How to build a configurator: A guide
The way to an (online) configurator
Overview: Who is this article relevant for?
- Companies that want to build their own configurator to sell their products easily and efficiently.
- Companies that want to get started quickly and easily with a configurator and expand it as required.
- Companies that want to know how existing data can be used efficiently in the configurator.
- Companies that are wondering how they can maintain data, articles and rules in the configurator without programming.
What is a configurator?
A configurator is a tool that simplifies the sales of complex and multi-variant products, e.g. furniture or control cabinets. It enables your customers to customise and configure their individual products according to their own requirements. Product configurators are not only suitable for large companies, but also for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Creating a configurator can be complicated and time-consuming. However, with a modular configurator, companies can create their own configurator quickly, easily and flexibly by selecting features that have already been developed.
With a configurator, you can offer your customers a unique and personalised shopping experience that encourages them to buy from you. Configurators are suitable for many industries and can be seamlessly integrated into a company's webshop. So let's get started right away and find out how you can create and maintain your own configurator!
Tips and tricks: Building a configurator
Let's start with some tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your configurator. These include, for example, defining your goals and target group and choosing the right software.
Tip 1: Define your target group
Before you create a configurator, it is important to know your target group well. Define age, gender, professional background and other relevant information. The aim is to understand the requirements of the configurator and the entire purchasing process. This enables you to create an optimal customer experience.
Tip 2: Start small and stay flexible
Start your configurator project small and gradually add more functions. At the beginning, select the features that are most important to you. This will help you to launch your configurator quickly. This can include configuring in 3D and the automatic generation of quotations and documents.Find out more about how a configurator project works here.
Tip 3: Analyse user data and stay curious
Even after the successful launch of the configurator, it is important to analyse user data and keep an eye on the market. Changes and new customer requirements may require adjustments to your configurator. Also monitor the competition to recognise market trends and set yourself apart from the competition.
Build a configurator: How it works
Success with a modular system
The modular configurator is based on standard software that has been developed through years of experience and numerous projects. With this modular system, companies can customise their configurator without having to rely on complex programming. The modular system offers a user-friendly interface and enables simple management of articles, rules and other configuration data.
Step 1: Define the product selection
In order to offer your customers a wide range of configuration options, you need to define the various articles and accessories. Think about which options and variations you would like to offer. Create corresponding selection options. For example, you can define colours, sizes, materials or functions that the customer can select individually.
Step 2: Define or import configuration rules
Configuration rules are crucial to ensure that the product configuration makes sense and works properly. These rules define which options are compatible with each other and which are not. For example, a certain colour might only be compatible with certain materials. Make sure you define these rules clearly. This prevents the customer from creating incorrect configurations. Even better: you have already defined the configuration rules in the product data.
Step 3: Select modules
Take a look at the respective modules of various providers and choose the provider with the best functionality. Whether it's configuring in 3D, automatically generating documents (drawings, parts lists, etc.) or connecting to various interfaces (ERP, PIM, 3Dfindit, etc.) – simply select modules and create the perfect configurator yourself.
Step 4: Import data and start
Data that is already maintained in other systems, such as configuration rules, article and product data, etc., can be used to create the configurator. Import the required data and start building the product configurator straight away. Avoid data redundancy and additional effort by integrating the configurator into your systems (ERP, PIM, CRM, etc.) and Single Source of Truth (SSOT). This allows you to provide your customers and employees with a seamless user experience.
A modular configurator in action:
CONFIGON configurator
The 2D/3D configurator CONFIGON is a software solution for configuring complex and multi-variant products. Let's take a look at how you can use CONFIGON's modular system to put together your individual configurator:
CONFIGON lets you create a complex product configurator without having to code. You can import product data from various systems, e.g. CADENAS, and transfer existing knowledge, such as connection points and rules, with a click. A quick and efficient way to create a customised configurator – without a large project and with many expansion options.
CONFIGON offers a variety of modules with which you can expand your configurator and adapt it to your specific requirements. Some modules are standard and are always included:
- Import of catalogs and 3D models via 3Dfindit and CADENAS
- Configuration in 3D via drag & drop
- Customised design and user interface
- Access to the backend with article and rule maintenance
- Generation of parts lists
- Export of every configuration in 100+ CAD formats
In addition to the standard modules, there are other modules that can be activated with minimal project effort. With these modules, you can customise and expand your configurator to offer your customers an optimal configuration experience and optimise your business processes.
Maintaining product data in the configurator
A major advantage of configurators such as CONFIGON is the ability to maintain data without coding. You can easily manage your articles, options and rules via a user-friendly interface. Changes can be made quickly and easily without having to rely on a developer. This means you can always keep your configurator up to date.
The CONFIGON backend is the area in which data and information is managed. Here you can add articles to the configurator, manage their properties and rules and update data automatically. You avoid additional work and duplicates and simplify your data management at the same time. Independent maintenance of product data saves time and costs and allows you to react flexibly to changes.
Summary: How to build a configurator
A modular configurator enables companies to create a customised configurator quickly and flexibly. With modular features, easy implementation and customisability, it offers a user-friendly solution for selling complex products. This allows you to offer your customers a unique and personalised shopping experience. Through continuous adaptation and optimisation, the configurator can efficiently support sales and lead to higher customer satisfaction.
The independent maintenance of product data in the configurator offers companies flexibility and control. Products, options and rules can be easily managed and updated. This saves time and costs and enables companies to keep the configurator up to date at all times.
