Understanding catalogues

Are you just starting out using catalogues? Then you’re in the right place.

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1. Which types of catalogues are available?

Catalogues are used to export data from your PlentyONE System. There are catalogues with marketplace formats and catalogues with standard formats.

Default formats

Use standard formats to export data from your PlentyONE System to a CSV, JSON, TXT or XML file.

Which standard format you choose depends on the type of data you want to export. For example, to export stock information, use the standard format Stocks. To export item data, the standard format Item is available.

Not all types of data can currently be exported using catalogues. Until standard formats are available for all types of data, you can still use the FormatDesigner.

Marketplace format

The marketplace formats are used to export variation data to markets and other sales channels.

Each sales channel requires different product data. Often, different product information have to be exported to the same sales channel for different product categories. For example, when selling cat food, you may need to specify the unit price. To sell clothing or shoes, you may have to specify the product’s material composition.

A marketplace format provides a framework of the data a sales channel can accept. Catalogues allow you to customise information regarding your product portfolio to meet the requirements of each sales channel and target audience.

2. Understanding the catalogue overview

The catalogue overview is the first thing you see when you open the menu Data » Catalogues.

catalogue overview in colours

Tip: Your menu looks different? If you have not created any catalogues yet, the list of catalogues will be empty.

2.1. Navigation

The navigation allows you to switch between the different views. The view that is currently open is shown in blue font.

catalogue overview navigation

menu

Show or hide the navigation.

Overview

At the moment, you are already in the overview. That is why nothing happens when you click here.

Create catalogue

Create a new catalogue.

List of opened catalogues

The navigation shows all catalogues that you accessed during your current session. This allows you to quickly switch between the catalogues you are working on at the moment. The catalogue that is currently on view is shown in blue. The names of the other catalogues are shown in grey.

Tip: If the list gets too long or you find it distracting, point your cursor to a catalogue in the list. An X is shown. Click on that X to close the catalogue.

2.2. Toolbar

The toolbar provides actions for the catalogues.

catalogue overview toolbar

search
tune

You already have a lot of catalogues? Then filter the list of catalogues.

  • search = Starts a new search.

  • tune = Shows the filters.

Which filters are available?

Template

Reduces the list to catalogues with the selected combination of template type and format.

Template type

Reduces the list to catalogues with this template type.

Template-Name

Reduces the list to catalogues that are based on a template with this name.

Name

Reduces the list to catalogues with this name.

ID

Reduces the list to catalogues with this ID.

Active

Active = Reduces the list to active catalogues.
Inactive = Reduces the list to inactive catalogues.

Created by

Reduces the list to catalogues that were created on or after this date.

Created to

Reduces the list to catalogues that were created up to this date.

Last update from

Reduces the list to catalogues that were changed on or after this date.

Last update to

Reduces the list to catalogues that were changed up to this date.

Create a new catalogue.

content_copy

Copy one or more catalogues that you selected in the first column of the list. (How?)

file_download

Export one or more catalogues that you selected in the first column of the list. (How?)
You can then import the exported catalogues into other PlentyONE systems. At the same time, an export also serves as a backup.

Note: These settings export the catalogue itself. As such, the import contains information on the settings and data fields the catalogue contains. The import cannot be used to import data for PlentyONE data fields.

file_upload

Import a catalogue. (How?)
You can import catalogues from other PlentyONE systems or catalogues that you saved as a backup.

Note: These settings import the catalogue itself. As such, the import contains information on the settings and data fields the catalogue contains and not the data that is saved for these data fields in PlentyONE.

history

Restore a previous version of one or more catalogues. (How?)

or

Restore a deleted catalogue. (How?)

delete

Delete a catalogue. (How?)

Results per page arrow_drop_down

Decide how many catalogues are shown per page. 25 catalogues are shown per page by default.

Note: When you switch to another page, any catalogues you selected on the previous page are no longer selected.

arrow_back_ios arrow_forward_ios

Navigate through the pages of the list.

Note: When you switch to another page, any catalogues you selected on the previous page are no longer selected.

Opens the pop-up window for changing the columns of the list. (How?)

2.3. Catalogue overview

In the catalogue overview, the following columns are available.

catalogue overview list

check_box_outline_blank

Select one or several catalogues. This allows you to apply the toolbar actions to several catalogues at once.

Active

Shows whether the catalogue is active. You can also activate or deactivate the catalogue using the toggle button.

  • toggle_off = The catalogue is not active. That means that no data is exported.

  • toggle_on = The catalogue is active. That means that data is exported. How often and to which location depends on your export settings.

Catalogue name

The name of the catalogue.
Tip: Activate the edit mode (edit) in order to directly adjust the catalogue name in the overview and save (save) your settings.

Marketplace

Shows for which marketplace the catalogue has been created.

Category

Shows the marketplace category.

Export type

Shows which type of data is exported.

Channel map

Shows the connected Channel map.

Last change

Shows the date of the last change.

Warning

A warning icon (warning) indicates that mandatory fields are missing for this catalogue. Make sure that all fields required by the marketplace have been mapped.

Actions

This column contains actions for a single catalogue.

file_download Asynchronous download

Start the manual download of the catalogue data to a file.

How does an asynchronous download work?

For asynchronous downloads, the export runs in the background. So note that there will be no window for downloading the file straight away. Even exporting small amounts of data will take around 30 minutes. When the export is completed, you can download the export file from the Notifications (notifications).

Starting an asynchronous download:

  1. Go to Data » Catalogues.
    → The catalogue overview opens.

  2. Open the catalogue.

  3. In the toolbar at the top, click on Download data (file_download).
    Or: Even quicker: Start the download from the Additional actions (more_vert) in the catalogue overview.
    → The export starts.
    Important: The export runs in the background. Note that there will be no window for downloading the file straight away. Even exporting small amounts of data will take around 30 minutes.
    Once the export is finished, you will be notified (notifications_none) that the export file can be downloaded.

  4. In the notification centre, click on link Download.
    Tip: The notification is no longer shown? Use the URL shown in the Download settings to access the file at any time.

  5. Save the file on your computer.

catalogue export

play_circle_outline Live download

Download the catalogue data as a file. This file is automatically saved on your computer when the export is done.

How do live downloads work?

The live download creates the file and automatically downloads it to your computer. In the tab Data export, you can follow the download progress in real time. However:

  • When you start the live download, a new browser tab opens. In this browser tab, the PlentyONE tab Data export is shown. Do not close or reload the browser tab and the PlentyONE tab Data export while the export is in progress. If you do, the export stops and is cancelled.

  • You can start live downloads for several catalogues at the same time. However, you can only start a new live download for the same catalogue once the current export is complete.

  • The import can run into a timeout if you try to import large amounts of data. If that happens, the download is cancelled. For lots of data or if a timeout occurs, use the asynchronous download instead.

Starting a live download:

  1. Go to Data » Catalogues.
    → The catalogue overview opens.

  2. Open the catalogue.

  3. In the toolbar at the top, click on Live download (play_circle_outline).
    Or: Even quicker: Start the download from the Additional actions (more_vert) in the catalogue overview.
    → A new browser tab opens. PlentyONE and the tab Data export are shown.
    No new tab? Then you are probably using a pop-up blocker. Allow pop-ups for your system to continue.
    → The export starts.
    Important: Do not close or reload the browser tab or the PlentyONE tab Data export while the export is in progress. If you do, the export stops and is cancelled.
    → The progress is shown in real time.
    → The file is automatically saved on your computer when the export is done.

Stopping a live download

Do you want to stop a live download? No problem:

  • In the tab Data export, click on Cancel export (highlight_off) at the top right.
    → The download is stopped.
    Important: The download cannot be restarted. If necessary, start a new download.

preview Preview

Create a preview of the export. The preview contains the first five data rows of the export file.

edit Edit

Open the catalogue to work on it.
Tip: It’s even quicker to just click on the catalogue in the list.

content_copy Copy

Copy the catalogue.

historyRestore a catalogue version

Restore an earlier version of the catalogue. The last 100 versions of the catalogue are available.

How do I restore other catalogue versions?

  1. Go to Data » Catalogues.
    → The catalogue overview opens.

  2. Alternative 1: In the catalogue overview

    1. In the row of the catalogue, open the further actions (more_vert).

    2. Click on Restore catalogue version (history).

  3. Alternative 2: In the catalogue menu

    1. Open the catalogue.

    2. In the toolbar, click on the additional actions ().

    3. Click on Restore catalogue version (history).

  4. In the window shown, select the version that you want to restore.
    Tip: The last 100 versions of the catalogue are available.

  5. Click on Restore.
    → The catalogue version is restored and displayed in the catalogue overview.

delete Delete

Delete the catalogue.

How do I delete a catalogue?

  1. Go to Data » Catalogues.
    → The catalogue overview opens.

  2. In the row of the catalogue that you want to delete, click on the further actions (more_vert).

  3. Click on Delete (delete).
    → You are asked to confirm your decision.

  4. Confirm the deletion.
    → The catalogue is deleted.
    Or: Open a catalogue.

  5. Click on the further actions (more_vert) at the top.

  6. Click on Delete catalogue (delete).
    → You are asked to confirm your decision.

  7. Confirm the deletion.
    → The catalogue is deleted.

2.4. Customising the catalogue list

You can change the list to meet your needs.

catalogue overview customise
Symbol Explanation

settings

Which columns should be included in the overview?

  1. Click on Configure columns (settings).

  2. Select all columns that you want to see (check_box).

  3. Click on Confirm.

Available columns

  • Selection

  • Active

  • Name

  • Type

  • Format type

  • Format

  • Last change

  • Actions

drag_indicator

Which order should the columns be shown in?

  1. Click on Configure columns (settings).

  2. Move your mouse cursor over an entry with the symbol drag_indicator.
    → Your mouse cursor changes shape (open_with).

  3. Drag the entry to the desired spot.

  4. Click on Confirm.

3. FAQ: Questions and answers

Remind me: which catalogue format do I need for which export?
Why can I not see the catalogues?

Users with back end access rights can only see catalogues if an admin gave them access.

  1. Find someone who has administrator rights for the PlentyONE system.

  2. This person will open the menu Setup » Settings » User » Rights » User.

  3. Then they will open your user account and activate the necessary rights:

    • Data > Data exchange > Export > Catalogue > Show

  4. Save () the settings.

  5. If the problem persists, ask our support team for help in the forum.