Section 1 : Configuration
This section defines the configuration of PIMdrop
1.0 Authentication
To log in, Users need an Office 365 account. If their account is not set up for the application, when trying to login, they will be advised to ask for access. When logged in, the application will recognize the User and their avatar is displayed on top right of the page. Users have the possibility to log out as well.
1.1 Navigation
In terms of Navigation, Users have the following elements:
Header displays the application logo and user icon
Navigation side panel -> Users can easily navigate between pages
Breadcrumbs allows Users to go back to previous page
1.2 PIM Model Configuration
Tenants can configure their own PIM Model by:
adding new columns,
selecting data type
changing columns` names.
marking columns as required
Users can search for a specific column by using the Search functionality.
For columns with Numeric and Currency data type, Users can set a minimum and a maximum value.
For columns with Text data type, Users can set a minimum and maximum length.
Once a data type has been assigned to a column and modifications have been saved, Users cannot change the data type anymore for that specific column.
1.2.0 PIM configuration mapper visibility
The column attributes have been extended to include additional information highlighting where the column is used in any import or export channels.
1.2.1 PIM configuration allows for notes
Notes allow users to enter free text comments related to the field. This flexibility enables users to record any information relevant to the field as needed.
1.2.2 Reordering the configuration model
Once created, columns can be reordered by selecting an item and dragging it to the desired position in the list.
Example above: Dragging column number 225 Web: Weight (oz) into position 94
Alternatively, users can adjust the order by selecting the order number on the left-hand side and editing it to the preferred sequence.
Example above: Size Range which was column 203, has been changed to column number 70
1.2.3 Reject Special Characters
At the column level, you can now specify whether special characters are permitted. By default, columns allow special characters; however, for fields that cannot accommodate them (e.g., ERP fields), the setting should be changed to Reject.
When Reject is enabled, any special characters in incoming imported data will be automatically removed from both the incoming file and the preview/product grid. If special characters are entered manually, the corresponding cell will be highlighted in red to indicate an error.
1.2.4 Case Behaviour
At the column level, you can define a default case format. The available options are:
None
Upper Case
Lower Case
Sentence Case
Proper Case
When data is imported, values will automatically be transformed to match the selected case format.
Example: In the Raw data
When loaded into PIMdrop to a column where sentence case has been defined
If any manually entered data is defined outside of the default behaviour, it will highlight in error
1.3 Channel Creation Configuration
Users can add Import or Export channels which they can use during the import and export process.
When creating a channel, Users can select the type - Import/Export, define channels` name, description and logo.
For Import channels, the columns from the supplier file will be defined first and they will be mapped to PIM model columns.
For Export channels, Users can select which PIM Model columns to be exported, having the possibility to define the corresponding columns headers which will be found in the exported file.
Please do not use any special characters in channel names as this may cause conflict on Excel imports/exports.
Version 1.8 Values in cells are now shown in full length for easier lookup controls.
1.3.1 Shopify API Configuration from PIMdrop
Users will see a new tab in PIM Model configuration: API integration. On the tab, Users will see the "Add API" button. When clicking on the button, a pop-up opens and Users will need to fill in the following fields:
API Name
Select if the integration is for Shopify, Magento (at the moment integration with Magento is not available)
API URL
Access Token - from the Shopify app with which PIMdrop will communicate
API Secret Key - from the Shopify app with which PIMdrop will communicate. This key will be hidden for other Users. Only the User who has created the integration can see.
1.3.2 Integrate with Shopify Shops
To integrate with shops, Users need first to install a Develop App in Shopify in order to get Access token and API Secret key which will be used in PIMdrop. The full documentation on how to integrate can be found in the Appendix A1 of this document.
1.3.3 Add Shopify Variants
To export products into Shopify by taking into account Shopify Variants, Users have to define these in the Export Channel they will use when doing the export. The definition of a Shopify Export Channel includes 3 steps:
Define the general PIM columns and Shopify columns mapping that have information applicable for all products regardless of the variants such as "Supplier/Vendor" or "Category/Product type". When processing the export, these information from these fields will be mapped to the general product
Define the PIM columns that are considered variants and based on which products will be grouped when exported to Shopify - such as "Fit" or "Colour". When procesing the export, the products will be grouped based on the Variants mapping
Define the PIM columns and Shopify columns mapping that are Variant Specific fields, for example, barcodes. When processing the export, the details from these columns will be mapped to the fields defined for the variants
1.3.4 API Integration with Backbone
Users will see a new tab in PIM Model configuration: API integration. On the tab, Users will see the "Add API" button. When clicking on the button, a pop-up opens and Users will need to fill in the following fields:
API Name Select the integration for Backbone
API URL as provided by Backbone
Access Token as provided by Backbone
API Secret Key - as provided by Backbone with which PIMdrop will communicate. This key will be hidden for other Users. Only the User who has created the integration can see.
1.3.5 Integration with Backbone
To export products to Backbone, Users need to create an export Channel specific to Backbone.
When editing an Export Channel, Users have to select available Backbone options from Export Type dropdown. When this is selected, Users can start configuring the mapping.
There are 6 fields that can be configured and they are already predefined in the "General Column" section:
Name - it is mandatory otherwise the
Style Code
Color Code
Color Description
Season
Year
If in PIM columns there are values that are not part of the Taxonomy list available in Backbone, those values will be added when doing the export
To integrate with Backbone, you must include a mapping to Backbone field called Name. (Product Description). Without this primary field being mapped, the API will not work.
1.3.6 Export to SFTP location
To export files to a SFTP location, the SFTP hostname, URL, username and password must be configured in PIMdrop.
In the PIM Configuration tab, select the API Config tab.. On the tab, Users will see the "Add API" button. When clicking on the button, a pop-up opens and Users will need to fill in the following fields:
Integration Name Select the name you wish to give for this export channel option
In the API integration With drop down, select SFTP
API URL enter the hostname followed by a ‘:’and associated port number as provided by the location administrator, eg hostname:####
Username - as provided by the location administrator.
Password as provided by the location administrator.
Once configured, the relevant export channel needs to be mapped to the SFTP credentials
From the Export channel dropdown, select SFTP in the Export Type.
In the API Integrations text box, select the SFTP export integration
Continue with mapping the required export columns as required.
When exporting the data from the product grid, select the export channel[GW1] . The SFTP details screen should appear. Select the correct SFTP integration and nominate if the file should be Excel or csv.
1.4 Enumerated Lists
Enumerated list is one of the data types that can be applied to PIM Model columns. For this type of columns, Users are able to select values from a predefined list.
List creation is available in List Settings tab from PIM Configuration page. Users can add a new list by clicking on Add List button. A new screen opens and Users have two possibilities to add values:
by using Add new button
by importing a file - only excel format is accepted and the values will be taken from the first column available in the excel
Users can assign an enumerated list to a column by firstly going to PIM Model tab, then selecting List: Single select or List: Multiselect data type and in the end selecting the desired list from Column Details side panel.
Once a list is assigned to a column, the columns` name will appear on the list entry from List Settings tab.
As long as a list is assigned, it cannot be deleted.
For columns that are "List" data type, when assigning an enumerated list, the available options are displayed in alphabetical order.
1.5 Rules
1.5.1 Smart Transformations
In PIM Configuration screen, Users will see a new tab: Rules. Inside this tab, Users can set rules on all available Channels.
When selecting a channel, Users will see all columns that are part of the channel. For each column, they can set smart transformation rules. For import channels, they have to define the value from the import file and the value to be used in the corresponding PIM column. For export channels, they have to define the value from the PIM columns and the value to be used in the exported file. At any time, Users can delete specific rules. When doing imports and exports, the set rules will be respected.
Users can delete all the rules from the Channel, by clicking on the "trash" icon associated to each channel.
1.5.2 Split Range
In addition to Smart Transformation rule, Users can now add a new rule type to a column: Split range. Split range rule can be added only to one column from a channel. Once it is set, the option will become disabled in the dropdown.
To create a Split range rule, Users need to follow these steps:
Introduce the ranges available in the excel on the selected column (mandatory) In the example below, ranges to split being 10-12 and 6-10, is the range provided in the import channel file.
Select enumerated lists based on which the split will be made (mandatory) This is the size range to split rows into the PIM Model grid
Select the column which will be populated with the name of the selected enumerated list for each range (optional) In this example, SizeList will be the field to cater for the size range
Select the column which will be populated after the split with the individual sizes. (Individual Sizes column)
Once the configuration is saved and the first import is made using the channel, in Review page Users will see that the split has been done automatically. Users can also see the new created rule in the Rules overview screen, having the possibility to edit it.
1.5.3 Reorder Rule
To reorder rules, Users will use drag and drop behaviour from top to bottom or bottom to top. The rules are numbered based on the order, when the order changes, then rules will be renumbered. The rules will be applied on data set at import time, based on the established order.
1.5.4 Delete rules
Users can delete the rules from the Rules overview screen by clicking on the "trash" icon.
1.6 Hierarchy
1.6.1 Create Hierarchy
In PIM configuration page, Users will see a new tab: Hierarchy. Inside the Hierarchy tab, they can see all the available PIM Model columns.
To create a hierarchy level, Users need to click on Add hierarchy level button. Up to 3 hierarchy levels can be created. Columns can be assigned to levels by using drag and drop and the columns that remain unassigned, will not be part of any level and can be edited at row level. Users can delete a hierarchy level at any time and can introduce one between 2 existing levels by clicking Plus button.
In the example below, Size would be the lowest level, and therefore not required to be configured in the hierarchy structure. If you needed Fit and Size, one of these would become the third hierarchy, with the fourth level left open as it is the lowest value in the data set.
Each level needs to have a primary column selected, as based on this column the grouping will be done in Review and Products Grid. The values belonging to the columns that are part of a hierarchy level can be edited only at parent level in Grid, implying all children will have the same value.
1.6.2 Display and Edit Hierarchy Columns
In Preview and Products Grid, Users have the possibility to switch between Dynamic view to Hierarchical view.
In Hierarchical view, products are grouped based on primary column set for each hierarchy level. The grouping cannot be modified. Columns that belong to hierarchy levels can be edited only at parent to ensure that children have the same value.
Important! Undo functionality is NOT offered for changes done at parent level.
When children do not have the same value, then Users will see the mark "---". When children have the same values, then the value will be displayed at parent level.
In Dynamic view, the rows can be displayed ungrouped and Users can group them dynamically. When in this view and a hierarchy is set, then the columns belonging to a hierarchy level cannot be edited, the cells being disabled. These values can only be edited in Hierarchical view.
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