Import prices and their validities

Using an example, this chapter explains the import of item data among which are prices and price validities. In the process, price attributes are used. The price attributes can be configured in the transformation configuration of a catalog. They can be used to import price-describing information apart in addition to the mere prices and map them to iPIM attributes of the “Price” scope which in turn are used to describe properties of prices. In this example, the import includes a price as well as its begin of validity as well as its end of validity. The price is mapped to the appropriate price type whereas the begin of validity as well as the end of validity are mapped to the iPIM attributes that reprensent the begin of validity resp. the end of validity.

In this example, the following .xlsx catalog file is uploaded:

1. Create a catalog

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

INFO
Click here to find a list of the required rights.
  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. Chevron right The dialog box closes and a success message is shown.

2. Configure the import

In this step, the import is configured.

INFO
Click here to find a list of the required rights.
  1. Call up the catalog. You are directed to the catalog process overview.
  1. Click on “Import”. Chevron rightYou 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 column 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:

  1. Click on the Execute button to call up the corresponding dialog box.
  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 success message is shown.

4. Configure the transformation

In this step, the transformation is configured.

INFO
Click here to find a list of the required rights.
  • Click on “Transformation” to call up the transformation configuration.

4.1. Create the price attribute

In this step, the price attribute is created:

  1. Scroll down to the “Price attributes” card .
  2. Click on the Add button to call up the corresponding dialog box.
  1. In the “Title” field , enter a name of the price attribute.
  2. From the “Price type” menu  , select the price type the imported price is to be mapped to.
  3. From the “Context” menu , select the context level the imported price is to be stored on.
  4. In the “Description” field , possibly enter a description for the price attribute.
  5. Click on the Save button to finalise the creation of the price attribute. Chevron rightThe dialog box closes and a success message is shown. The price attribute is now created, 

4.2. 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 on the right-hand side 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 imported price is mapped to the price attribute “Sellingpoint2207” so that the imported price is written on the price type that was defined for the price attribute. Both validity dates are mapped to the appropriate auxiliary attributes so that their values are mapped to the corresponding iPIM attributes “IPIM_VALID_FROM” and “IPIM_VALID_UNTIL” which represent the respective properties of the price. In this example, the auxiliary attributes are “Sellingprice2207@IPIM_VALID_FROM” and “Sellingprice2207@IPIM_VALID_UNTIL” .
  • 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.

4.3. Specify the price currency

In this step, the currency for ths price attribute is specified:

  1. In the table row of the price attribute “Sellingpoint2207”, click on the Edit button. Chevron rightYou are directed to the mapping configuration.
  1. From the “Unit of measurement” menu in the “Supplier attribute assignment” card, select the appropriate currency. 
  2. Click on the Save to save your settings. Chevron right A success message is shown.
  3. Click on the Back button. Chevron right You are directed back to the transformation configuration.

4.4. Localize item names

In this step, the additional locale “German” is specified for the localized attribute “Produktname” that stores the item name so that the item name is written both on the standard catalog locale “English” as well as on the “German” locale level of this attribute.

  1. In the table row of the attribute “Produktname”, click on the Edit button. Chevron rightYou are directed to the mapping configuration.
  1. Click on the Add button to add a new set of input fields.
  2. From the left-hand menu, select the appropriate supplier attribute again.
  3. From the right-hand menu, select the locale “German”.
  4. Click on the Save to save your settings. Chevron right A success message is shown.
  5. Click on the Back button. Chevron right You are directed back to the transformation configuration.

4.5. 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” possesses the value “Coffee maker” 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.

4.5.2. 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 “Coffee maker” of the primary iPIM taxonomy. For this purpose, a cleansing rule of the type “Conditional attribute setting” is created. The cleansing rule is configured in a way that any item where the attribute “Devicetype” possesses the value “Coffee maker” is assigned to the category “Coffeemaker”.

  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 “Coffee maker” is assigned to the “Coffeemaker” 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 “Coffee maker”. 
  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 “Coffee maker” of the primary taxonomy which can be selected via the corresponding menu.
  7. Click on the Save button  to finalise the configuration of the cleansing rule. Chevron rightThe dialog box closes and a success message is shown. 

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 price and its validity data can be viewed in the “Price” tab of the “Product details” app.