The change that breaks your export
Your PIM vendor announced xChange 2.0 support in December. You exported a test file, validated it against the ETIM JSON schema, and 40% of your products failed. The error messages mention missing unit references, unrecognized packaging codes, and mandatory environmental fields your PIM does not capture.
This is a data model change, not a file format migration. It changes how you encode numeric features, how you group product variants, and what fields you must populate before a feed passes validation.
xChange 2.0 is not BMEcat wrapped in JSON. Five structural changes break existing mappings: numeric values now separate from units, mandatory LCA/EPD fields for environmental data, closed MDX codes for packaging materials, 119 new ETIM 10 classes that split old mappings, and a new variant group structure. Most PIM exports wrap BMEcat fields in JSON and fail schema validation.
BMEcat vs. xChange 2.0: what moved
The format shift from XML to JSON is the visible change. The structural breaks underneath are what cause validation failures.
| Aspect | BMEcat 2005 | xChange 2.0 |
|---|---|---|
| Format | XML with FAB-DIS guidelines | JSON with schema validation |
| Numeric features | Alphanumeric '25A' in one field | Separate: value 25, unit EU570032 |
| Environmental data | Optional sustainability fields | Mandatory LCA/EPD references |
| Packaging | Free-text descriptions | Closed MDX code list |
Five breaking changes that affect your mappings
1. Numeric values now separate from units
BMEcat let you send '25A' as an alphanumeric string in the FVALUE tag. xChange 2.0 requires a numeric value (25), a separate unit reference (EU570032 for ampere), and optional tolerance and range fields.
BMEcat XML (alphanumeric)
<FEATURE>
<FNAME>EF000008</FNAME>
<FVALUE>25A</FVALUE>
</FEATURE>
xChange 2.0 JSON (structured)
{
"featureId": "EF000008",
"value": 25,
"unitId": "EU570032"
}
Any feed that embeds units in the value string will fail schema validation. The error occurs at parse time, before a single product reaches your customer's PIM.
2. Mandatory environmental data fields
xChange 2.0 added required LCA and EPD fields. If your PIM does not capture these, your export fails validation.
Four new mandatory fields will fail validation if missing: CO2 equivalent (numeric kg per product), recyclability percentage, EPD reference ID, and material composition using MDX codes. Supplier PDFs rarely structure this data. Generic sustainability claims like 'eco-friendly housing' do not map to any schema field.
The schema marks these fields as mandatory with no optional fallback. If your products lack EPD references, request them from manufacturers or exclude those products from the feed.
3. Packaging materials now use closed MDX codes
BMEcat allowed free-text packaging descriptions ('cardboard box with foam insert'). xChange 2.0 requires MDX codes from a closed list.
Free-text 'cardboard box' maps to MDX000123 (corrugated cardboard). 'Plastic shrink wrap' maps to MDX000456 (polyethylene film). Multiple materials require an array of MDX codes, one per layer. If packaging is not captured at all, the feed fails validation with no workaround.
The MDX code list is fixed. If your packaging type is not on it, you cannot export the product until you find the closest match or request a new code from ETIM International.
4. Product classes that split in ETIM 9 and 10
ETIM 10.0 added 119 new classes. Several old classes were split based on application features, so a one-to-one mapping from ETIM 8 no longer works.
Contactor class split in ETIM 10
| Version | Class code | What maps here |
|---|---|---|
| ETIM 8 | EC002366 | All contactors and intelligent control elements |
| ETIM 10 | EC002366 | Standard contactors only |
| ETIM 10 | EC002370 | Intelligent control elements (products with EF003851) |
Migration rule: products with application control features (EF003851) move to the new class. Standard contactors stay in the original class.
Batch-migrating every contactor to the same class will misclassify the ones that now belong elsewhere. Review feature values per product to determine which class applies. The ETIM Viewer change codes list all affected classes.
5. Variant modeling structure changed
BMEcat listed color variants as separate products. xChange 2.0 groups them under a parent with a variant-defining feature.
Before (BMEcat): Three SKUs
- CG-M20-RED (red cable gland, M20)
- CG-M20-BLU (blue cable gland, M20)
- CG-M20-GRN (green cable gland, M20)
After (xChange 2.0): One product group
- Parent: CG-M20 with color as variant feature
- Child variants reference parent, inherit shared features
This changes how your PIM exports product families. If you send three separate products, the schema rejects them as duplicate entries.
Migration checklist with effort estimates
Export one product class in both BMEcat and xChange 2.0. Compare how numeric features encode (15 minutes per class).
Search for alphanumeric values with units in the string. Flag every feature that needs splitting (3-5 minutes per class).
Use ETIM Viewer change codes to identify classes affected by ETIM 9/10 splits (5 minutes per class).
Check LCA/EPD population, packaging MDX codes, and variant group structure (10 minutes to spot gaps across catalog).
3-5 minutes per class if mappings survive. 15-20 minutes per class if you need to remap features or restructure variants.
- Exported raw xChange 2.0 file from PIM
- Compared numeric feature encoding to BMEcat baseline
- Identified classes with deprecated features using ETIM Viewer
- Confirmed variant group structure exports correctly
- Checked environmental data population percentage
- Validated one file against JSON schema
- Counted classes needing feature remapping
- Flagged packaging descriptions missing MDX codes
Prioritize by migration risk
Contactors and circuit breakers are high risk. Classes split in ETIM 10 and many numeric features need restructuring (15-20 min per class). Cable management (glands, conduit) is high risk. Complex variant structures plus class splits (15-20 min per class). Lighting products are medium risk. New environmental fields and variant modeling changes (5-10 min per class). Simple accessories (terminals, markers) are low risk. Mostly alphanumeric features, no class changes (3-5 min per class).
What this means for your PIM export
Most PIM vendors shipped an xChange 2.0 export that wraps BMEcat fields in JSON. Validate one file against the ETIM JSON schema before you send 5,000 products to a distributor.
The schema will reject embedded units, missing MDX codes, and malformed variant groups. A 500-class catalog with mostly numeric features will take 25-40 hours to validate and remap if 30% of classes need rework. Budget 1-2 sprints for the migration, not a single week.