DPP and PIM - why product data is the foundation of the Digital Product Passport

Companies that have invested in PIM (Product Information Management) systems for years have a massive head start when it comes to the Digital Product Passport (DPP). But having a PIM in place is not the same as being DPP-ready. This article explains where the two worlds overlap, where the gaps are, and how to bridge them.

If you are new to DPP, start with our primer: Digital Product Passport in 15 minutes.

What is PIM and why it matters for DPP

PIM is a system for centrally managing product data - descriptions, attributes, images, documents, translations. Instead of scattering information across spreadsheets, ERP modules, and people’s heads, PIM consolidates everything in one place and distributes it to sales channels: e-commerce, marketplaces, print catalogues, B2B portals.

DPP demands exactly the same principle - a single source of truth about a product - but the scope is wider, and the audience extends beyond customers to regulators, recyclers, and supply chain partners.

The data quality problem - why most companies are not DPP-ready

Many companies assume that because they run a PIM, their product data is in good shape. In practice:

Attributes are incomplete - chemical composition, country of origin for components, and compliance certificates are often missing.
Data is outdated - a supplier changed months ago, but the PIM still reflects the old one.
No standardisation - the same property is described differently across product families.
PDFs instead of data - a product sheet exists, but it cannot be parsed by machines.

DPP requires data that is structured, current, and verifiable. A PIM alone does not guarantee that - you also need to address the quality of what is inside it.

What product data DPP requires that PIM already manages

The good news: a significant share of the information DPP demands is data that a mature PIM already holds:

Product identification - GTIN, model number, trade name
Composition and materials - bill of materials, packaging materials
Origin - country of manufacture, key component suppliers
Certificates and declarations of conformity - CE, REACH, RoHS
Images and technical documentation - datasheets, manuals
Dimensions, weight, units - logistics data

If your PIM is well maintained, you already have 40-60% of the data needed for your first passport.

What DPP requires that PIM typically lacks

This is where the real work begins. DPP - particularly under the ESPR regulation - also requires data that traditionally does not live in a PIM:

Carbon footprint - calculated across the full product lifecycle
Recyclability score - what percentage of the product can be recovered
Lifecycle data - durability, repairability, spare part availability
Supply chain information - details beyond the tier-one supplier
Substances of very high concern (SVHC) - required by REACH/SCIP
End-of-life instructions - how to dispose of or recycle the product

These data points often reside in ERP systems, PLM tools, supplier portals, or ESG reports. The key is collecting them and linking them back to the product.

PIM as the single source of truth feeding DPP

The architecture that works in practice looks like this:

PIM manages product data - it is the central repository of attributes, media, and relationships.
ERP/PLM supplies operational data - costs, batches, manufacturing records.
myDPP pulls data from PIM (and optionally from ERP), validates it against regulatory requirements, formats it, and publishes the digital passport.

In this model the PIM does not need to “know” about DPP. It just needs to expose data via an API or export - and myDPP handles the rest.

How myDPP connects to PIM

myDPP offers three integration paths, tailored to a company’s technical maturity:

API sync - bi-directional synchronisation via REST API. PIM sends product data, myDPP returns validation status. This is the preferred method for companies with an IT team.
Webhook - PIM notifies myDPP of product changes in real time. Ideal when data changes frequently.
CSV import - for companies just starting out or without a PIM. A prepared data file is uploaded and myDPP processes and validates it.

Learn more about available connectors on our Integrations page.

The workflow: PIM manages quality, myDPP handles compliance

In practice, the division of responsibilities works like this:

PIM is responsible for:

completeness and quality of product data,
translations and localisation,
media management (images, PDFs, videos),
distribution to sales channels.

myDPP is responsible for:

validating data against ESPR and sector-specific regulations,
generating the passport in the required format,
publishing the passport with a unique identifier (GS1 Digital Link),
sharing data with regulators, recyclers, and consumers.

This split means you do not need to rebuild your PIM. You just need to extend it with missing attributes and connect it to myDPP.

From PIM audit to first passport - practical steps

Audit your PIM data - check which attributes you already have and which are missing. Compare against the DPP requirements for your industry.
Extend the data model - add missing attributes (e.g., chemical composition, component country of origin, recyclability score).
Verify quality - make sure data is current, standardised, and complete for a pilot group of products.
Connect myDPP - configure the integration (API, webhook, or CSV) and push the first batch of data.
Generate a test passport - myDPP validates the data and flags any gaps.
Iterate - fix data in PIM, re-sync, and repeat until the passport passes full validation.

Macopedia - the company behind myDPP - has over 10 years of PIM implementation experience. We help not only with DPP, but also with getting product data in order in the first place.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a PIM to implement DPP? No - myDPP works without a PIM (e.g., via CSV import). But if you manage hundreds or thousands of products, a PIM dramatically simplifies data quality maintenance and process scaling.

Is my current PIM enough to meet DPP requirements? Probably not 100%. PIM covers commercial and marketing data, but DPP also requires environmental, lifecycle, and supply chain data. You will need to extend the data model and ensure these fields are populated.

How long does PIM-to-myDPP integration take? For systems with a strong API (Akeneo, Ergonode) - a few days to 2 weeks. For systems requiring custom exports - 2 to 4 weeks. CSV import works immediately.

Does myDPP replace PIM? No. myDPP is a compliance and publication layer - it does not manage product data the way a PIM does. Both systems work best together, each in its own role.