benefits
What is database publishing?
Database publishing refers to database-supported and automatic media production processes. Content and product information such as description texts, item/part numbers and price information are managed in a database, linked to layout templates and automatically formatted. The resulting layout updates automatically as changes are made, with automation eliminating the need for elaborate graphic design work, thus reducing the associated time and costs.
Database publishing, also termed dynamic publishing, is mainly used for structured and template-based publications such as price lists, data sheets and catalogs. It particularly appeals to companies with a large product portfolio, for example in the travel industry, retail trade and manufacturing industry.
Automated print layouts with database publishing
myCATALOG is the integrated database publishing tool from myPUBLISH. It automates the production of standardized advertising media and publications. Fast, affordable and error-free.
Data sources
All systems where information is stored in a structured way can be used as a data source: an ERP, an inventory management or PIM system (myCONTENT), but also a structured Excel file. The page layout can even be planned in the data source, and when using myCONTENT, a layout preview is provided directly in the PIM system.
Flexible templates
All templates are programmed to your specifications. With these templates, it takes just a few minutes to publish extensive and complex product catalogs without the use of external layout programs. The templates are flexible – meaning you can specify that the layout adapts to the products selected for the pages, i.e. that the layout varies according to the product segment. You can also specify which product properties should be imported for the content of your particular publication.
Customized layout settings
Create and configure different layout settings to reflect different brands, designs, markets or target groups. In these settings, you can also specify indexes and chapter overviews, factor in the text length for the template or specify the automatic import of preproduced pages or advertisements. Parameters such as units of measurement, currencies, languages or item numbers can also be defined.
Automatic layout
The system automatically creates the finished layout based on your settings. As far as intended, it adapts the format height to the amount of text. For printed publications, print sheets are included, the corresponding blank pages are added, page numbering and indexes are updated, punch and crop marks are inserted, and information on paper and black-plate versioning is processed.
Postprocessing customization
The system checks for overset text, incorporates paging rules, verifies image file resolution and provides visual cues in case of problems. In an intuitive browser-based user interface, content can be adapted, added, deleted and moved before approval or before publishing, including updating the underlying data source if necessary.
Integrated in myPUBLISH
myPUBLISH is a web-based publishing platform with a uniform user interface, individual user administration and comprehensive reporting. It seamlessly integrates myCATALOG along with other modular solutions into one application. This gives you an intuitive publishing platform with minimal user support requirements. It covers all your publishing options, from print and web to multiple channels.
The platform is hosted and operated as software as a service (SaaS) in our Swiss data center with its state-of-the-art security concept and maximum availability. You receive your ready-made solution directly from us at a flexible rate. Individual, transparent and with no high upfront investment costs.
What our customers say about us
Martin Fehrlin, Vögele Reisen AG
Managing Director
«We create our vacation catalogs with the myPUBLISH portal. Thanks to its automatic and direct implementation, the system allows us to work extremely efficiently. In the past, we had significantly longer production times and more stress in the whole production process. We are absolutely thrilled about the software and the dedication and commitment of the n c ag team.»
Nevena Milutinovic, Twerenbold Reisen AG
Digital Project Manager
«Our production processes are complex, and we need a partner with its own software developers to implement adaptations quickly and deliver individual solutions tailored to our needs. n c ag is highly reliable, has vast expertise and can support us in optimizing our data management and automating our catalog production.»
Efficiency and lower costs with automated catalog production
Twerenbold Reisen Gruppe uses myPUBLISH to automate the catalog production of the group of companies. Seventy users employ the system to manage over 60,000 images and 2,500 tours and produce around 80 catalogs with a total of 5,000 pages per year. This mammoth task has been made much easier and much more efficient by the automated solution. Find out exactly how this works and what experiences Twerenbold has had with the new system in our case study.
Publishing at its finest
As a media services provider, we have been supporting our customers for over 60 years. And we’ve been developing digital publishing solutions for more than 20 years. Today, over 50 notable national and international companies such as AMAG, Victorinox, SWISS, Volg and Switzerland Tourism place their trust in us.
Why should this be relevant to you? Publishing processes are complex and developing suitable software solutions is all about ideas, process knowledge and expertise. We have already helped shape many changes and transformations, learned from them and continued to improve ourselves. And we bring this expertise to every project.
We provide you the full package, from planning to implementation, control to evaluation. And we take the time to properly understand your requirements and challenges and to find the right solutions for your enterprise. Just ask our long-standing customers.
Your digital publishing experts
If you need help with your next project, we are available for initial discussions and consultations. Just get in touch with us.
Mike Spoerri
COO, Key Account Manager
A few of our customers
Twerenbold Reisen AG
The travel operator uses myPUBLISH to automate its catalog production and relies on our professional and cost-effective media services to produce advertising materials.
Interhome (HHD AG)
Automated catalog production, advertising material for all channels and efficient management of product information are all easily achieved for the tourism company thanks to our central portal myPUBLISH.
KWC Group AG
KWC uses myPUBLISH to centralize all of its marketing and product information in a single portal, creating efficient processes and reducing costs by incorporating fully automated catalog production.
Hotelplan Suisse (MTCH AG)
The travel company uses myPUBLISH to manage its media and product information with maximum efficiency and to automate its travel catalog page layout.