The following article explains how the product groups are created line by line in the file „categories_CAT-ID_LANGUAGE_UTF-8.xls“.
Because each catalogue consists of both products and categories an additional file containing the product information is needed. How to create this file is described in the article Products – manual.
Excel templates for the products and categories file are available here:
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Important notes on the Excel template: → Please do not change the order of the columns |
The number and name of product groups and the structure of the sub-categories can be chosen freely. For example, if you only have 5 items in your catalogue, one product group is sufficient.
In the items below you find the requirements and more information on the columns in the Excel template. The order corresponds to the order within the Excel file.
The GROUP_ID is the unique ID that classifies product groups. The GROUP_ID is used to assign a product to a specific product group. In addition, the hierarchy of the product groups can also be represented in this way („father-son-relationships“).
You can choose the group IDs freely or take them over from your ERP system.
| Requirements |
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→ Mandatory field → Row 3 may not be changed and must always contain 1 → Use each group ID only once → Numbers, letters and even whole words can be used |
Examples:
Items are arranged in the product group structure using column W (CATALOG_GROUP_ID) in the products file:
More information on the products file is available under Products – manual.
In this column you enter the name of each category. You can choose the product group names freely or take them over from your ERP system.
| Requirements |
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→ Mandatory field → Row 3 may not be changed and must always contain the name “catalogue” → From row 4 on you enter the names for all categories and sub-categories → The product groups and their names can be chosen freely |
Example:
The CATALOG_STRUCTURE type defines whether a product group contains products or further product groups.
| Requirements |
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→ Mandatory field → Row 3 may not be changed and must always contain root → The „root“ category is the gateway where our system links into your catalogue → For categories that contain sub-categories enter: node → For categories that contain products enter: leaf → Products can only be allocated to categories labelled as: leaf → A category may not contain both products and product groups |
Example:
Scheme of a catalogue structure:
The PARENT_ID indicates the GROUP_ID of the superordinated group. This column defines the position of the product group within the hierarchy of the product group system.
| Requirements |
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→ Mandatory field → Row 3 may not be changed and must always contain „0“ → For your freely chosen product groups, please enter the Group ID of the related superordinated group |
Example:
The next illustration shows the relationship between GROUP_ID and PARENT_ID:
Explanations:
→ Coloured orange: The „root“ category (Catalogue) contains the main categories „Envelopes“ and „Paper“. Therefore, both groups gets a 1 in column PARENT_ID.
→ Coloured yellow: The group „Envelopes“ with group ID 2 contains the sub-categories „Business“, „Office“ and „Colour“. Therefore, these 3 groups receive a 2 in column PARENT_ID.
→ Coloured light yellow: Below the group „Colour“ hang the sub-categories „Colour DIN C3“, „Colour DIN C4“ and „Colour DIN C5“. Therefor „23“ is entered as PARENT_ID.
The best way to explain the topic is via an example. Please imagine you have a group system consisting of two main groups, „Envelopes“ and „Paper“. And these two groups comprises various sub-categories.
In the first step, you define the structure of your product group system:
Explanations:
→ „Envelopes“ and „Paper“ are categories in the 1st level
→ Either of the groups contain three groups in the 2nd level
→ And the 2nd level groups „Colour“ and „Business“ have three further sub-categories (3rd level)
The scheme of your category tree would then look like this:
The next illustration shows how to insert these product groups in the Excel template:
Note: The background colours are for illustrative purposes only and have no influence on the group system. You can leave the background colour to white.
Please do not forget to state the Group ID in the products file in column W as well:
After uploading your catalogue, the product groups would look like this in the catalogue preview:
And if you then click on „Envelopes“, for example, you will see the associated sub-categories:
