ETIM is a two-level classification model where product groups contain product classes, and every class carries a fixed set of typed features. Classifying a product means assigning it an EC code and filling in feature values using one of four data types. ETIM 9.0 covers 5,554 classes across electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and building products.
The two-level hierarchy
Forget deep category trees. ETIM doesn't have them.
The entire structure is two levels: product groups (EG codes) containing product classes (EC codes). That's it. A miniature circuit breaker lives in EC002714. It belongs to one product group. The class carries its own fixed feature set, roughly 10 to 30 features depending on product complexity.
This flatness is intentional. Deep taxonomies are hard to map between trading partners. Your BMEcat export or ETIM xChange file needs one EC code and a set of feature values, not a path through seven nested categories.
Every identifier follows the same pattern: two alpha characters, six digits. EC002714. EF000208. EV000146. Once you see the prefix, you know what you're looking at.
The four feature types
Every ETIM feature (EF code) is one of four types. The type determines exactly what data you fill in and what format your PIM needs to accept on export.
| Type | What you enter | Example feature |
|---|---|---|
| Alphanumeric (A) | Pick from a fixed EV-coded list | Trip characteristic, Colour |
| Numeric (N) | A measured value with a unit | Rated current (16 A) |
| Logical (L) | True or false | Short-circuit current limiting |
| Range (R) | Min and max values with a unit | Adjustable trip range (10–20 A) |
Alphanumeric isn't free text. You pick from a controlled value list, and each option has its own EV code. Type B trip characteristic might be EV000146. DIN rail mounting might be EV000019. Your export file carries these codes, not the display text.
Numeric features always have a unit. Rated current is 16 A, not "16" floating in a cell. Rated voltage is 230/400 V AC. The unit travels with the value.
Value is a measurement with a unit (voltage, current, length): Numeric. Enter value and unit. Value is one option from a fixed list (colour, trip curve, mounting type): Alphanumeric. Find the EV code. Value is yes or no (current limiting, IP rating present): Logical. True or false. Value is a span (min–max current): Range. Enter min, max, and unit.
A real classified product
Abstract explanations don't stick. Here's what EC002714 actually looks like when you classify a 1-pole 16A Type B miniature circuit breaker.
NovaTech NB116B-1P — classified to EC002714
| Feature Code | Feature Name | Type | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EF000208 | Rated current | Numeric | 16 | A |
| EF000093 | Rated voltage | Numeric | 230/400 | V AC |
| EF000001 | Number of poles | Numeric | 1 | — |
| EF000424 | Trip characteristic | Alphanumeric | EV000146 (Type B) | — |
| EF000038 | Mounting type | Alphanumeric | EV000019 (DIN rail) | — |
| EF002491 | Short-circuit current limiting | Logical | true | — |
Six features. Three types represented. The EC code tells a trading partner exactly which feature set to expect. The EF codes tell them which field is which. The EV codes give them controlled values they can map to their own filters without parsing free text.
This is what your supplier feed needs to become.
Supplier spreadsheet row
- Rated current: 16A
- Voltage: 230/400V
- Poles: 1
- Curve: B
- DIN rail
After ETIM classification
- EF000208 = 16 A (Numeric)
- EF000093 = 230/400 V AC (Numeric)
- EF000001 = 1 (Numeric)
- EF000424 = EV000146 (Alphanumeric)
- EF000038 = EV000019 (Alphanumeric)
The left side is what you get from manufacturers. The right side is what distributors need for their B2B catalogs and product data exchanges.
How to get started
Three steps. No membership required for the first two.
Browse or search by product name in the ETIM Classification Management Tool at etim-international.com. Confirm the class covers your product's technical scope. Check the feature list—if your product needs attributes the class doesn't have, you may need a different class or a change request.
Don't do this by hand for 10,000 SKUs. Run your catalog through an AI classifier with ETIM structured output, then review the low-confidence matches manually. The classifier handles the bulk mapping; you handle the edge cases. A 500-SKU batch that would take a week by hand takes an afternoon with a confidence-based review queue.
ETIM offers a free online JSON validator for ETIM xChange files. Use it before sending anything to a trading partner. Catching a malformed EV code in validation beats a rejection email from your distributor's PIM team.
Why the urgency? In September 2024, IDEA—jointly owned by NEMA and NAED—rejoined ETIM North America as a Solution Provider member. Their explicit goal: increase ETIM adoption in the US wholesale electrical market. If you're supplying to major distributors, this standard is coming whether you're ready or not.
The hard part isn't understanding ETIM. It's that your current data probably isn't clean enough to drop straight into the feature table. Whitespace in voltage fields, free text where a controlled EV code is expected, missing pole counts. That's where the real work lives.