PIM Control uses a three-tiered database model to manage users' access to data. The three database tiers are:
Global Database
This is a public database, managed by Pimware, that all PIM Control users are automatically connected to. Its primary purpose is to provide as much commonality as possible in the data being stored into and retrieved from PIMs. This is important to avoid conflicts in data interpretation as PIMs move through the hands of suppliers, shippers, warehousers, retailers, and end users. Examples of data that must be global are:
-
PIM IDs - The Global database provides for the central allocation of PIM ID numbers so that there are never two PIMs with the same ID.
-
Log Item IDs - Items stored in the PIM Log are identified by ID numbers, rather than names, to conserve space in the Log. These Item IDs must be globally unique to insure that data entered by one user will not appear as something completely different to the next user.
-
Data Types - Log items each have an associated data type. For example, the Log item "Brand Owner" has a type of "String". So does the "Product Name" item. These types must not only be unique globally, but so must be the associations between Log Item IDs and their Types. The Global database, in conjunction with the
Item Editor Tool, enforces this uniqueness.
A secondary purpose of the Global database is to provide a central point for the distribution of
Life Curves,
Missions,
Pivot Reports, etc. Pimware will continue to add to its libraries of data in order to give its customers a "head start" in developing their own applications.
Company Database
The Company database is intended to be accessible only to members of a specific community or company. Its primary purpose is to host the Events list of all events gathered and reported by PIM Control. Its secondary purpose is to provide common storage of Life Curves, Missions, etc that only need to be known within the company.
Local Database
The Local database resides on the computer running PIM Control and is primarily used to store data that may be "works-in-progress", i.e. not ready for company wide or global release.
In order to see the Global and Company databases, PIM Control must be
Online. There will be cases, however, when it is not practical to be Online. In these cases, PIM Control reverts to using local copies of the Global and Company databases. Certain functions, such as assigning PIM IDs and creating new Log Items, are disabled. But most functionality is still available in the Offline mode. Most importantly, data can still be harvested from PIMs and reported to the local version of the Company database. That data can then be uploaded to the real Company database when PIM Control is put back Online.
