Import product relations

In order to import product relations when importing item data, with every dataset of an item for which a product relation is to be created, the unique identifier of the item to be related is imported. Usually, the unique identifier is the supplier item number. In the process of the transformation, the identifier of the item to be related is mapped on the appropriate product relation. For example: In order to establish a product relation from item A to item B, the identifier of item B is imported with the dataset of item A. For item A, the identifier of item B is mapped on the product relation.

Using an example, this chapter explains how to import two items that are related to each other. The import comprises of an items and a suitable accessory item. The items are imported using the following .xlsx import file.


For each item, the “Cross-Selling” column lists the article number of the related item.
Note
  • In this example, the relation between the two items is bi-directional. Hence, for both items the article number of its counterpart is listed in the “Cross-Selling” column. In this way, a product relation with a counter-relation is created.
  • If the article number of the related item was only specified for one of the items, the relation would be uni-directional. In this case, the item for which the article number of the related item is specified, will be the source item.
  • In order to create multiple relations for an item, enter the article numbers of all the items to be related and separate them by a delimiter (e.g. a comma). The delimiter can be specified in the attribute mapping configuration. Note: Make sure that the spreadsheet software does not interprete comma-separated article numbers as decimal numbers. To do so, place an inverted comma in front of the article numbers (e.g. '26051,26052).

1. Create a catalog

In this step a catalog of the “Supplier catalog” type is created.

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  1. Go to the “Catalogs” section. To do so, click on the appropriate tab.
  2. Click on the Create new catalog button to call up the corresponding dialog box.
  1. From the “Catalog type” menu , select the option “Supplier catalog”.
  2. Enter a name for the catalog in the “Catalog name” field .
  3. From the “Supplier” menu , select a supplier.
  4. From the “Language” menu , choose a data language. This setting determines on which locale level the item data is stored by default.
  5. From the “Context” menu , choose a context. This setting determines on which context level the item data is stored by default.
  1. From the “User” menu , select a user.
  2. From the “Import mode” menu , select the option “Import articles via file”.
  3. Click on the Create button to finalise the catalog creation. The dialog box closes and a success message is shown.

2. Configure the import

In this step, the import is configured.

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  1. Call up the catalog. You are directed to the catalog process overview.
  1. Click on “Import”. You are directed to the import configuration.
  1. From the “Import mode” menu , select the option “Full assortment”. This is the import mode for the initial import of new items.
  2. From the “Format” menu , select the option “Excel 2007-2013 (XSLX)” for an import of a catalog file in the .xslx format.
  3. In the “Excel sheet name” field , enter the spreadsheet name of the import file.
  4. In the “Attribute name in row” field , enter the table row number of the column headers that contain the attribute names (in this case “1”).
  5. In the “Data area from row” field , enter the number of the table row in which the data to be imported starts (in this case “2”).
  6. In the “Unique item ID column” field , enter the name of the colum that contains a unique item identifier (in this case the supplier item number).
  7. In the “Supplier item name” field , enter the column name of the catalog file that contains the supplier item name.
  8. In order to finish the configuration process, click on the Save button .Chevron rightA success message is shown.  The import is now configured.
  9. Go back to the catalog process overview. To do so, click on the “Catalog process” tab.

3 Carry out the import

In this step, the catalog file is imported.

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  1. Drag the catalog file over the drop area and drop it there or click on the Browse files button to call up the catalog file via the file manager. Following this, the file is loaded into the cache and the file name is shown below the drop area.
  2. Click on the Start import button to trigger the import. Once the import was completed successfully, a corresponding message is shown.

4. Configure the transformation

In this step, the transformation is configured.

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  • Click on “Transformation” to call up the transformation configuration.

4.1. Map the supplier attributes

In this step, the imported supplier attributes are mapped to the appropriate iPIM Supply attributes:

  1. From the “Select action” menu , select the option “New automatic attribute detection.”
  2. Click on the Execute button to trigger the attribute detection. Chevron rightThe corresponding dialog box opens. Here, the “Supply attribute” column shows the imported supplier attributes.
  1. From the menus in the left-hand column , select the matching iPIM Supply attribute for each attribute in the “Supplier attribute” column .
  2. Click on the Save button  to finalise the attribute mapping. Chevron rightThe dialog box closes and the established attribute mappings are shown in the table of the “Transformation rules” card. 
The supplier attribute “Body color” is mapped to the iPIM Supply attribute “variantkey”. In this example, the attribute “variantkey” is used as the dimensioning variant key which in a three-stage product structure is needed for the creation of variants and items.

4.2. Map the iPIM category

In order to be able to carry out a synchronisation in the fourth step of the catalog process, it is required to create a mapping on a category of the primary taxonomy. In the first step, an empty mapping on the primary taxonomy is created. Following this, a cleansing rule of type “Conditional attribute setting” is created. The cleansing rule is configured in a way that any item where the attribute “Devicetype” either possesses the value “Toaster” or “Warming rack” is assigned to the category “Coffeemaker”.

4.5.1 Create an empty attribute mapping

In this step, an empty attribute mapping is created:

  1. Click on the Add button below the “Transformation rules” table. Chevron right The corresponding dialog box is called up.
  1. From the menu in the “iPIM Supply attribute” column , select the primary iPIM taxonomy.
  2. From the menu in the “Supplier attribute” column , select the option “<Empty>”.
  3. Click on the Save button  to finalise the attribute mapping creation.Chevron rightThe dialog box closes and the newly created attribute mapping is shown in the table.

4.2.2. Configure a cleansing rule

In this step, a cleansing rule is specified. The cleansing rule effects that the imported items resp. the products created on the basis on them are assigned to the category “Toaster” of the primary iPIM taxonomy. For this purpose, a cleansing rule of the type “Conditional attribute setting” is configured. The cleansing rule is configured in a way that any item where the attribute “Devicetype” possesses the value “Toaster” or “Warming rack” is assigned to the category “Toaster”.

  1. Scroll down to the “Cleansing rules” card.
  2. From the “Select rule type” menu , select the option “Conditional attribute setting”.
  3. Click on the Add button .Chevron rightThe corresponding dialog box is called up.
  1. In the “Title” field , enter a name for the cleansing rule.
  2. If not already set, select the option “After transformation (cleanses transformed values)” from the “Order” menu so that the the cleansing rules only affects the transformed iPIM Supply attributes.
  3. From the “Attribute” menu , select the attribute that the target value is to be assigned to. In this case, this is the attribute that represents the assignment to a category of the primary taxonomy. 
  4. If not already set, tick the “Activate rule” checkbox so that the cleansing rule is run in the process of the transformation.

This screenshot shows the basic configuration of the cleansing rule including a partial rule that effects that any item where the attribute “Devicetype” possesses the value “Toaster” is assigned to the “Toaster” category of the primary taxonomy.
  1. From the “Attribute to compare” menu , select the comparison attribute. The value of this attribute is matched to the comparison value. In this case, this is the attribute “Devicetype”.
  2. From the “Operator” menu , select the option “= (Equal)” in order to specify that the value of the comparison attribute needs to equal the comparison value.
  3. From the “Compared type” menu , select the option “Constant” in order to specify that the value of the comparison attribute is matched to a constant comparison value. 
  4. In the “Compared value” field , enter the appropriate comparison value. In this case, this is the value “Toaster”. 
  5. From the “Target type” menu , select the option “Constant” to specify that a constant value is assigned to the target attribute.
  6. Via the “Target value” menu , specify the target value. This target value is assigned to the target attribute. In this case, this is the target category “Toaster” of the primary taxonomy which can be selected via the corresponding menu.
  1. Click on the Add button  to add an additional set of input fields for configuring a second partial rule.
  2. Configure the second partial rule in a way that items where the iPIM Supply attribute “Devicetype”possesses the value “Warming rack” are assigned to the “Toaster” category of the primary taxonomy.
  3. Click on the Save button to finalise the configuration of the cleansing rule. Chevron rightThe dialog box closes and a success message is shown. 

This screenshot shows how the cleansing rule is extended by a second partial rule. This partial rule effects that items where the iPIM Supply attribute “Devicetype”possesses the value “Warming rack” are assigned to the “Toaster” category of the primary taxonomy.

5. Carry out the transformation

In this step, the transformation is carried out in order to write the imported supplier attributes on the appropriate iPIM Supply according to the transformation rules that were specified.

  1. Go back to the catalog process overview. To do so, click on the “Catalog process” tab.
  1. In the “Transformation” card, click on the Run button. Chevron rightA prompt window is shown.
  2. Click on the Yes button to trigger the transformation. Chevron rightOnce the transformation was completed, a success message is shown. Following this, you can proceed with the catalog process steps “Approval” and “Synchronisation” in order to create the corresponding products in the iPIM Portal. The imported product relations can be viewed in the “Product relations” tab of the “Product details” app.