Prohandel connector

Prohandel and PlentyONE – a winning combination. Do you already use Prohandel as an inventory management tool for retail fashion? And are you ready to get started in e-commerce with PlentyONE? The Prohandel plugin connects your Prohandel system with PlentyONE.

  • Continue using Prohandel for your offline sales.

  • Transmit your item data from Prohandel to PlentyONE.

  • Modify the item data in PlentyONE as needed and then sell your items on various marketplaces, sales channels and online shops.

1. Requirements

This page assumes that you’re already a customer of Prohandel and PlentyONE. Have your access data for both systems at hand. While setting up the interface, you will need to enter your access data to make the connection.

Furthermore, you will map your Prohandel barcodes, sales prices, categories, etc. to those in PlentyONE. If you have not set up your PlentyONE system yet, then you should create the following data before you continue:

2. Downloading and installing the plugin

The Prohandel plugin is available on plentyMarketplace. It connects your Prohandel system with PlentyONE.

The Prohandel plugin can:

  • Import items: Item data is transmitted from Prohandel to PlentyONE. You decide which item data should be sent to PlentyONE and how the items should be structured there.

  • Export orders: Order data is transmitted from PlentyONE to Prohandel. PlentyONE notifies Prohandel of the sale and automatically books the revenue into the correct Prohandel sales store.

  • Update stock levels and prices: Whenever stock levels or prices are updated in Prohandel, this information is transmitted to PlentyONE.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. Download the Prohandel plugin from plentyMarketplace.
    → If prompted, sign into plentyMarketplace. Use the same access data as for the “My account” area.

  2. Go to Plugins » Plugin set overview. Plugins can only be used as part of a plugin set. Therefore:

    1. Option A: Create a completely new plugin set. To do so, click on Add plugin set and enter a name.

    2. Option B: Create a copy of an existing plugin set. To do so, click on Copy plugin set () in the Actions column.

    3. Option C: Decide which existing plugin set is suitable for the Prohandel plugin.

  3. Open the plugin set by clicking on the line in the table.
    → The plugin set opens.

  4. Click on Add plugin.

  5. Select the Prohandel plugin from the list.
    → Information about the plugin is displayed.

  6. Select the version you want to install from the Select version drop-down list. The newest version is selected by default.

  7. To install the plugin, click on Install.
    → The plugin is installed.
    → After installation has finished, the plugin set opens.

  8. Switch the plugin to active ().

  9. Deploy the plugin set ().

Are you new to plugins? The plugins chapter of the manual teaches you more about plugins and how they work in PlentyONE.

Configuration takes place in the assistant

You do not need to configure any settings directly in the plugin. Instead, open the assistant. It guides you through the setup process.

3. Completing the assistant

The assistant helps you specify how PlentyONE and Prohandel should communicate with each other. For example, you’ll decide which item data should be sent to PlentyONE and how the items should be structured there.

Configuring the settings in the assistant:

  1. Go to Setup » Assistants » Plugins » [Open plugin set].

  2. Click on Prohandel Assistant.

  3. Follow the instructions on the screen. Information about the individual steps can be found further below on this page.

  4. In the step Summary, check your settings to makes sure they are correct.

  5. Once all of the settings are correct, click on Finalise.
    → The settings are saved.

3.1. Connection

In this step, you’ll connect PlentyONE and Prohandel. In other words, you’ll enter your access data so that PlentyONE and Prohandel can communicate with each other.

Table 1. Connection
Setting Explanation

URL

Enter the URL that you received from Prohandel. Example: your-shop.prohandel.de

User name

Enter the user name for your Prohandel account. The user name is an email address.

Password

Enter the password for your Prohandel account.

3.2. Consider locations in the warehouse

In this step, decide whether PlentyONE should track the exact location of each item in the warehouse.

Background knowledge:

  • PlentyONE not only allows you to track an item’s stock levels, but also to track where the item is located within the warehouse.

    • In PlentyONE. the item’s location is called the “storage location”.

    • In Prohandel, the item’s location is called the “shop”.

Table 2. Consider locations in the warehouse
Setting Explanation

Consider locations

Should PlentyONE track the exact location of each item in the warehouse?

= The item’s exact storage location will be recorded. When stock levels change, i.e. when items are received or shipped out, the specific storage location will be taken into consideration. If you’ve activated this function, then you’ll also need to configure the settings in the step Mapping of locations.

= The item’s storage location will not be recorded. In PlentyONE. the “default” storage location will always be used.

3.3. Mapping of locations

In this step, you match your Prohandel shops with your PlentyONE storage locations. The storage locations in PlentyONE are generated automatically.

Example:

  • During the item import, PlentyONE learns that an item is stored in Prohandel shop 1234.

  • The plugin then automatically creates a matching PlentyONE storage location in the menu Setup » Stock » Warehouse » [Open warehouse] » Storage locations and links it in this step of the assistant.

Table 3. Mapping of locations
Setting Explanation

Prohandel store

These are the stock-keeping stores in Prohandel. Select the appropriate store from the drop-down list.

Prohandel shop

These are the shop names in Prohandel. Select the appropriate shop from the drop-down list.

PlentyONE storage location

These are the storage location IDs in the PlentyONE menu Setup » Stock » Warehouse » [Open warehouse] » Storage locations.
Naming logic

You can find the automatically generated storage locations in the menu Setup » Stock » Warehouse » [Open warehouse] » Storage locations. The storage location’s name always follows a certain logic. The storage locations are called: Prohandel level:Prohandel SL for shop 1234. In this example, 1234 represents the Prohandel shop number. This name can not be changed. It is hard-coded.

3.4. Mapping of stock-keeping stores

In this step, you’ll map your stock-keeping Prohandel stores with your PlentyONE warehouses. In doing so, your stock levels in Prohandel can be synchronised with PlentyONE and kept up-to-date. For example, if the stock level sinks in Prohandel, then PlentyONE will also be informed of the change.

Table 4. Mapping of stock-keeping stores
Setting Explanation

Prohandel store

These are the stock-keeping stores in Prohandel. Select the appropriate store from the drop-down list.

PlentyONE warehouse

These are the warehouses that you’ve set up in PlentyONE. Select the appropriate warehouse from the drop-down list.

Requirement: Have you already created warehouses in PlentyONE? This drop-down list only includes warehouses that already exist in PlentyONE.

Adds another line. This allows you to map multiple stores and warehouses.

Deletes a line. This allows you to remove mappings that are no longer needed.
1:1 mapping is recommended

  • Ideally, you should create a 1:1 mapping.

  • It doesn’t make sense to link multiple PlentyONE warehouses with the same Prohandel store. In this case, your data would repeatedly be transmitted from Prohandel to PlentyONE. The data would not be split.

3.5. Mapping of sales stores

In this step, you’ll map your PlentyONE sales channels with the appropriate Prohandel sales stores. Imagine you’ve just sold a product on a market like eBay, Amazon or Check24. Which sales store should the revenue be booked into and the order data transmitted to?

Table 5. Mapping of sales stores
Setting Explanation

Prohandel store

These are the sales stores in Prohandel. Select the appropriate store from the drop-down list.

Client (store)

These are the clients that you operate with PlentyONE. Select the appropriate client from the drop-down list.

When an order is transmitted to Prohandel, it includes information about the client that it relates to.

Order referrers

These are the order referrers that you use in PlentyONE. Select the appropriate referrers ().

When an order is transmitted to Prohandel, it includes information about the sales channel that it relates to. This allows you to keep a statistical record in Prohandel of which sales channels are particularly profitable or which ones cause the most returns.

Requirement: Have you already activated the appropriate referrers in PlentyONE? The drop-down list only includes active referrers.

Adds another line. This allows you to map multiple stores and sales channels.

Deletes a line. This allows you to remove mappings that are no longer needed.

3.6. Options for the item import

In this step, you’ll decide which item data should be transmitted from Prohandel to PlentyONE and how the items should be structured there.

Table 6. Options for the item import
Setting Explanation

Item filter

Filter basis;
From date

Which items should be imported into PlentyONE?

  1. Select a basis from the drop-down list.

  2. Enter a date into the field.

Incoming goods - First date

This is a timestamp for items in Prohandel. The timestamp is generated when the item is initially created in Prohandel. This timestamp never changes.

Note: Don’t confuse this timestamp with the second date for incoming goods. It’s updated every time new goods are received for the item.

Sale - Second date

This is a timestamp for items in Prohandel. The timestamp indicates when the item was last sold. This timestamp is updated in Prohandel every time the item is sold.

Example: Imagine you use the first incoming goods date as the filter basis and you enter the date 01.01.2020. In this case, only those items that were first procured on or after January 1st, 2020 will be imported.

Grouping scheme

Grouping scheme

Items are structured differently in Prohandel and in PlentyONE.

  • Prohandel: In Prohandel, an item can be thought of as a colour variation. For example, an item is a t-shirt in the colour blue. A second item is the t-shirt in the colour red. Both items have size variations. For example, Blue S, Blue M, Blue L and Red S, Red M, Red L.

  • PlentyONE: In PlentyONE. an item can be thought of as a data container. An item always includes one or more variations, i.e. one or more saleable versions of the product. For example, if a t-shirt is available in the colours blue and red and the sizes S, M, L, then all of the colours and sizes together make up the item. Each individual combination (Blue S, Blue M, Blue L, Red S, Red M, Red L) is a variation of this item.

In this step, you’ll specify a grouping scheme so that your Prohandel items will be structured correctly when they are imported into PlentyONE. This is a text field, i.e. you can enter any grouping scheme.

Example: If you enter the grouping scheme supplierNumber-categoryNumber-supplierArticleNumber, then all of the Prohandel items that have the same supplier number, category number and supplier item number, will be grouped together into one PlentyONE item.

Tag for imported items

PlentyONE tag

Do you want to assign a specific tag to all of your newly imported items? If so, then select the appropriate tag from the drop-down list. By assigning a tag to your items, you can easily tell which items were recently imported, open their data records and refine the item data saved in PlentyONE.

Requirement: Have you already created the necessary tags in PlentyONE? This drop-down list only includes tags that have already been created and made available for variations.

Behaviour of items with a specific value

Field name;
Field value;
Import behaviour

Do you only want to import specific items? Or do you want to exclude specific items from the import?

  1. Which items are we talking about? Select the field name and field value.

  2. Decide what should happen to these items. Select the import behaviour.

Only import those items with specified value

Only those items with the specified field value and field name will be imported. All other items will be ignored.

Skip items with specified value

The items with the specified field value and field name will be skipped. In other words, they will not be imported.

Example: Imagine you sell clothing that is available in various patterns. In Prohandel, each pattern is identified by a unique ID. You only want the products with pattern number 5 to be imported into PlentyONE. To do so, you’ll choose the field name patternNumber, the field value 5 and the import behaviour Only import those items with specified value.

3.7. Mapping of item data fields

In this step, you’ll decide what the data that comes from Prohandel should look like in PlentyONE. In other words, where the data should be saved in PlentyONE.

Table 7. Mapping of item data fields
Setting Explanation

Barcode mapping

EAN

Which PlentyONE barcode type matches your Prohandel EAN? Select the barcode type from the drop-down list.

Requirement: Have you already configured barcode types in PlentyONE? This drop-down list only includes the barcode types that already exist in PlentyONE.

Number

Which PlentyONE barcode type matches your internal number for identifying the size in Prohandel? Select the barcode type from the drop-down list.

Requirement: Have you already configured barcode types in PlentyONE? This drop-down list only includes the barcode types that already exist in PlentyONE.

Article number

Which PlentyONE barcode type matches your Prohandel article number? Select the barcode type from the drop-down list.

Requirement: Have you already configured barcode types in PlentyONE? This drop-down list only includes the barcode types that already exist in PlentyONE.

Attributes mapping

Supplier colour

Which PlentyONE attribute matches your Prohandel supplier colour? Select the attribute from the drop-down list.

Requirement: Have you already configured attributes in PlentyONE? This drop-down list only includes the attributes that already exist in PlentyONE.

Size

Which PlentyONE attribute matches your Prohandel size? Select the attribute from the drop-down list.

Requirement: Have you already configured attributes in PlentyONE? This drop-down list only includes the attributes that already exist in PlentyONE.

Properties mapping

Individual item number

Which PlentyONE data field matches your individual item number in Prohandel? Select the appropriate option from the drop-down list.

None

The individual item number will not be transferred.

Name 1

The individual item number will be saved under: Item » Edit item » [Open item] » Tab: Texts » Entry field: Name 1

Variation property

A second drop-down list opens. It includes a list of properties that exist in PlentyONE. Select a property from this list if you want the Prohandel individual item number to be saved as this property in PlentyONE.

Requirement: Have you already configured properties in PlentyONE? This drop-down list only includes the properties that already exist in PlentyONE.

Supplier item number

Which PlentyONE data field matches your supplier item number in Prohandel? Select the appropriate option from the drop-down list.

None

The supplier item number will not be transferred.

External variation ID

The supplier item number will be saved under: Item » Edit item » [Open variation] » Tab: Settings » Area: Basic settings » Entry field: External Variation ID

Variation property

A second drop-down list opens. It includes a list of properties that exist in PlentyONE. Select a property from this list if you want the Prohandel supplier item number to be saved as this property in PlentyONE.

Requirement: Have you already configured properties in PlentyONE? This drop-down list only includes the properties that already exist in PlentyONE.

Season number;
Incoming goods - First date;
Incoming goods - Second date;
NOS;
Identification number;
Sale - First date;
Sale - Second date

Which PlentyONE property matches the Prohandel data field? Select the appropriate option from the drop-down list.

None

The Prohandel data field will not be transferred.

Variation property

A second drop-down list opens. It includes a list of properties that exist in PlentyONE. Select a property from this list if you want the Prohandel data field to be saved as this property in PlentyONE.

Requirement: Have you already configured properties in PlentyONE? This drop-down list only includes the properties that already exist in PlentyONE.

Features

Import Prohandel suppliers as PlentyONE manufacturers

Should the Prohandel supplier be saved as a manufacturer in PlentyONE? In PlentyONE. you can find an item’s manufacturer in the menu Item » Edit item » [Open item] » Tab: Global » Drop-down list: Manufacturer.

Import Prohandel patterns as plentymarkets Tags

Should the Prohandel pattern be saved as a tag in PlentyONE? In PlentyONE. you can find an item’s tag in the menu Item » Edit item » [Open variation] » Tab: Settings » Area: Tags.

3.8. Mapping of sales prices

  • In the upper area, you map the sales prices used in Prohandel to the sales prices in PlentyONE.

  • In the lower area, you map the special prices used in Prohandel to the sales prices in PlentyONE.

Table 8. Mapping of sales prices
Setting Explanation

Sales prices

Sales price

Which PlentyONE sales price do you want to use for the sale price in Prohandel? Select the appropriate PlentyONE sales price from the drop-down list.

Requirement: Have you already configured sales prices in PlentyONE? This drop-down list only includes the sales prices that already exist in PlentyONE.

Sales price (label price)

Which PlentyONE sales price do you want to use for the label price in Prohandel? Select the appropriate PlentyONE sales price from the drop-down list.

Requirement: Have you already configured sales prices in PlentyONE? This drop-down list only includes the sales prices that already exist in PlentyONE.

Prohandel special price

ID of the Prohandel special price

What is the special price’s ID in Prohandel? Enter the ID into this field.

Sales price (special price)

Which PlentyONE sales price do you want to map to your Prohandel special price? Select the appropriate PlentyONE sales price from the drop-down list.

Requirement: Have you already configured sales prices in PlentyONE? This drop-down list only includes the sales prices that already exist in PlentyONE.

From;
To

When should this sales price be valid? Select the “from” and “to” dates from the drop-down lists.

Requirement: Have you already configured properties in PlentyONE? This drop-down list only includes the properties that already exist in PlentyONE. We recommend creating properties of the type “Date” for the from and to dates.
No need to map the purchase price

The Prohandel purchase price is mapped statically to the PlentyONE net purchase price. In other words, you do not need to link the Prohandel purchase price to the PlentyONE purchase price. It is already mapped.

3.9. Mapping of categories

In this step, you map the categories used in Prohandel to the categories in PlentyONE. This way, your items are directly sorted into the correct PlentyONE categories when they are imported from Prohandel.

Table 9. Mapping of categories
Setting Explanation

Default item category

Imagine you created a new category in Prohandel. But you forgot to map it with a corresponding PlentyONE category. If you import items from the non-mapped Prohandel category, they will land in the default PlentyONE category.

Prohandel category

These are your categories in Prohandel. Select the appropriate category from the drop-down list.

PlentyONE category

These are the categories that you’ve set up in PlentyONE. Select the appropriate category from the drop-down list.

Requirement: Have you already created categories in PlentyONE? This drop-down list only includes the categories that already exist in PlentyONE.

Adds another line. This allows you to map multiple categories.

Deletes a line. This allows you to remove mappings that are no longer needed.
Alternative procedure without assigning categories

Technically speaking, you could just select a default category and then skip the rest of the category assignment. As a result, your items would always land in the default category when they are imported. If needed, you would then manually have to move the items into different PlentyONE categories.

3.10. Cron settings

Data is transmitted between Prohandel and PlentyONE with the help of so-called "Crons". In this step, you’ll activate the cron jobs that should run automatically ().

What is a cron?

A cron is used to run processes based on a schedule. These are run in individual cron jobs.

So cron jobs are recurring tasks (jobs) that start automatically in set intervals. These intervals are usually specified in minutes. So for example, a "cron 60" runs every 60 minutes.

Example: Item data is exported to a market once per day. To do that, a "cron 1440" is used. Each export is its own cron job.

Fun fact: Cron stands for "Command Run On Notice". However, the term also alludes to Chronos, the Greek god of time.

Why you need to know what a cron is? Well, actually you don’t need to know that at all. All you do is activate the data exchange in PlentyONE. The rest happens automatically. Awesome, right?

Table 10. When do the crons run?
Cron Interval Explanation

Item import

Daily

  • Once you have completed the assistant, all of your items will initially be transmitted from Prohandel to PlentyONE. This initial, full import can take a few days to finish, depending on the number of products.

  • Afterwards, only a sub-set of items will be imported, based on the previously selected import settings.

  • Only new items are imported and new variations on existing items. Existing items are not updated with this cron.

  • The item import starts at the end of the day, or rather during the night.

Item update

Hourly

Existing items and variations are updated. This cron updates the following data:

  • Linked variation properties

  • Tags (assuming that the Prohandel pattern is imported as a tag)

  • Manufacturers (assuming that the manufacturer is imported)

  • EAN

Price update

Hourly

Stock update

Every 15 minutes

4. Opening and modifying newly imported item data

The next time the cron job runs, your item data will be transmitted from Prohandel to PlentyONE. This assumes that you’ve:

  • activated the Item import cron ().

  • completed the assistant.

  • activated the plugin within the set.

4.1. Opening newly imported items

Open a few item data records and make sure that your item data was correctly imported.

  1. Go to Item » Edit item.

  2. Use the search filters on the left to specify which items you want to access. For example:

    1. Set the Active filter to ALL or No, since items are inactive when they are imported.

    2. Set the Tag filter to whichever tag for newly imported items you chose in the assistant.

  3. Click on Search ().
    → The search results are displayed in an overview on the right.

  4. Click on an item in the overview to open the item data record.

Main variation vs. Sub-variation

Check the data that was transmitted for the main variation and for the sub-variations.

  • Main variation: An item’s first variation is called its main variation. It is not for sale, but rather is purely virtual and helps you manage the sub-variations via inheritance. When you open an item data record, the main variation automatically opens too.

  • Sub-variation: The sub-variations are the saleable versions of the product. For example, if a t-shirt is sold in the colours blue and red and the sizes S, M, L, then every single combination (Blue S, Blue M, Blue L, Red S, Red M, Red L) is a sub-variation. To open a sub-variation, click on the tab Variations and then on Search (). Finally, click on a sub-variation in the overview.

4.2. Modifying item data

Once you’re happy with the item data that was transmitted, you can start preparing your items to be sold online. For example, you can:

For a complete list of all the item data fields in PlentyONE. refer to the page Directory of data fields.

5. Processing orders

When a product is sold, the order data lands in the PlentyONE menu Orders » Edit orders. The order can be processed here and its progress can be tracked with the help of a status.

Further information about processing orders in PlentyONE can be found on the Preparatory settings page of the manual.

6. Setting up event procedures

Of course, the order data shouldn’t just stay in PlentyONE. Rather, it should also be transmitted to Prohandel. You’ll set up four so-called event procedures to do this. They only need to be set up once, in order for the export to work correctly.

Setting up an event procedure:

  1. Go to Setup » Orders » Events.

  2. Click on Add event procedure ().
    → The Create new event procedure window opens.

  3. Enter a distinct name for the event procedure.

  4. Select the event as listed in the following tables.

  5. Click on Save.
    → The event procedure is created and can be edited further.

  6. Click on Add procedure () and select the procedure as listed in the following tables.

  7. Optional: Click on Add filter () and select filters if you only want the event procedure to apply in certain situations. For example, the event procedure could only apply to specific sales channels or clients.

  8. Activate the event procedure () once it should go into effect. From the point of activation onwards, the event procedure applies your settings to the selected orders.

  9. Save () the settings.

For further information, refer to the Event procedures page of the manual.

6.1. Notifying Prohandel of new orders

When a new order lands in PlentyONE. Prohandel should be informed of the order. This allows Prohandel to reserve the necessary stock and avoid overselling.

Event

New order

Filter (optional)

Order > Referrer
Order > Client (store)

Procedure

Plugins > Prohandel: Reserve stock

6.2. Notifying Prohandel of payment and shipment

Fully processed orders are in status 7. This status means that payment has been received and items have been booked as outgoing. At this point, Prohandel should also be informed of the changes to the order.

Event

Outgoing items booked

Filter (optional)

Order > Referrer
Order > Client (store)

Procedure

Plugins > Prohandel: Send shipping and payment notification to Prohandel

6.3. Notifying Prohandel of cancellations

A cancellation:

  • means that the customer changed his or her mind and no longer wants the item that was purchased.

  • happens before you receive payment and ship the items.

  • can be understood as reversing the stock reservation. PlentyONE notifies Prohandel that the stock reservation is null and void.

You can cancel an order by changing its status to 8. At this point, Prohandel should be informed of the cancellation so that stock stops being reserved.

Event

Status change to 8

Filter (optional)

Order > Referrer
Order > Client (store)

Procedure

Plugins > Prohandel: Send order cancellation to Prohandel

6.4. Notifying Prohandel of returns

A return:

  • means that the customer changed his or her mind and no longer wants the item that was purchased.

  • happens after you receive payment and ship the items.

Since payment has already been received, you need to refund the customer. In other words, you need to inform Prohandel of the return so that the revenue can be booked back out of the sales store.

Event

New return

Filter (optional)

Order > Referrer
Order > Client (store)

Procedure

Plugins > Prohandel: Send return notification to Prohandel