Using datafeed exports you can retrieve product data and export it in specific formats, whereby the data output can, for example, be limited to specific categories or specific products using appropriate filters.
Using a simple example, this chapter explains how to export data of products from the primary taxonomy category “Wafflemakers” as a downloadable .xlsx file. For the relevant products, product data which is located on the context level “Customer” and the language level “English” is exported. The product data includes the product number, the item description, the model number and the existing product texts of the text type “Shorttext”.
Step 1: Basic settings
In the first step you need to specify the basic settings for the datafeed. For example, this includes a datafeed ID, a datafeed name, a file name, the data transfer profile and the export file format. Additionally, you need to specify from which version (taxonomy), from which context level and from which locale product data is retrieved. And you need to specify a datafeed type and a validity range.
In order to generate a new datafeed and to make the basic settings, proceed as follows:
- Go to the iPIM Export module and access the “Datafeed-Exports” section.
- Click on the
button. Following this, a new dataset with empty input fields is generated. Just the input field “Datafeed ID” contains a datafeed identifier that was assigned by the system.
- Possibly enter a new datafeed ID in the “Datafeed ID” field.
- Enter multilingual names for the datafeed. To do so, click on the
button in the “Name” field to call up the corresponding dialog box.
- Enter datafeed names for the individual languages in the respective input fields. You do not need to fill in all the input fields.
- Click on the button to finalise the entering of datafeed names. Following this, the dialog box closes.
- From the menu “Version”, select the primary taxonomy (in this case “Purchasing category version”).
- From the menu “Context”, select the context level from which the product data is retrieved (in this case “Customer”).
- From the menu “Locale”, select the locale from which the product data is retrieved (in this case “English”).
- From the menu “Export format”, select a product structure level from which the product data is retrieved (In this case “Product”).
- From the menu “Validity range”, select the option “Valid products” so that only product data of valid products is retrieved.
- Move the “Activation” toggle switch to the
position to activate the datafeed. - From the menu “Type”, select the option “iPIM Standard datafeed” which is the standard datafeed type.
- Enter a file name as well as a file extension in the “File name” field*.
- From the menu “Transfer profile”, select a data transfer profile that features the transfer type “Download”.
- From the menu “Export format”, select the option “XLSX”*.
- Click on the button in the lower right corner to save your settings. If the process was successful, a corresponding message will appear.
The basic settings are now finalised and you can proceed to the next step.
Step 2: Set up attribute mappings
In this step you need to specify which data of the relevant products is exported using attribute mappings. In this case, it is the product number, the attributes that store the model number and the item description as well as text type of the product texts that are to be exported.
- Go to the “Attribute mapping” tab.
- From the “Mapping type” menu, select the option “Standard-Infos”.
- Click on the
button to create a new mapping.
- Configure the mapping:
- From the menu “iPIM value”, select the option “Product number”.
- From the menu “1st Target column configuration”, select the option “Constant”.
- Enter the desired column name for the export file in the “1st Target column” field (in this case “Product number”).
- From the “Mapping type” menu, select the option “Attribute”.
- Click on thebutton to create a new mapping.
- Configure the mapping:
- From the menu “iPIM value”, select the attribute that represents the model number (in this case “Model number [607-1-LSF]”).
- From the menu “1st Target column configuration”, select the option “Description” so that the attribute name is used as the column header.
- From the “Mapping type” menu, select the option “Attribute”.
- Click on thebutton to create a new mapping.
- From the menu “iPIM value”, select the attribute that represents the item description (in this case “Item description [ItemDesc]”).
- From the menu “1st Target column configuration”, select the option “Description” so that the attribute name is used as the column header.
- From the “Mapping type” menu, select the option “Text”.
- Click on thebutton to create a new mapping.
- Configure the mapping:
- From the menu “iPIM value”, select the text type of the product texts that are to be exported (in this case “Shorttext”).
- From the menu “1st Target column configuration”, select the option “Description” so that the name of the text type is used as the column header.
- Click on the button in the lower right corner to save your settings. If the process was successful, a corresponding message will appear.
The attribute mappings are now set up and you can proceed to the next step.
Step 3: Set up a category filter
In this step you need to set up a category filter that effects that only data of products from the category “Wafflemakers” is exported.
In order to create the category filter, proceed as follows:
- Go to the “Filter” tab and scroll down to the “Category filter” card.
- Click on the button in the footer to call up the corresponding dialog box.
- Choose the category from the category directory (in this example “Waffle makers”). Possibly use the text search to filter the category list by a search term.
- Tick the category to select it.
- Click on the button to create the category filter.
- Double-click in the table cell of the “Whitelist” column and select the option YES so that only data of products from the category “Wafflemakers” is exported.
- Click on the button to save your settings.
The category filter is now created and configured.
Step 4: Run the datafeed and generate a job
In this step you need to run the datafeed. In the process, a job for the manual execution of the datafeed is generated. To do so, proceed as follows:
- Choose the datafeed from the list of datafeeds in the “Datafeed exports” card. Possibly use the text search to filter the list of datafeeds by a search term.
- Move the mouse cursor over the datafeed. Then appears the
button. - Click on thebutton to call up the action menu behind it.
- Click on the “Export” action to trigger the execution of the datafeed export. If the process was successful, a corresponding message will appear.
- Call up the “Tasks” menu which is hidden behind the
button in the header. - In the row of the datafeed, click on the
button to trigger the download. The export file can usually be found in your local download folder.
Step 5: Set up an automated job (optional)
This section explains how to set up a job for the automatic execution of the datafeed. The exemplary job runs the datafeed weekly on Sunday at 11 p.m.
In oder to set up a job with the parameters mentioned above, proceed as follows:
- Go to the “Datafeed” tab and select a data transfer profile for which it is specified that the export file is transfered to a particular target directory (in this case “Standard data transfer profile”).
- Click on the button to save your settings.
- Go to the “Job administration” tab.
- Click on the button in the footer to call up the corresponding dialog box.
- Enter an identifier in the input field “Identifier”.
- From the menu “Job type”, select the option “Every week (date)”.
- In the list of weekdays, click on the option “Sun” to select the Sunday.
- In the input field “Hour”, enter the value “23”.
- In the input field “Minutes”, enter the value “00”.
- Click on the button to finalise the setup of the job.
- Activate the job:
- Move the mouse cursor over the job. Following this, a menu bar appears.
- Click on the
button to activate the job.
