Managing items

Create items and item variations for your products in plentymarkets. Items can be sold in your online-store and on the many markets integrated with plentymarkets.

First, you will learn how to update product information for your items. Create attributes, characteristics, manufacturers and barcodes. Link this information with your items. Furthermore, you find information and tips for structuring sales prices for your items and variations. Price calculations will also be explained. Price calculations allow you to customise and graduate prices for different customer classes as well as referrers.

Next, become familiar with the plentymarkets item architecture. A default item consists of global settings and data of the main variation as well as additional variations. Global settings apply to all variations of the Default item. Information saved with the main variation is passed on to additional variations. However, you can change the settings of every variation individually.

1. Managing attributes

Certain items, such as shoes and T-shirts, are typically available in different sizes and colours. Some items are available in different quantities, for example 50 ml or 250 ml. In plentymarkets, these characteristics of an item are called attributes. Attributes allow you to create variations of an item.

1.1. Creating attributes

Create attributes as well as attribute values and link this information with your items and variations.

Creating a new attribute:

Go to Setup » Item » Attributes.
Click on New attribute.
Enter the internal name.
Click on Save.
→ The attribute is created and the tab Basic settings is displayed.
Carry out the additional settings. Pay attention to the information given in Table 1.
Save the settings.

Table 1. Creating a new attribute
Setting	Explanation
Tab: Basic settings
Name (internal)	Unique name for the attribute. The internal name is used in the plentymarkets back end only and is not visible for the customers. The internal name can only be assigned once per system. The internal name must not contain the following characters, otherwise errors may occur while exchanging data: Comma Colon Semicolon Quotation marks
Position	Select the attribute’s position for displaying it in the attribute overview.
Image link possible	Activate to assign appropriate item images to the variations of an item. Depending on the customer’s choice, the corresponding images will automatically be displayed in the online store. Although multiple attributes can be linked with one variation, the image link is only possible for one attribute per variation.
Attribute selection in the online store	Select Select with a drop-down menu, Select with an image or Select with a box. Select with an image = Select attributes by clicking on the image. Attributes are displayed as image tiles in the online store. For further information about attribute images, refer to the Uploading attribute images chapter. Select with a box = Select attributes by selecting a box. Attributes are displayed as boxes with attribute values in the online store. This setting is only possible when Client check was selected for the attribute’s availability. For further information, refer to the basic settings chapter of the manual.
Groupable in item lists (old online store Callisto only)	You can use the ItemViewCategoriesList template of the old online store Callisto to display the available item variations. Specify the attribute which is used for displaying item variations, for example select the attribute Colour for shoes. In this way, all colour variations will be displayed first. After selecting the colour, the second attribute will be available in a drop-down list in the detailed view of an item, for example the size. The $ItemViewCategoriesList_GroupByVariation option is found in the settings of the Callisto template. Here you can select if you want to group by attributes or by variations.
Tab: Name
Name	Enter a name for the attribute in the required languages. This name is displayed in the online store. The name should be as short as possible since it will appear together with the item and next to a selection box in the online store.

1.2. Specifying attribute values

The following section explains how to specify the values of your attributes.

Specifying the attribute values:

Go to Setup » Item » Attributes.
Click on the attribute.
Open the Values tab.
Click on New value.
Enter the internal name.
Click on Save
→ The attribute value is assigned an ID and displayed in the Values tab.
Carry out the additional settings. Pay attention to the information given in Table 2.
Save the settings.

Table 2. Specifying attribute values
Setting	Explanation
Show language	Select the language that is used for the values in the Name column.
Save language	In order to save the changes for a language made in the Name column, the same language must be selected under Show language and Save language.
Image	Upload images for attribute values. Images for attribute values are used for variations. For further information about attribute images, refer to the Uploading attribute images chapter.
Position	Enter the position of the attribute value. Values are sorted in ascending order by position.
Name (internal)	Unique name of the attribute value. The internal name is used in the plentymarkets back end only and is not visible for the customers. The internal name can only be assigned once per attribute. The internal name must not contain the following characters, otherwise errors may occur while exchanging data: Comma Colon Semicolon Quotation marks
Name	Enter a name to be displayed in the online store.
Note	Enter a note about the attribute value (optional).
Percentage	Enter the percentages for the automatic distribution of attribute values. When reordering an item, the quantities of attribute values will automatically be distributed among the total quantity. *Note:* Automatic distribution only takes effect for items with exactly two attribute values.

1.3. Setting up multilingualism for attributes

If you run your online store in multiple languages, translate attribute names and values.

Creating language versions for attribute values:

Go to Setup » Item » Attributes.
Open the attribute.
Click on the Name tab.
Enter the name in the selected language.
Save the settings.
Click on the Values tab.
Under show language, select the language.
In the Name column, enter the attribute values in the selected language.
Save the settings.

1.4. Linking attributes for markets

In order to transfer your Default items to certain markets, you have to link attributes and attribute values for these markets. For further information, refer to the markets' pages in the topic Multi-Channel of the manual.

1.5. Linking attributes

Link attributes with the main variation of an item when creating the item. When creating additional variations, link these variations with attribute values, too.

1.6. Uploading attribute images

You can upload images for attribute values. These images will be displayed as image tiles in the online store. Specify the size of attribute images in the Setup » Item » Images menu.

Uploading attribute images:

Go to Setup » Item » Attributes.
Open the attribute.
Open the Values tab.
Click on Upload image in the Image column.
Select the image for the attribute value.
Click on Open.
Save the settings.
→ The image is uploaded and a preview is shown in the Image column.
Click on the Basic setting tab.
Select the With image option from the Attribute selection in the store drop-down list.
Save the settings.

1.7. Linking attributes with item images

Link your attributes with item images for transferring them to markets. For example, if you link the value Black of the attribute Colour with black item images, only black item images will be displayed when selecting the black variation. Nevertheless, the Image link setting of the attribute must be activated.

Linking an attribute with an item image:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the item.
Click on the Images tab.
Select the appropriate attribute value for the item image from the Market attribute link drop-down list.
Save the settings.
→ When selecting a variation with this attribute value, the respective item image is displayed in the online store.

1.8. Deleting attributes

In order to delete an attribute, you have to delete all variations linked with this attribute first. Use the Item group function and proceed as follows.

Deleting variations linked to an attribute:

Go to Item » Edit item.
In the ALL filter, select the attribute from the drop-down list.
Select ALL in the Active filter.
Click on Search.
→ All items linked with this attribute are displayed.
Click on Select all in the header of the item overview.
Click on Variation group function.
→ The Variation group function window opens.
In the Procedures area, activate the option Delete variations.
Click on Execute.
→ The variations are deleted.

Then delete the attribute.

Deleting an attribute:

Go to Setup » Item » Attributes.
Click on Delete in the line of an attribute.
→ A new window opens.
Click on OK.
→ The attribute is deleted.

2. Managing characteristics

Characteristics are characteristics of an item. Unlike attributes, characteristics are passive characteristics. As such, characteristics are not required to create variations. Besides, characteristics cannot be selected in the detailed view of an item in the online store. With characteristics, you can highlight features of items, for example technical details such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, etc. Characteristics are passive characteristics which are not connected to stock. By using order characteristics, you can provide services for an additional charge or integrate a text field for a customer’s additional requests. When setting up the characteristics search, you can use characteristics to provide your customers with a more specific search. Characteristics also allow you to link your items with the characteristics for variations of a market.

Characteristics vs. properties

Characteristics are linked to items. As such, they apply to all variations of the item. Characteristics are being phased out and replaced by properties. Properties are a new feature in plentymarkets.
Tip: Characteristics also used to be called properties but have now been renamed to distinguish them from the new variation properties.

2.1. Creating characteristic groups

Create characteristic groups to sort your characteristics into groups. By using characteristic groups, you keep track of large numbers of characteristics. When linking items with characteristics, the characteristics will be displayed in the assigned characteristic groups.

Creating a new characteristic group:

Go to Setup » Item » Characteristics.
Click on the New characteristic group tab.
Carry out the settings as desired. Pay attention to the information given in Table 3.
Save the settings.

Table 3. Creating a new characteristic group
Setting	Explanation
Name	Enter a name for the characteristic group. The name will be displayed in the Characteristic groups tab in this menu and in the item’s Characteristics tab.
Language	Select a language.
Language: Name	Enter the name in the selected language. The name is displayed in the online store.
Language: Description	Enter a description in the selected language.
Surcharges	Select flat rate or in percent. This setting is used for calculating surcharges.
Grouping of characteristics (type: "none")	Select None, Single selection or Multiple selection. None = Order characteristics are not grouped by default. Single selection = One of the grouped order characteristics can be selected from the drop-down list. Multiple selection = Multiple order characteristics can be selected. This option can only be used for order characteristics of the type none.
OTTO characteristics group	If needed, link a characteristic group to OTTO. All of the characteristics in this group will be transferred to OTTO. All of the characteristics will be grouped into a SellingPoint. None = No link to OTTO. SellingPoint with group names = Link to OTTO. The name of the group will be transferred. SellingPoint without group names = Link to OTTO. The name of the group will not be transferred.

2.2. Creating characteristics

Create characteristics to link your items with passive characteristics.

Creating a new characteristics:

Go to Setup » Item » Characteristics.
Click on the New characteristic tab.
Carry out the settings as desired. Pay attention to the information given in Table 4.
Save the settings.

Table 4. Creating a new characteristic
Setting	Explanation
Name (internal)	Enter an internal name for the characteristic. The internal name is displayed in the Characteristics tab of an item.
Online store: Language	Select the language in which the characteristic is displayed in the online store.
Online store: Name	Enter a name for the characteristic. The name is displayed in the detailed view of an item in the online store.
Online store: Description	Enter a description for the characteristic. The description will be displayed if you place the cursor on the characteristic.
Unit	Select a unit. For further information about creating and editing units, refer to the Managing units chapter.
Characteristic group	Select a characteristic group. For further information about creating and editing characteristic groups, refer to the Creating characteristic groups chapter.
Characteristic type	Select the characteristic type. Once a characteristic has been linked to one or more items, it is no longer possible to change the characteristic type. No = Do not select a characteristic type. Whole number = Allows you to enter a whole number between -2,147,483,648 and 2,147,483,647 in the item’s Characteristics tab, for example a size. Decimal number = Allows you to enter a number with decimal places in the item’s Characteristics tab, for example a measurement. Text = Allows you to enter text in the item’s Characteristics tab. Selection = Additional options will be displayed. Enter a name and description for the first selection that you wish to be displayed as a characteristic, for example version 1.0. Save. Scroll down in the window and enter another name, for example version 2.0. *Optional:* Repeat the process. → Every time you save your entry, a new empty field for further selection will be created. File = Allows you to upload a file in the item’s Characteristics tab.
Surcharge	Enter a value if a surcharge is to be added for the characteristic. Surcharges will automatically be added to the item price in the detailed view of an item and in the order process. The value 0.00 is set by default, i.e. no surcharge will be calculated. Display as additional costs = VAT will not be taken into account for the entered surcharge. One possible use for this option is to set up a bottle deposit which is added to the item price without calculating VAT. Characteristics that have this option selected will be displayed as separate items on invoices etc. These items will be displayed with the ID -2.
Position	Enter the position number. Characteristics can be sorted by their position numbers.
Searchable	Activate to search for items with this characteristic when entering the characteristic as the search term.
Show	Activate options. Show on the item’s page in the online store = The characteristic will be displayed on the product page. Show in the item listing in the online store = The characteristic will be displayed in the item list. Display in order process = The characteristic will be displayed in the order process. Show in PDF documents = The characteristic will be displayed in PDF documents.
Order characteristic	Activate to make the characteristic available in the order process. Depending on the characteristic type, the customer can for example enter a text or value or select an option from a drop-down list.
Note	Enter a note, for example to display specific information about the characteristic.
Characteristic links for markets and price comparison portals	Select the marketplace characteristic from the drop-down list to link this characteristic with the characteristic of the marketplace. For further information about creating characteristics for markets and price comparison portals, refer to the markets' pages in the topic Multi-Channel of the manual.

Link any number of characteristics with an item. Customers can search for characteristics in the online store by using the linked characteristics. For further information about linking characteristics, refer to Activating characteristics.

2.3. Changing characteristics values via group function

The group function allows you to edit the characteristic values for all items linked with this characteristic value at once.

Changing a characteristic’s value with a group function:

Go to Setup » Item » Characteristics.
Click on the Group function tab.
Select the characteristic’s language.
Select the characteristic from the Characteristic selection drop-down list for which you want to change a value.
Enter the old value into the Value to be changed field.
Enter the new value.
Save the settings.
→ The characteristic value is changed for all items with this value.

3. Managing properties

Properties allow you to characterise items, contacts or storage locations. For example, you can use properties to:

highlight a variation’s technical details such as bluetooth or WLAN
specify which storage locations are appropriate for items requiring refrigeration
display text fields that customers can write additional requests in

Properties are created centrally in the menu Setup » Settings » Properties » Configuration and then they are linked to variations, contacts or storage locations.

Properties that are assigned to the Item section are linked to variations. These properties differ from characteristics, which are linked to items. You can create up to 500 variation properties and link them to variations.

In contrast to attributes, properties are passive. As such, properties cannot be used to create variations. Properties are not linked to stock and also cannot be selected in the detailed view of an item in the online store.

You can also use properties to link your variations with the properties used on markets like Amazon. Furthermore, your customers can search for properties in the online store and find variations linked to this property.

Practical example: Storing items in the right spot

Do you have items that need to be stored in a specific place? For example, some food items should only be stored in refrigerators or freezers. Characterise your storage locations and make sure your items always end up in the right spot.

What you’ll need to do:

Create a property and assign it to the section Storage location.
Link the property to all of the appropriate items, e.g. with perishable goods.
Link the property to all of the appropriate storage locations, e.g. with refrigerators and freezers.
When receiving items, you’ll automatically be suggested the appropriate storage location for the item.

3.1. Creating a property

Go to Setup » Settings » Properties » Configuration to create properties. These properties are used for characterising your items. Proceed as described below to create a property.

Creating a property:

Go to Setup » Settings » Properties » Configuration.
→ The overview of the properties opens.
Click on Add property.
In the drop-down list Section, select the option Items.
Carry out the additional settings. Pay attention to the information given in Table 5.
Save the settings.
→ The property is created and opened for editing.

Table 5. Creating properties
Setting	Explanation
Section	Select a section from the drop-down list where the property should be used. Items = Property will be used for items. Contact = Property will be used for contacts. Storage location = Property will be used for storage locations.
Property type	Select the property type from the drop-down list. None = No property type Whole number = Allows to enter a whole number between -2,147,483,648 and 2,147,483,647. Decimal number = Allows to enter a number with decimal places. Selection = Allows to select multiple options. You can enter up to 65,535 character for each option and value. Short text = Allows entering a text with up to 65,535 characters and no formatting. Text = Allows entering and formatting a text with up to 65,535 characters. Text = Allows to enter a date. File = Allows to upload a file.
Name	Enter a name for the property. This name will for example be displayed in the order process. *Note:* The name of the system language is displayed by default. After the property has been created, you can save the name in English. Further languages are planned.
Description	Enter a description of the property. *Note:* The description of the system language is displayed by default. After the property has been created, you can save the description in English. Further languages are planned.
Group	Select a property group from the drop-down list to assign the property to this group. This is optional. *Tip:* Click on Add property group to create a group.
Position	Enter the position number for the property. Properties are sorted by the position number in ascending order. *Tip:* Count by tens when creating position numbers. This will allow you to easily add new properties in between.

3.2. Editing a property

Properties are centrally managed in the Setup » Settings » Properties » Configuration menu. Change the settings that are described in Table 4.

Editing a property:

Go to Setup » Settings » Properties » Configuration.
Klick on Search to list all properties.
Tip: Select filters to limit the search results.
Click on the property.
→ The General tab opens.
Edit the settings. Pay attention to the information given in Table 6.
Save the settings.

Table 6. Editing a property
Setting	Explanation
View General
Position	Enter the new position to change the order of the properties.
Units	This setting is currently without function.
Order property	Activate this option to make sure that the property will be displayed in the order process.
Display as additional costs	Activate to show the surcharge as additional costs.
Name; Description	For multilingualism, enter name and description for other languages.
View Visibility
Client (store)	Select one or more clients (stores) that the property should be activated for.
Visibility	Select one or more types that the property should be visible for.
Values
Only visible for property type Selection	Enter the values that should be displayed in the drop-down list. Click on Add value to create a value. Name = Enter a name for the property value.

3.3. Searching for a property

Properties are centrally managed in the Setup » Settings » Properties » Configuration menu. After opening the menu, start the search to display the properties. In order to search for specific properties, enter a search term in the search fields. The drop-down lists will help you to search for properties that share specific criteria. You can combine as many search filters as you like.

Searching for a property:

Go to Setup » Settings » Properties » Configuration.
In the Filter view, enter the search term in the search field or set the filter options in the drop-down lists. Pay attention to the information given in Table 7.
Click on Search.
→ The properties that correspond to the search criteria entered are displayed.
Click in the line of the property.
→ The detail view of the property opens.

Table 7. Filters for the properties
Setting	Explanation
Search	Click on Search without selecting any filter settings. This will display all properties. *Or:* Limit the search results by using filters and click on Search. → The properties found are listed in the overview.
Reset	Resets the filter criteria that was entered.
ID	Each property automatically receives a consecutive and unique ID.
Name	Enter the name to search for the property with this name. It is also possible to search only for parts of the name.
Language	Select a language to only display properties for which a name has been saved in this language.
Group	Select the group to only display properties that are assigned to this group. Select Not grouped to only display properties that are not assigned to a group. Select Grouped to only display properties that are assigned to a group.
Section	Select a section to only display properties that are used in this section.
Property type	Select a property type to only display properties of this type.

3.4. Deleting a property

You can delete one or more properties at the same time.

3.4.1. Deleting a property

Proceed as described below to irreversibly delete a property if it is no longer needed.

Deleting a property:

Go to Setup » Settings » Properties » Configuration.
Optional: Select filters to limit the search results.
Start the search.
Click on the property.
→ The detail view of the property opens.
Click on Delete property.
→ A window opens and you need to confirm your decision.
Click on Delete.
→ The property are deleted and removed from the overview.

3.4.2. Deleting multiple properties

Proceed as described below to irreversibly delete multiple properties if they are no longer needed.

Deleting multiple properties:

Go to Setup » Settings » Properties » Configuration.
Optional: Select filters to limit the search results.
Start the search.
Activate the properties that you want to delete.
Click on Delete.
→ A window opens and you need to confirm your decision.
Click on Delete.
→ The selected properties are deleted and removed from the overview.

3.5. Grouping properties

Create property groups to summarise multiple properties. Proceed as described below to create a property group.

Creating a property group:

Go to Setup » Settings » Properties » Groups.
Click on Add property group.
Carry out the settings. Pay attention to the information given in Table 8.
Save the settings.
→ The property group is created.

Table 8. Creating a new property group
Setting	Explanation
Name	Enter the name for the property group. *Note:* The name of the system language is displayed by default. After the property group has been created, you can save the name in English. Further languages are planned.
Description	Enter the description for the property group. *Note:* The description of the system language is displayed by default. After the property group has been created, you can save the description in English. Further languages are planned.
Position	Enter the position number for the property group. Properties are sorted by the position number in ascending order. *Tip:* Count by tens when creating position numbers. This will allow you to easily add new property groups in between.
Group type	Select the group type from the drop-down list. This option determines how properties of the type Empty are displayed in the order process. None = Properties will not be grouped by default. Select = One of the grouped properties can be selected from the drop-down list. Multiselect = Multiple properties can be selected. *Note:* This option only applies for properties of the type None for which the Order process option has been activated.
Surcharge type	Select the type of surcharge from the drop-down list. Flat = The surcharge will be entered as flat amount. Flat = The surcharge will be entered as percentage.

3.5.1. Assigning properties to a group

Proceed as described below to assign one or more properties to a property group.

Assigning properties to a group:

Go to Setup » Settings » Properties » Configuration.
Optional: Select filters to limit the search results.
Start the search.
Activate the properties that you want to assign to the group.
Click on Assign property group.
→ A drop-down list of property groups opens.
Select the property group from the drop-down list.
Click on Group function.
→ The selected properties are assigned to the property group.

3.5.2. Deleting property groups

You can delete one or more property groups at the same time. Properties that are assigned to groups will remain unaffected when deleting property groups.

Deleting a property group

Proceed as described below to irreversibly delete a property group if it is no longer needed.

Deleting a property group:

Go to Setup » Settings » Properties » Groups.
Optional: Select filters to limit the search results.
Start the search.
Click on the property group.
→ The detail view of the property group opens.
Click on Delete group.
→ A window opens and you need to confirm your decision.
Click on Delete.
→ The property group is deleted and removed from the overview.
Note: When you delete a property group, the properties that are assigned to the group will not be deleted.

Deleting multiple property groups

Proceed as described below to irreversibly delete multiple property groups if they are no longer needed.

Deleting multiple property groups:

Go to Setup » Settings » Properties » Groups.
Optional: Select filters to limit the search results.
Start the search.
Activate the property groups that you want to delete.
Click on Delete.
→ A window opens and you need to confirm your decision.
Click on Delete.
→ The selected property groups are deleted and removed from the overview.
Note: When you delete a property group, the properties that are assigned to the group will not be deleted.

4. Managing manufacturers

Manage the manufacturers of your products in the plentymarkets system. Add new manufacturers and edit existing manufacturers. In the Editing manufacturers chapter, you learn how to specify commissions for your manufacturers.

4.1. Adding manufacturers

Proceed as described below to add a new manufacturer.

Adding a manufacturer:

Go to Setup » Item » Manufacturers.
Click on New.
→ The New manufacturer tab opens.
Enter the name of the manufacturer.
Carry out the additional settings. Pay attention to the information given in Table 9.
Save the settings.
→ The manufacturer is added.

Table 9. Adding a manufacturer
Setting	Explanation
ID	Enter the manufacturer’s ID or leave the field empty. If you do not enter an ID, the next available ID will automatically be assigned to the manufacturer.
Position	Enter a position for the manufacturer. By default, manufacturers are assigned the position 0. Manufacturers with identical positions are sorted by name.
PIXmania ID; Neckermann.at Enterprise ID; Neckermann.at Cross-Docking ID; Netto eStores ID; Cdiscount.com ID	Enter the manufacturer’s ID of the market. You will receive the manufacturer’s IDs of a market when setting up the market.
External name	Enter an external name for the manufacturer in order to save an alternative name for the export. The manufacturer name that you entered here will be used for the item export to external markets, for example in the Setup » Markets » Price analysis » Exports menu. If no external name was entered, the name will be used. The external name will also be transferred to FINDOLOGIC and will be indexed for the search.
Comment	Enter an internal comment about the manufacturer, if needed.

After adding manufacturers, link these manufacturers with your items. Link manufacturers either when creating an item or in the existing item’s Global tab.

4.2. Editing manufacturers

Change your manufacturers' information and add commission models.

Editing manufacturers:

Go to Setup » Item » Manufacturers.
Click on Edit in the line of a manufacturer.
→ The manufacturer opens in a new tab.
Optional: Change the manufacturer’s data. Pay attention to the information given in Table 10.
Open the Commissions tab.
Click on New.
→ A new line is added to the table.
Carry out the settings. Pay attention to the information given in Table 10.
Save the settings.
→ An ID is assigned to the commission automatically.

Table 10. Adding commissions for manufacturers
Setting	Explanation
Client (store)	Select the client (store) that the commission should apply to.
Referrer	Select the order referrer that the commission should apply to.
Commission	Enter a value in percent for the commission.

4.2.1. Transferring commissions to other manufacturers

You can transfer commissions that were saved for one manufacturer to others. To do so, proceed as follows.

Transferring commissions from one manufacturer to another:

Go to Setup » Item » Manufacturers.
Open the manufacturer with the commissions that you want to transfer.
Open the Commissions tab.
Click on Copy commission to other manufacturers.
Activate the commissions.
Activate the manufacturers.
Click on Copy commission.
→ The commissions are transferred to the selected manufacturers.

4.3. Deleting manufacturers

In order to delete manufacturers, all links between items and manufacturers must be deleted first. Use the Item group function and proceed as follows.

Deleting manufacturer links:

Go to Item » Edit item.
In the Manufacturer filter, select the manufacturer from the drop-down list.
Select ALL in the Active filter.
Click on Search.
→ All items linked with this manufacturer are displayed.
Click on Select all in the header of the item overview.
Click on Item group function.
→ The Item group function window opens.
In the Global area, activate the option Manufacturers.
Select the empty option from the drop-down list.
Click on Execute.
→ The manufacturer links are deleted.

Then delete the manufacturer.

Deleting manufacturers:

Go to Setup » Item » Manufacturers.
Click on Delete in the line of a manufacturer.
→ The Delete manufacturers window opens.
Click on Delete.
→ The manufacturer is deleted.

5. Managing barcodes

Barcodes such as GTIN, ISBN, UPC and QR are used to identify items in plentymarkets. Create any number of barcodes and link these barcodes with your item variations. In addition, set up GTIN numbering to generate barcodes automatically and make these barcodes available when linking them with variations.

5.1. Creating barcodes

Create barcodes of different types for your item variations.

Creating a barcode:

Go to Setup » Item » Barcode.
Click on New barcode.
→ The New barcode window opens.
Enter the name.
Select the type. Pay attention to the information given in Table 11.
Save the settings.
Open the barcode.
Activate one or multiple referrers.
Save the settings.

Table 11. Barcode types
Setting	Explanation
GTIN 8; GTIN 13; GTIN 14; GTIN 128	The Global Trade Item Number (formerly European Article Number, EAN) is a product barcode for items. The GTIN consists of 8, 13, 14 or a maximum of 128 characters and is centrally administered and issued for manufacturers upon request.
ISBN	The International Standard Book Number is a unique number of 10 or 13 characters to register books and other independent, discontinuous publications like multimedia products and software.
QR	Quick Response Code. The code contains data such as the version, the data format and other information.
CODE 128	Alphanumeric barcode. The Code128 consists of start character, encoded data, check character and stop character.
UPC	The Universal Product Code is a product barcode for items. The UPC is a 12-digit number. By adding a leading 0, this barcode can be used as a 13-digit GTIN.

5.2. Finding duplicate barcodes

It is possible to save identical barcode codes for more than one variation. If you do not want to work with duplicate codes, you can search for and correct any duplicate codes in the system. The search is designed to locate identical codes of the same barcode type that are saved for different variations.

Finding duplicate barcodes:

Go to Setup » Item » Barcode.
Click on Duplicate barcodes.
→ The Duplicate barcodes tab opens.
Klick on Search to list all duplicate barcodes.
Tip: Enter a Variation ID or a Barcode code to limit the search results.
→ The duplicate codes are listed.
Click on the variation you want to edit.
→ The variation opens.
Edit the variation’s code.
Save the variation settings.

5.3. Setting up GTIN numbering

Many sellers do not have GTIN s (barcodes) for their items because they directly import their items and the manufacturer does not assign a GTIN. In such cases, you can purchase GTINs from GS1 Germany and use these GTINs for example on the markets Amazon or real.de. 13-digit GTINs (formerly EAN) consist of the basic group, the item reference and the check digit. The basic group has 7 to 9 digits and contains the GS1 prefix with the country code, for example 500 to 509 for the UK, as well as the company number. The item reference of the manufacturer consists of 3 to 5 digits (depending on the basic group’s length). The check digit is the last digit.

Setting up GTIN numbering:

Go to Setup » Item » GTIN.
Enter the starting value.
→ For 13 digit GTINs this must be a 12 digit value. The check digit is entered automatically.
Enter the number of GTINs.
Save the settings.

Assign the GTINs generated with GTIN numbering to your items in the Barcodes area in the Item » Edit item » Open item » Open variation » Tab: Settings menu. Select the correct GTIN type and click on Generate GTIN in the Code column of this type. The next available GTIN is inserted into the Code field automatically. To generate GTINs for several variations at the same time, use the Variation group function or Variation batch processing.

6. Managing item images

Item images are saved on S3 and delivered using CloudFront, a CDN service by AWS. CDN is short for Content Delivery Network. CDN allows completely scalable delivery of item images. CDN makes it possible to only save the original image. A specified dimension of the original image is created when the image is displayed on screen. This dimension is then saved in the CloudFront CDN cache.

Learn how to set up your item images and how to upload images via FTP.

6.1. Setting up item images

In the Setup » Item » Images » Settings menu, carry out the following settings for item images:

Import and export
Placeholder images
Size of attribute images
Image names

Carrying out settings for item images:

Go to Setup » Item » Images » Settings.
Carry out the settings as desired. Pay attention to the information given in Table 12.
Save the settings.

Table 12. Image settings
Setting	Explanation
Settings
Export item image position	Select the item image position for the image export, for example to a market. The position is defined in the item’s Images tab.
Image import using FTP	Select whether imported images should be added (default setting) or whether the old images should be deleted before importing the new images.
Image names of the FTP import	Select whether the file names of images imported via the FTP server include the item ID or the variation No.. For further information, refer to the Uploading item images via FTP server chapter.
URL of placeholder image	Enter the URL of a placeholder image. This image will be shown if item images cannot be displayed. Upload a placeholder image in the CMS » Webspace menu.
URL of placeholder preview image	Enter the URL of a placeholder image for preview images. This image will be shown if preview images cannot be displayed. Upload a placeholder image in the CMS » Webspace menu.
Attribute images
Max. height in pixels	Enter the maximum height of attribute images in pixels. The value 40 is set by default.
Max. width in pixels	Enter the maximum width of attribute images in pixels. The value 40 is set by default.
Name
Original name; Item ID; Item No.; Name 1 - Name 3; Keywords; Model; Free text field 1 - Free text field 20; Own prefix	Select parameters to be included in the image name and define positions for the order of parameters in the name. Parameters are hyphenated in the image name. You have to specify the item ID or the item number. The image name is limited to a maximum of 32 characters.
Prefix	Enter a prefix to be inserted in the image name. *Note:* The prefix you enter is only inserted into image names if you selected a position in the Prefix drop-down list.

6.2. Saving own domain for image URLs

Item images are assigned the URL of the default CDN domain by default. This means that the URLs of item images contain the domain name "plentymarkets.com”. However, instead of the default CDN domain, you can also set up the domain of the client and save a custom subdomain for item images. Table 13 shows the differences between the default CDN domain and an individual CDN domain. You can set up an own CDN domain for domains hosted by plentymarkets and for domains hosted by an external provider. However, note the following limitations:

You can only save individual subdomains for the main domain.
You can only save one subdomain for each client.
The subdomain must not contain www.
The subdomain must not exist in the Service center.

Table 13. Own domain for image URLs
	Image URL with default domain	Image URL with own domain
URL pattern	The URL of item images is created as follows: Subdomain CDN1, CDN2 or CDN3 Domain plentymarkets.com Customer hash File path item/images Item ID Folder name of image size Name of image file with file extension	A custom subdomain and the domain of the client are used: The customer hash is not shown in the URL: Custom subdomain Domain of the client File path item/images Item ID Folder name of image size Name of image file with file extension
Example URL	https://cdn01.plentymarkets.com/ 1abcd2e3fghi/item/images/118/full/118-chair-Rio.jpg	https://yoursubdomain.yourstore.co.uk/ item/images/118/full/118-chair-Rio.jpg

Proceed as described below to save an own domain for the image URLs of a client.

For a domain hosted by plentymarkets
For a domain hosted by an external provider

Saving an own domain for image URLs for a domain hosted by plentymarkets

Proceed as described below to save an own domain for the image URLs of a client if your domain is hosted by plentymarkets.

Activate the domain after the subdomain has been created

It can take several hours for the subdomain to be created. The creation process is complete when green checkmarks are shown in all three columns, i.e. SSL, DNS and Cloud status. Once the subdomain is created, activate the domain.

Saving own domain for image URLs:

Go to Setup » Client » Select client » Domains.
Click on Add.
→ The New domain window opens.
Carry out the settings. Pay attention to the information given in Table 14.
Save the settings.
→ The subdomain is created.
→ A SSL certificate is created for the subdomain.
→ A DNS record is created for the subdomain.
→ A CloudFront instance is created.
Note: This process can take several hours. The process is complete when green checkmarks are shown in the columns SSL, DNS and Cloud status.
Once all three checkmarks are shown, click on Activate in the Status column.
→ The domain is activated.

Table 14. Saving subdomain for image URLs
Setting	Description
Area	Select the type of subdomain from the drop-down list. Currently, only the type CDN1 is available.
Subdomain	Enter a custom subdomain. Valid characters are letters (a-z, A-Z), numbers (0-9), underscore (_) and hyphen (-). The first character of the subdomain must be either a letter or a number.
Domain	Select the domain from the drop-down list. You can only select the main domain of the client.

Saving an own domain for image URLs for a domain hosted by an external provider

If your domain is hosted by an external provider, you need to save the DNS settings with your external domain provider. Proceed as described below to save an own domain for the image URLs of a client and save the DNS settings with the external provider.

What is DNS?

DNS is short for Domain Name System. DNS makes it possible for your customers to enter the domain name instead of the numerical IP address of your online store.

Saving own domain for image URLs for an external domain:

Go to Setup » Client » Select client » Domains.
Click on Add.
→ The New domain window opens.
Carry out the settings. Pay attention to the information given in Table 14.
Save the settings.
→ A DNS record is created for the subdomain.
In the row of the domain entry, click DNS info.
→ The DNS info window opens.
→ The DNS settings are shown.
Log into the service area of your domain provider.
Copy the DNS settings shown in plentymarkets into the relevant fields of the domain provider.
→ Check the documentation of the domain provider on how to do this.
Save the settings.
→ A SSL certificate is created for the subdomain.
→ A CloudFront instance is created.
→ The DNS settings are updated.
Note: It can take up to 72 hours for the DNS settings to take effect. plentymarkets is unable to speed up this process.
→ The process is complete once green checkmarks are shown in the columns SSL, DNS and Cloud status of the Setup » Client » Open client » Domains menu in the plentymarkets back end.
Once all three checkmarks are shown in the Setup » Clients » Open client » Domains menu, click on Activate in the Status column.
→ The domain is activated.

Table 15. Saving subdomain for image URLs
Setting	Description
Area	Select the type of subdomain from the drop-down list. Currently, only the type CDN1 is available.
Subdomain	Enter a custom subdomain. Valid characters are letters (a-z, A-Z), numbers (0-9), underscore (_) and hyphen (-). The first character of the subdomain must be either a letter or a number.
Domain	Select the domain from the drop-down list. You can only select the main domain of the client.

6.3. Specifying item image sizes

In the Setup » Item » Images » Sizes menu, you select settings for each image size. The following sizes are available:

preview = The size of the preview image
secondPreview = The size of the second preview image
middle = The size of the medium image
full = The size of the full size image

Proceed as described below to specify the item image sizes.

Specifying item image sizes:

Go to Setup » Item » Images » Sizes.
Carry out the settings for each image size. Pay attention to the information given in Table 16.
Save the settings.

Table 16. Setting the image sizes
Setting	Explanation
Name	Enter an internal name for this image size.
Folder name	The folder name for this image size. The folder name cannot be changed and is part of the item image’s URL.
Height in pixels	Enter the height in pixels for images of this size.
Width in pixels	Enter the width in pixels for images of this size.
Max. lifetime of cache in days	Enter the number of days that created images are saved in the CloudFront cache. The image’s lifetime begins once the image has been displayed on screen in this size, i.e. loaded into the cache.
Retain meta data (EXIF, XMP, IPTC) of the original image	Select if the meta data of the original image is to be retained. Examples of meta data are description texts, geo data (GPS) or rotation information. Activated = The original image’s meta data is retained for scaled images of this size. *Tip:* To optimise load time and data volume, it may be advisable to not retain meta data particularly for preview images.
Do not enlarge	Select if original images are to be enlarged. Not activated = Images are scaled to size if the original image is smaller than the dimensions defined for this size.
JPG
Quality in percent	Enter a compression for original JPG images in percent. Compression reduces load times and can help you achieve better page speed values. *Tip:* Compressing images to 80 % results in no visible loss of quality.
Progressive	Select if images of this size are to be displayed instantly when the page is loaded. Activated = The image is available at low resolution as soon as the page is loaded. The quality of the image increases gradually during page load.
PNG
Compression level (0-9)	Select a compression level for PNG files. 0 = Lowest compression 9 = Highest compression PNG is a loss-free format. As such, PNG images are always decompressed and shown at the original quality. However, if you select a higher compression level, the browser needs more time to decompress the image.
Progressive	Select if images of this size are to be displayed instantly when the page is loaded. Activated = The image is available at low resolution as soon as the page is loaded. The quality of the image increases gradually during page load.

Invalidate CDN cache

It may be necessary to clear the image cache after changing settings in the Setup » Item » Images menu. Images may be displayed with old settings because these settings are still saved in the cache. Click on Invalidate CDN cache, to show the changes more quickly. The cache invalidation is done by CloudFront. After you invalidate the cache, each image size is created on the fly when the image is opened.

6.4. Uploading item images via FTP server

Every plentymarkets system has its own FTP server. This FTP server contains the folder upload_article_image_XXXX (XXXX = plentyID) to which you can upload item images. The folder is checked for changes every 60 minutes. New, correctly named images are assigned to the correct item automatically. To upload files, you need an FTP program and your FTP login details.

6.4.1. Naming of item image files for FTP import

Go to Setup » Item » Images » Settings and use the option Image names of the FTP import to choose whether the file names of the imported item images include the item ID or the variation No. Depending on this setting, you either name the files with the item ID or the variation number.

Valid characters for file names

The following characters are supported for image file names:

Letters (a-z, A-Z) excluding umlauts
Numbers (0-9)
Underscores (_)
Hyphens (-)

Spaces and special characters are not permitted. When you upload images, spaces and special characters are replaced by hyphens (-).

If you want to upload several images for one item, number the files by adding suffixes. You have to separate the image number from the item ID or variation No. with three hyphens, i.e. ---. You can upload up to 100 images per item by numbering them from 0 to 99.

Example:

You want to upload images for an item with item ID 4562 and the variation number AQ3957.

Table 17. Examples of FTP compliant naming of item images
Setting	Naming 1 image per item	Naming more than 1 image per item
Image names of the FTP import = Item ID	4562.jpg 4562.png 4562.gif 4562.svg	4652---0.jpg 4652---1.jpg 4652---2.gif
Image names of the FTP import = Variation No.	AQ3957.jpg AQ3957.png AQ3957.gif AQ3957.svg	AQ3957---0.png AQ3957---19.png

6.4.2. Importing item images via FTP server

Proceed as described to import item images to the FTP server.

Importing item images using FTP:

Copy the item images that you want to upload using FTP to a folder on your hard drive.
Check the names of the image files.
Modify the names of the image files if they do not comply with the file name conventions.
Select the target folder upload_article_image_XXXX (XXXX = plentyID) in your FTP program.
In the Upload section of your FTP program, select the files to be uploaded.
Start the upload.
→ The images are assigned to the items and displayed in the online store after up to 60 minutes.

Take upload time into account

200 images are processed in each run, 2000 images if you have your own server. Depending on the data volume, the upload may take several hours, even if you have a powerful computer and a fast data connection. Therefore, schedule the file upload at a time when it will not interfere with your day-to-day business.

7. Managing sales prices

Sales prices are centrally managed. Customise sales prices to meet your needs. Assign unique names to sales prices and individually link currencies, clients, markets etc. with your sales prices. In turn, link sales prices with your item variations.

7.1. Creating sales prices

Create any number of sales prices to map the entire range of your prices in plentymarkets.

Creating a sales price:

Go to Setup » Item » Sales prices.
Click on New.
→ The New tab opens.
Carry out the settings. Pay attention to the information given in Table 18.
Save the settings.

Table 18. Creating a sales price
Setting	Explanation
Subscription int.	This option will be used in the default template Ceres in the future and is currently not in use. *Note:* The subscription interval is currently ignored in scheduled subscription orders.
Position	Enter the position number. Sales prices are sorted in ascending order in the Sales prices area of item variations.
Internal name EN	Enter the internal name. The internal name is used in the plentymarkets back end only and is not visible for the customers.
External name EN	Enter the external name. The external name is displayed in your online store and is visible for the customers.
Minimum quantity	Enter a quantity value. Sales prices with different minimum quantities can be used to create a quantity based graduation of prices in plentymarkets.
Currency	Activate one, several or ALL currencies.
Currency: Live conversion	The standard price will be converted into the currency by means of live conversion and displayed in the store. If you select this option then the system will calculate the prices in the desired currencies. The conversion factors are based on the settings saved in the Setup » Orders » Payment » Currencies menu.
Price type	Activate a price type for the sales price (optional). UVP = Activate if the sales price is a recommended retail price (RRP). If the RRP and another sales price are linked with a variation, the RRP will be displayed in the online store as red strike-through text next to the sales price. *Note:* Prices of the type RRP only serve to visualise the price difference between the RRP and a sales price. Variations cannot be sold at this RRP price. Special offer = Activate to mark the sales price as a special offer. Special offers are used for markets, for example Amazon and real.de. Set price = Activate to mark the sales price as a price for set components.
Display	Activate to display the sales price automatically in the Sales prices area when creating a new item. If this setting is deactivated, the sales price can still be added manually when creating a new item.
Client	Activate one, multiple or ALL clients (shops). The sales price will be linked with the activated clients.
Class	Activate one, multiple or ALL classes. The sales price will be linked with the activated customer classes. The sales price is available for customers of this class only.
Country	Activate one, multiple or ALL countries of delivery. The sales price will be linked with the activated countries.
Referrer	Activate one, multiple or ALL order referrers. The sales price will be linked with the activated referrers.
Amazon accounts	Activate one, multiple or ALL Amazon accounts. The sales price will be linked with the activated accounts. Amazon accounts will be available after linking a Amazon platform under Referrer.
eBay accounts	Activate one, multiple or ALL eBay accounts. The sales price will be linked with the activated accounts. eBay accounts will be available after linking an eBay platform under Referrer.

7.2. Setting up multilingualism for sales prices

After creating a sales price, you can translate the name of the sales price into the required languages.

Translating a sales price:

Go to Setup » Item » Sales prices.
Open the sales price in the Prices tab.
Click on the Language tab.
Enter the internal name in the required languages.
Enter the external name in the required languages.
Save the settings.

7.3. Searching for sales prices

Use filters to search for sales prices.

Filtering sales prices:

Go to Setup » Item » Sales prices.
Select the filters. Pay attention to the information given in Table 19.
Click on Search.
→ All sales prices found are displayed in the overview.

Table 19. Filtering sales prices
Setting	Explanation
Search fields
ID	Enter the ID to search for the sales price with this ID.
Name	Enter the name to search for the sales price with this name.
Minimum quantity	Enter a quantity value to search for the sales price with this quantity.
Filter
Client	Select a client (store) or ALL to search for sales prices for this client.
Class	Select a customer class or ALL to search for sales prices for this class.
Referrer	Select an order referrer or ALL to search for sales prices for this referrer.
Amazon accounts	Select an Amazon account or ALL to search for sales prices for this Amazon account.
eBay accounts	Select an eBay account or ALL to search for sales prices for this eBay account.
Currency	Select a currency or ALL to search for sales prices for this currency.
Language	Select a language or ALL to search for sales prices in this language. English is set by default.
Country	Select a country of delivery or ALL to search for sales prices for this country.

8. Creating price calculations

Price calculations allow you to customise and graduate prices for different customer classes and referrers. In the Price calculation menu, you create individual variations for prices which will then be available in the Settings tab of a variation. Price calculations will automatically be taken into account for saved prices. Use the variation group function to set up price calculations for multiple item variations at once.

Creating a price calculation:

Go to Setup » Item » Price calculation.
Click on New price calculation.
→ The New price calculation window opens.
Enter a name.
Click on Add.
→ The new price calculation opens.
Pay attention to the information given in Table 20.
Save the settings.

Table 20. Creating a price calculation
Setting	Explanation
Settings
Name	Enter a name for the price calculation. The name will be displayed in the Sales prices area in the Settings tab of an item variation.
Price source	Select a price which serves as the basis of the price calculation.
Transportation costs	Activate to add transportation costs to the price source. Enter the transportation costs in the Costs area in the Settings tab of an item variation.
Storage costs	Activate to add storage costs to the price source. Enter the storage costs in the Costs area in the Settings tab of an item variation.
Customs	Activate to add customs to the price source. Enter the customs rate in the Costs area in the Settings tab of an item variation. Customs is entered in percent.
Operating costs	Activate to add operating costs to the price source. Enter the operating costs in the Costs area in the Settings tab of an item variation. Operating costs are entered in percent.
VAT	Activate to add the VAT rate to the price source. Select the VAT rate in the Costs area in the Settings tab of an item variation. The VAT is entered in percent.
Links
Add	Click on Add to create a new link.
Target	Select a price which serves as the target price of the price calculation.
Operator	Select the operator. Plus, Minus, Plus percentage, Minus percentage, Multiplied by and Divided by are available.
Operand	Enter a numerical value.
Client (store)	Select a client (store) to be linked with the price calculation.
Referrer	Select a referrer to be linked with the price calculation.

For further information about how to link price calculations, refer to the chapter Linking sales prices.

9. Managing units

Units are used to specify the content of your items. Create units in accordance with the ISO code or individual units and add translated texts, if needed.

9.1. Creating units

If you need other units than the units available in the system, create additional ones.

Creating a unit:

Go to Setup » Item » Units.
Click on New.
→ The Create new unit window opens.
Enter a name.
Optional: Enter a position number.
Save the settings.
→ The new unit is created and displayed in the overview.

9.2. Editing units

You can edit existing units and add translations in different languages.

Editing a unit:

Go to Setup » Item » Units.
Open the unit.
→ The tab of the unit opens.
Carry out the settings as desired. Pay attention to the information given in Table 21.
Save the settings.

Table 21. Editing units
Setting	Explanation
Settings
Position	Enter the position number of the unit.
Units of measure (ISO)	Select the unit of measure with the help of the ISO code or the designation.
Decimal numbers	Permit or do not permit decimal numbers.
Language
Unit name	Enter the unit name in the respective languages.

10. Setting up labels

Item labels are attached to an item or to the item packaging. Labels can contain information about the price, contents, etc. Label templates allow you to define the size position of the item parameters and order parameters that you wish to print on individual labels.

10.1. Creating a label template

Proceed as described below to create a label template. You can create up to 10 label templates.

Creating a label template:

Go to Setup » Item » Labels.
Expand the New template area.
Carry out the settings as desired. Pay attention to the information given in Table 22.
Tipp: Save X and Y coordinates for all values that you want to be shown on the label.
Save the settings.
→ The label template is created.

Table 22. Creating a label template
Setting	Explanation
Formatting
Name	Enter a name for the label.
Language	Select the language for the label. The system language is set by default.
Character set	Select a character set.
Page	Enter the page width and height in millimetres. When using label printers, the paper size can be the same size as the label size.
Margin	Enter the margins left and top in millimetres.
Label	Enter the label width and height in millimetres. The label size must be consistent with the page size as well as the number of lines and columns.
Lines per page	Enter the number of lines per page.
Columns per page	Enter the number of columns per page.
Item data
Coordinates; Font size; Font style	Enter the coordinates for positioning the item data on the label. The values are based on a coordinate system with an x-axis and a y-axis. The X-axis runs from left to right and the Y-axis from top to bottom. The points of origin are in the upper left corner. Specify the item data layout with the help of font size and style. Values may exist for some of these parameters. Adjust these values, if needed, and enter values for any additional parameters required.
Hide title	Activate to hide the parameter title. It is not necessary to delete the coordinate entries and other settings. By deactivating this setting, the parameter can be displayed again.
Allow line break	Activate to allow line breaks. This means that a title, for example an item name that is longer than the width of the label, will continue on the next line.
Main variation ID	Activate to show the variation number of the variation’s main variation.
Price	Activate to show the price of the variation. Select if the price type Sales price or the price type RRP is to be displayed. Also select the sales price to be displayed. *Note:* If the price type RRP is selected, the RRP of the variation is shown irrespective of the sales price selected.
Unit price	Activate to show the unit price of the variation. Select if the unit price for the price type Sales price or the unit price for the price type RRP is to be displayed. Also select the sales price to be displayed. *Note:* If the price type RRP is selected, the RRP of the variation is shown irrespective of the sales price selected. *Note:* If you want to display both Price and Unit price, make sure that the same price type and/or sales price is selected for both options.
GTIN barcode: Display GTIN	Activate to display the GTIN below the barcode.
Attributes: Hide attribute names	Activate to display the attribute type only. The attribute name will be hidden.
Item image	Enter the coordinates for positioning of the item image. Enter maximum values for the image height and width. If the image is larger than the entered values, the image will be resized. The proportions will remain the same so that the image is not distorted. Select the position of the item image to use the image on labels. Position 0 is set by default. The item image positions are defined in the item’s Images tab. If no image is available for the position that was selected, then the first available image will be used, beginning with position 0.
Item free text field 1 to 4	Select a free text field to display its text on the label. For further information about free text fields, refer to the Activating free text fields chapter.
Free text fields 1 to 4	Set up additional free text fields. Enter the text into the field. The entered text will be displayed on the label.
Graphic	Enter coordinates for positioning the graphic on the label. Enter maximum values for the image height and width. If the graphic is larger than the entered values, the graphic will be resized. The proportions will remain the same so that the graphic is not distorted. Upload images in the CMS » Webspace menu. Copy the graphic’s URL from the webspace and insert it into the URL field.
Order-related data
Order ID; External order ID; Country of delivery; Number of items	Set up order-related parameters to display these parameters on the label.

Print test page

Depending on which printer you use, the printed labels may differ from the template settings even if all settings are correct. As such, print some test pages on normal paper. Adjust the positions until you have reached the desired result before using more expensive label paper.

10.2. Generating labels

Labels can be generated in several ways:

Generate labels for all order items of an order in the label template menu.
Generate labels using the Labels button of a variation.
Create processes to generate item labels.
Print labels in the item search of the plentymarkets app.

10.2.1. Generating labels for the items of an order

In the label template, you can generate a PDF file with labels for the order items of a specific order. To do so, proceed as described below.

Generating labels for order items in the template:

Go to Setup » Item » Labels.
Expand the template.
Enter the order ID.
Click on Preview.
→ A PDF file with the labels for the items of this order is generated.

10.2.2. Generating a label for a variation

Generate labels for a variation by clicking on Labels in the toolbar of a variation. Proceed as described below to generate a label for a variation.

Generating a label for a variation:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the item.
Open the variation.
In the variation’s bar, click on the Labels symbol.
→ The Generating labels window opens.
Enter the number of labels to generate.
Select the label template from the Template drop-down list.
Click on Generate labels.
→ A PDF file with the selected number of labels is generated.

Generate labels for all variations of an item

To generate labels for all variations of an item, click on the Labels symbol in the item’s bar.

10.2.3. Printing a label in the item search of the plentymarkets app

You can print labels in the item search of the plentymarkets app.

Configure plentyBase

To print labels, you need the free plugin plentyBase. plentyBase establishes an interface that allows you to use the printers that are connected to the computer in the plentymarkets back end and/or the plentymarkets app. → Find out how to install and configure plentyBase in the plugin description of the plugin plentyBase.

Saving settings for label printing

Select the label template and the printer. To do so, proceed as described below.

Saving settings for label printing:

Open the plentymarkets app.
Go to plentymarkets App » Settings » Item search.
Scroll to the Item label area.
Tipp: The Item label are is only visible if plentyBase is configured.
Select a label template from the drop-down list.
Select a printer from the drop-down list.
Save the settings.

Printing labels in the item search

In the plentymarkets app, you can print labels in the item search.

Printing labels in the item search:

Open the plentymarkets app.
Go to plentymarkets App » Item search.
Enter a search criterion.
Tap Search.
→ The items are shown.
Tap the green bar of the item.
Tipp: If only one item matches, this item is shown immediately.
→ The item data is shown.
Tap the Warehouse icon.
→ The storage locations of the item are shown.
Tap the Details icon.
→ Additional options are shown.
Tap Print item label.
→ The label is printed.

11. Setting up flags

Items can be assigned up to two flags. Flags can help you with organising and sorting your items. Flags are activated in the item and are displayed in the item overview. You can find flagged items quickly in plentymarkets by using the filters Flag 1 and Flag 2. By default, flags are named after their ID. To rename flags, proceed as follows.

Renaming a flag:

Go to Setup » Item » Flags.
In the line Name, enter a name.
Save the settings.

Learn how to use flags in the Adding flags to items chapter.

12. Creating categories

In plentymarkets, you use categories for organising and managing your items. We recommend that you create all categories and subcategories at once. This will help you to structure and understand your product portfolio.

Creating a category:

Go to Item » Categories.
Click on New category.
→ The Create new category window opens.
Enter a name.
Select the category type.
If you activate Subcategory, then select the category that should include the new subcategory.
Click Create.
→ The new category is created and displayed in the category tree.

Creating a new category while creating an item

Instead of creating a new category in the Item » Categories menu, you can create a new category while creating a new item in the Item » Edit item » New item by clicking New category.

New categories are assigned the type Item by default. The settings required for categories of the Item type are described below. These settings are different from the category settings for the Content type. For further information about the remaining settings, refer to the Managing categories page of the manual.

Editing a category of the "Item" type:

Go to Item » Categories.
Open the category.
→ The settings tab opens.
Under Client (store), select one or multiple clients.
Tipp: The template settings only apply to the old online store design Callisto.
Save the settings.

Changing the category type

If a category is already linked to items and you change the category type from Item to Content, then these links will not be deleted automatically. However, the category will no longer be displayed for the item.

13. Creating a pattern for new variation numbers

Variation numbers are assigned automatically when you create Default items or variations. You specify the patterns of new variation numbers in the Setup » Item » Settings menu. Proceed as described below to specify the pattern for creating new variation numbers.

Go to Setup » Item » Settings.
Configure the settings Prefix for new variation numbers and Last generated variation number. Pay attention to the information given in Table 23.
Save the settings.

Table 23. Pattern for variation numbers
Setting	Explanation
Prefix for new variation numbers	Enter a prefix that should be added to the beginning of the number when new variation numbers are generated. If the field is empty, the prefix NEW- is used.
Last generated variation number	Shows the variation number that was last assigned to a variation. New variation numbers that are generated afterwards will be given ascending numbers starting from this point. The variation number that is displayed here will be updated as soon as a new variation number was generated. In other words, you will always see the number that was assigned for the last variation. Enter a different number to change the pattern for new variation numbers. The next number assigned is this number plus 1.

14. Creating Default items

The categories you created allow you to organise your products. When creating a new Default item, the first variation of this item is created automatically. This variation is the main variation. It is linked permanently to the Default item. The main variation can not be created or deleted without creating or deleting the default item. Now create a new default item.

Creating Default items:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Click on New.
→ The New item tab opens.
Select the type Default.
Enter a name.
Enter the content.
Select a category.
Optional: Carry out the additional settings. Pay attention to the information given in Table 24.
Save the settings.
→ The Default item and its main variation are created.
→ The main variation of the item opens in a new tab. Note: New items and changes to item data are not available in the online store and exports immediately.
Tip: Open a preview of the item:
1. Click on the preview icon in the save bar of the item.
  → The Client (store) window is displayed.
2. From the drop-down list Plugin set, select the plugin set in which you want to preview the item or variation.
3. From the drop-down list Client (Store), select the client in which you want to preview the item or variation.
  Tip: These settings are preselected next time you click on the preview icon.
4. Click on Execute.
  → A preview of the item is shown.

Alternatively, create a new Default item by clicking on the arrow next to a category in the Item » Categories menu. In the context menu, click on Create new item.

Displaying new Default items in the item overview

The new Default item is still inactive. In order to display recently created items in the item overview in the Item » Edit item menu, select the ALL option for the Active filter in the search area and click on Search. Learn how to activate your items and variations for the online store in the Setting the availability chapter.

Table 24. Creating Default items
Setting	Explanation
Item data
Type	Select the item type Default. Default = Creates an item with main variation. Multipack = Creates a Multipack item. Set = Creates a Set item. Set items can not currently be rendered in the online store. As such, creating set items is not recommended at this point in time.
ID	The item ID is a unique, consecutive number that is used to identify each item in plentymarkets. If you leave this field empty, plentymarkets automatically assigns the next available ID.
Manufacturer	Select the manufacturer. Learn how to create and link manufacturers in the Managing manufacturers chapter.
Name	Enter the item name. The item name is a mandatory entry. Learn how to change the item name in the Entering item texts chapter.
Flag	Select a flag. Items can be filtered using flags. Learn how to edit and link flags in the chapters Setting up flags and Adding flags to items.
Stock type	Select Stocked item (default setting), Production item, Colli or Special order item. Colli = Select if the item is to be shipped in several packages. For additional packages, individual items with the stock type Colli must be created in plentymarkets, but these items should not be activated for the online store.
Variation data
Variation name	Enter a name for the main variation.
Variation no.	The variation number is assigned automatically based on the pattern saved in the Setup » Item » Settings menu. Variation numbers can be changed subsequently in the settings tab of a variation.
External variation ID	Enter the external variation ID for the main variation of the item. The external variation number is optional. It facilitates importing items and variations from external systems to plentymarkets. External variation IDs can be changed subsequently in the Settings tab of a variation.
Content	By default, a quantity of 1 and the unit Pieces are preselected. Make changes to the settings as needed. The content is a mandatory entry. Learn how to create and edit units in the Managing units chapter.
Attributes	Select attributes for the main variation. If attributes are selected for the main variation, these selected attributes will be available for all additional variations of the item. If a Default item is created without selecting attributes for the main variation, then it will be possible to select all of the attributes that are available in the system when you create variations later. Once you have created a variation with attributes, it will only be possible to create additional variations of the item with these attributes or without any attributes.
Sales prices	Link sales prices and enter values for the linked prices. Learn how to create and edit sales prices in the Managing manufacturers chapter.

15. Editing Default items

A default item consists of global settings and data of the main variation. Additional variations can be created. Find out more about editing items and managing data that applies to all variations of the item in this chapter.

15.1. Personalising item details shown in item tabs

By default, the item ID is shown as the tab title of items. Instead of showing the item ID in the tab, you can display the name or the number of the item’s main variation. Proceed as described below to select different item data to be displayed in the tab title.

Personalising item details shown in item tabs:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open an item.
→ The Settings tab of the main variation opens.
Point your cursor over the item tab.
Right-click your mouse.
→ A drop-down list opens.
Click on Rename.
→ The Select tab title window opens.
Select the item data to show as the tab title of the item. You can select to show the Item ID, the Variation name of the main variation or the Variation number of the main variation.
Click on Rename.
→ The selected item data is shown as tab titles for all items.
→ If you select the setting Variation name of the main variation or Variation number of the main variation and this information is not saved for an item, the Item ID is shown instead.
Tipp: The tab title of the item that currently is open only changes after you reload the item.

15.2. Editing item data

In the Global tab, you edit the Default item’s data and change the item’s settings. Global settings apply to all variations of the Default item. Here, you select the Default item’s condition and the manufacturer. Furthermore, you activate shipping profiles and store specials for the Default item.

Changes not visible immediately

New items and changes to item data are not available in the online store and exports immediately. Find out how to check the status of item data on the Checking status of item data page of the manual.

Editing item data:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Click on Edit item in the line of an item.
→ The item’s Global tab opens.
Carry out the settings as desired. Pay attention to the information given in Table 25.
Save the settings.
Note: New items and changes to item data are not available in the online store and exports immediately.
Tip: Open a preview of the item:
1. Click on the preview icon in the save bar of the item.
  → The Client (store) window is displayed.
2. From the drop-down list Plugin set, select the plugin set in which you want to preview the item or variation.
3. From the drop-down list Client (Store), select the client in which you want to preview the item or variation.
  Tip: These settings are preselected next time you click on the preview icon.
4. Click on Execute.
  → A preview of the item is shown.

Table 25. Changing the global settings of an item
Setting	Explanation
Basic settings
Condition; Condition for API	Select the item’s condition. New is set by default. The Condition for API setting is used for the market Amazon.
Stock type	Select Stocked item (default setting), Production item, Colli or Special order item. Colli = Select if a Default item is to be shipped in several packages. For additional packages, individual Default items with the stock type Colli must be created in plentymarkets, but these items should not be activated for the online store.
Manufacturer	Select the manufacturer. Learn how to create and edit manufacturers in the Managing manufacturers chapter.
Manufacturing country	Select the country in which the Default item was manufactured.
Customs tariff number	Enter the customs tariff number. For further information, for example refer to the website EZT-Online (in German).
Revenue account	Enter the revenue account. For further information about revenue accounts, refer to the Accounting page of the manual.
Max. order quantity	Enter a value to limit the total quantity of all variations of the item that customers can order in one order. 0 = For each variation, the Max. order quantity that was saved in the variation’s Settings tab is applied. Value greater 0 = Customers can order no more that this quantity of all variations of the item in one order. Decimal values are possible to allow orders by weight or length. This value takes priority over the maximum order quantity of the individual variations of the item.
Age rating	Select the age rating for the Default item. Items with an 18+ age rating must be linked to a shipping profile for which the PostIdent option was activated.
Promotional coupons/POS discount	Permitted = Customers can redeem promotional codes when they buy a variation of this item. POS users can apply discounts to the item in plentymarkets POS. Customer class discounts are applied automatically. Not permitted = Customers cannot redeem promotional codes when they buy a variation of this item. POS users cannot apply any discounts to the item in plentymarkets POS. Customer class discounts are not applied. Purchasable with coupon only = Customers can only buy the variations of this item if they enter the code of a promotional coupon. For further information about promotional coupons, refer to the Coupons page of the manual.
Subscription	Select whether a subscription is available for the Default item. Subscriptions are set up in the scheduler. The scheduler is an individual module in plentymarkets that allows an item to be shipped in regular intervals. The scheduler menu will be visible in plentymarkets after booking the module. For further information about setting up subscriptions, refer to the Scheduled orders page of the manual.
Shipping package	Use a shipping package. Shipping packages have specific dimensions. If you enter the item’s dimensions in the Settings tab of a variation, the correct shipping package will be assigned automatically. For further information about setting up shipping packages, refer to the Shipping packages page of the manual.
Serial number	Use serial numbers to uniquely identify every single item sold. Serial numbers ensure traceability of items in case of errors or problems. Learn how to set up serial numbers in the Using serial numbers chapter.
Shipping profiles
Shipping profiles	Activate one, multiple or ALL shipping profiles. No shipping profile is selected by default. Activate at least one shipping profile per item. Otherwise the shipping costs may not be calculated correctly. If an order contains items for which no shipping profile was activated, then the items will be given the default shipping profile of the default online store. If no default shipping profile was specified, then the shipping profile with the highest priority will be used.
Online store
Store special	Select a store special or select none. Items can be displayed as store specials in the online store. Learn how to set up store specials in the Displaying items as top items chapter of the manual. Special offer = To display a list of special offers. New item = To display a list of the latest items. Top item = To display a list of the best selling items.
Item feedback	Enter a number between 1 and 5 or 1 and 10 for the initial item feedback. When using the item feedback function, the entered number will be displayed as the initial feedback of an item. Every time new feedback is submitted, an average value will be calculated automatically from these numbers. Go to Setup » Client » Settings » Feedback » Tab: Item to set the Maximum rating for feedbacks.
Item image
Item image	Click on the image to open the Images tab.

15.3. Linking manufacturers

Link manufacturers either when creating a Default item or in the existing Default item’s Global tab.

Linking manufacturers:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Click on Edit item in the line of a Default item.
→ The Default item’s Global tab opens.
In the Basic settings area, select the manufacturer from the drop-down list.
Save the settings.
→ The manufacturer is linked with the Default item.

15.4. Changing a Default item’s settings for markets

In the Multi-Channel tab, change the settings for the markets Amazon, eBay and Neckermann.at. Furthermore, link your categories to the categories of markets. The settings in this area are for the topic Multi-Channel and are described on the markets' pages.

Markets: Default items only

You can only offer Default items on markets. Set items can not be transferred to markets.

15.5. Entering item texts

Enter your item texts in the Texts tab. In addition to the preview text, you can also enter a description and additional text, for example technical data and keywords.

Entering item texts:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the item.
Click on the Texts tab.
Select the language.
Enter the item texts. Pay attention to the information given in Table 26.
Save the settings.

Table 26. Entering item texts
Setting	Explanation
Language	Select the language under Open language to enter the item texts in the selected language. The same language is automatically selected under Save language. In order to use the texts of one language in another language, select a different language under Save language.
Delete language texts	Delete the texts of the language selected under Open language. All text fields are emptied.
Name 1; Name 2; Name 3	Enter the item’s name. Name 1 = Default name of the item displayed in the online store and, in case of Default items, used for markets. Name 2; 3 = Alternative item name that can be used for example for markets. The maximum length of the item name is 240 characters. The item name is also used for structuring the item URL.
Preview text	Enter the preview text. The preview text is a short text which can be displayed in item lists. The preview text can be entered in HTML format or as plain text.
Item text	Enter the item text. The item text is a detailed description displayed in the item layout in the online store.
Technical data	Enter the item’s technical data.
URL path	The item’s URL path in the online store. By default, the URL path consists of the categories and the item name. The path will be assigned automatically by plentymarkets when the item is created and will be displayed as part of the URL when the item is selected in the online store.
Meta description	Enter a description which is used when searching for the item with search engines (max. 350 characters).
Meta keywords	Enter keywords to improve search engine performance.
Item template	Select a template to alter the design of the detail view of an item. Learn how to create and link item templates in the Managing item templates chapter.

15.6. Searching and replacing item texts

In the Search & replace menu, you search for item texts in the database and replace the results with new texts.

Searching and replacing item texts:

Go to Item » Search & replace.
Select the database field.
Enter the text into the search field. The field is case-sensitive.
Enter the new text into Replace by field.
Click on Search.
→ The number of relevant items is displayed.
Click on Replace all.
→ All texts are replaced by the new texts.

15.7. Activate free text fields

Add free text fields to the detailed view of a Default item. Customers can then enter values into the free text fields, such as an additional request or dimensions. First, define the free text fields.

Defining free text fields:

Go to Setup » Item » Free text fields.
Enter a field name.
Select the data type. Pay attention to the information given in Table 27.
Enter the number of characters.
Save the settings.

Table 27. Defining free text fields
Setting	Explanation
Field name	Enter a name for free text field. The field name must not contain special characters. If the field name of a free text field is changed, its content will not be deleted automatically. The field’s content must be changed manually or with the help of a CSV file.
Data type	Select the data type. Small number = For numerical values between 0 and ± 127. Number = For numerical values between 0 and ± 2147483647. Character string = For alphanumerical values with a maximum length of 142 characters. Text = For text entries with a maximum length of 65535 characters. Checkbox = GUI element for activating and deactivating functions.
Character length	Enter the maximum number of characters. The character length is especially important for character strings. With a greater character length, the search for values in this data field will be slower. You should not simply enter the maximum available character length, but rather a realistic length. This will help you save database resources.

After defining free text fields, activate them in the Fields tab of a Default item.

Activating free text fields:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the Default item.
Click on the Fields tab.
Enter the values into the required free text fields.
Save the settings.

15.8. Activating characteristics

Characteristics are features of an item that are activated in the Characteristics tab. Link any number of characteristics with a Default item. Customers can search for characteristics in the online store by using the linked characteristics. For further information about characteristics, refer to the Managing characteristics chapter.

Characteristics vs. properties

Linking a characteristic to a Default item:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the Default item.
Click on the Characteristics tab.
Activate properties in the Activate further characteristics area.
Save the settings.
→ The characteristics are displayed in the Characteristics area.
Optional: Carry out the additional settings. Pay attention to the information given in Table 28.
Save the settings.

Table 28. Linking a characteristic to a Default item
Setting	Explanation
Name	The characteristic group and the name of the characteristic are displayed here. If a characteristic is not assigned to a characteristic group, then only the name of the characteristic will be displayed.
Type	Type of the characteristic.
Default language	Enter a value which is assigned to the characteristic. The characteristic value is either set by default or must be entered here. Characteristic values are displayed in the detailed view of an item in the online store.
Language selection	Select a language to enter a translation for the value. You can only enter details for characteristics of the type Text. The default language is displayed for editing by default.
Cross-selling	Activate to enable cross-selling between this default item and other default items with the same characteristic and characteristic value.
Surcharge	If a surcharge was entered for the characteristic or characteristic value, this surcharge is displayed here.

15.9. Uploading item images

Upload your item images in the item’s Images tab. The file formats PNG, JPG, GIF and SVG are supported for images.

Valid characters for file names

The following characters are supported for image file names:

Letters (a-z, A-Z) excluding umlauts
Numbers (0-9)
Underscores (_)
Hyphens (-)

Spaces and special characters are not permitted. When you upload images, spaces and special characters are replaced by hyphens (-).

Drag and drop new images into the Insert a new image area or upload images as described below.

Uploading an item image:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the item.
Click on the Images tab.
Click on Select files.
Select the file that you would like to upload.
Click on Open.
→ The file is uploaded and displayed in the overview.
Carry out the optional settings as desired. Pay attention to the information given in Table 29.
Save the settings.
→ The image is uploaded and can be linked with the item’s variations.

Table 29. Uploading an item image
Setting	Explanation
Position	Enter the image’s position number. The position is used for sorting images in the online store.
Availability	Option can only be selected for Default items. Activate markets to enable the image export to and the visibility for markets.
Market attribute link	Select an attribute value to link the item image to the attribute value for markets. The image will only be transferred to markets for variations with this attribute value. Note: Option is only shown if the image is linked with at least one variation.
Alternative text; Name	*Optional:* The entries for alternative text and name are optional. Entries in both fields help search engines index the item. Use appropriate keywords in the image names to make the images more relevant to search engines. This also increases traffic on the page, for example if the image is found with the Google image search.
Size	Displays the image size in pixels and kilo bytes.

Item image size

Every time an item image is uploaded, plentymarkets creates the following versions:

High-resolution item image
Medium-sized item image
Item attribute image
Two preview images

Since plentymarkets does not scale up images, the source image must have at least the size and quality specified in the Sizes area. Larger images will be scaled down to the specified size.

Use an FTP server to upload several images at the same time. For further information, refer to Uploading item images via FTP server.

15.10. Activating cross-selling

In the Cross-selling tab, create relations between a Default item and any number of similar items of your product range. Learn how to set up cross-selling in the Setting up cross-selling chapter.

15.11. Making files available to be downloaded

Files uploaded to the Media tab cannot be used in the Ceres online store.

In the Media tab, you can upload files for your items. Files, e.g. product information or data sheets, can be made available in the My account area or in the detailed view of an item in the online store. Files that are uploaded in the Media tab must meet the following requirements:

Old online store Callisto
Permitted file formats: PDF, EXCEL, X_EXCEL, DOC, DOCX, MSWORD, RTF, TEXT, RICHTEXT, ZIP, HTML, SWF
Maximum file size: 10 MB per file
Maximum number of files: 10 files per item (of which a maximum of 1 file in SWF format)

15.11.1. Uploading files

Proceed as described below to upload files in the Media tab. Then decide where the files should be available.

Uploading a file:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the item.
Click on the Media tab.
Click on Select files.
Select the file that you would like to upload.
Click on Open.
Or: Drag and drop new files into the Insert a new document area.
→ The file is uploaded and displayed in the overview.
Carry out the settings. Pay attention to the explanations given in Table 30.
Save the settings.

Table 30. Uploading a file
Setting	Explanation
Title	Edit the title, if needed.
Size	The file size is displayed here.
Email	This setting does not serve any function.
My account	Activate to make the file available for download in the My Account area.
CMS	Activate to make the file available in the old online store Callisto.

15.11.2. Inserting a download link into the online store

Use the template function GetDocumentLinks() of the Callisto design to add download links to the files saved in the Media tab to the old online store Callisto. These links give customers access to the files that were saved in the Media tab. This template function can be used in all templates in the ItemView folder. The function returns a list of links that customers can use to download the saved documents.

Inserting the template function:

Go to CMS » Web design.
Open a template in the Layout » ItemView folder.
Insert the code example into the template.
Save the settings.
→ A list of download links is displayed at the respective position in the online store.

{%
    for ($_link in GetDocumentLinks())
    {
        print($_link."<br/>");
    }
%}

Tip: Limit the list of download links to specific data types

Limit the list of download links to specific data types by specifying a file ending. The template function GetDocumentLinks(".pdf"), for example, displays only the download links to saved PDF files.

15.12. Displaying item statistics

In the Statistics tab, you can create different statistics for the Default item. For example, statistics are available that let you analyse the Default item’s revenue according to various criteria. For further information, refer to the Managing statistics page of the manual.

15.13. Adding flags to Default items

Add up to two flags to a Default item. Learn how to rename flags in the Setting up flags chapter.

Adding a flag to a Default item:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the Default item.
Click on the greyed out button in the toolbar on the right.
→ A drop-down list opens.
Select a flag from the drop-down list.
Save the settings.

16. Editing multiple items

Edit multiple items with the Item group function or the Batch processing function in the Item menu. The group function edits previously selected items. The batch processing function edits previously filtered items.

Which method should you use?

It will be faster to use the group function or batch processing depending on the number and type of items you want to edit. Use batch processing with the Manufacturer filter if you only want to edit the items of a certain manufacturer. This way, you can edit all of the items for one manufacturer without having to select every single item. Use the group function if the items you wish to edit cannot be grouped with a certain filter.

Carrying out the item group function:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Select the items that you want to edit.
Click on Item group function.
→ The Item group function window opens.
Carry out the settings. Pay attention to the information given in Table 31.
Click on Execute to carry out the item settings.

Table 31. Editing items with the **Group function** or **Batch processing**
Setting	Explanation
Multi-Channel
Multi-Channel	The settings in this area are for the topic Multi-Channel and are described on the markets' pages.
Characteristics
Create link	Activate or deactivate the characteristic link. The characteristic link can also be activated for Cross-selling.
Procedures
Delete item	Activate to delete items with all their variations.
Delete item images	Activate to delete all item images of the selected items.
Delete second item image	Activate to delete the second item image of the selected items.
Create listing	Activate to create listings for the selected items.
Shipping
Delete old shipping profiles	Activate to delete old shipping profiles.
Customs tariff number	Activate and enter a number. This number will be saved in the selected items.
Manufacturing country	Activate and select the country in which the items were manufactured.
Shipping configuration	Activate one, multiple or ALL shipping profiles. Previously activated profiles can be deleted with the Delete old shipping profiles setting.
Condition	Activate and select the item’s condition.
Global
Serial number	Activate and select Yes to use serial numbers for uniquely identifying every item sold.
Item template	Activate and select the item template.
Manufacturer	Activate and select the manufacturer.
Flag 1; Flag 2	Activate and select the flag.
Revenue account	Activate and enter the revenue account.
Free text fields
Free text field	Activate and enter a value. This value will be saved in the selected items.

Carrying out batch processing:

Go to Item » Batch processing.
Select the filters based on Table 32.
Carry out the settings. Pay attention to the information given in Table 31.
Click on Apply to apply the settings to the items.

Table 32. Filter options for **batch processing**
Setting	Explanation
Item ID	Select the operator and enter one or more item IDs to search for items with this ID. Use commas to separate multiple item IDs.
Flag 1; Flag 2	Select a flag to only edit items that have this flag.
Manufacturers	Select a manufacturer or ALL to only edit items of the selected manufacturer.
Condition	Select the condition to only edit items that have this condition.
Without category	Activate to only edit items that are not linked with a category. In previous plentymarkets versions, it was possible to create items without linking a category.
Categories	Select the category to only edit items with this category.

17. Creating variations

A main variation is always created when a new Default item is created. The main variation is linked permanently to the Default item. It cannot be deleted. Information saved for the main variation, such as sales prices and availability, is passed on to item variations. However, you can change the settings of every variation individually. First, learn how to create variations.

Creating variations:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the Default item.
Open the Variations tab.
Click on New.
→ The Create new variations window opens.
Enter the content.
Select one or multiple attributes.
→ The number of combinations is displayed in the bottom right corner. This number of variations will be created.
Click on Create variations.
→ The variations is created and displayed in the variation overview.
Note: New variations and changes to variation data are not available in the online store and exports immediately.
Tip: Open a preview of the variation:
1. Click on the preview icon in the save bar of the variation.
  → The Client (store) window is displayed.
2. From the drop-down list Plugin set, select the plugin set in which you want to preview the item or variation.
3. From the drop-down list Client (Store), select the client in which you want to preview the item or variation.
  Tip: These settings are preselected next time you click on the preview icon.
4. Click on Execute.
  → A preview of the variation is shown.

Selecting attributes for variations

If you select attributes for the main variation, the selected attributes will be available for all additional variations of the item. If you create an item without selecting attributes for the main variation, then it will be possible to select all of the attributes that are available in the system when you create variations later. Once you have created a variation with attributes, it will only be possible to create additional variations of the item with these attributes or without any attributes.

If you delete all variations of an item where the main variation has no attributes, then it will be possible to select all of the attributes that are available in the system when creating new variations. Therefore, you only have to delete the variations of an item without deleting the item itself, in order to make new attributes available for this item. Once you have created variations for an item, attributes can no longer be deleted or added. To delete or add attributes, all variations with attributes must be deleted from the item.

18. Editing variations

Find out how to save and edit variation data.

18.1. Personalising variation details shown in variation tabs

By default, the variation ID is shown as the tab title of variations. Alternatively, you can display the variation name or the variation number. Proceed as described below to select different variation data to be displayed in the tab title.

Personalising variation details shown in variation tabs:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open an item.
→ The Settings tab of the main variation opens.
Point your cursor over the variation tab.
Right-click your mouse.
→ A drop-down list opens.
Tip: If the drop-down list is not shown, switch to the tab of the main variation.
Click on Rename.
→ The Select tab title window opens.
Select the variation data to show as the tab title of variations. You can select to show the Variation ID, the Variation name or the Variation number.
Click on Rename.
→ The selected variation data is shown as tab titles for all variations.
→ If you select the setting Variation name or Variation number and this information is not saved for a variation, the Variation ID is shown instead.
Tip: The tab title of the variation that currently is open only changes after you reload the item.

18.2. Carrying out basic settings for the main variation

Edit variation data in the main variation and pass the modified information on to every variation. By deactivating the inheritance, you can edit every variation individually.

Changes not visible immediately

New variations and changes to variation data are not available in the online store and exports immediately. Find out how to check the status of variation data on the Checking status of item data page of the manual.

Carrying out basic settings for the main variation:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the Default item.
→ The Settings tab of the main variation opens.
Carry out the settings in the Basic settings area. Pay attention to the information given in Table 33.
Save the settings.
Note: New variations and changes to variation data are not available in the online store and exports immediately.
Tip: Open a preview of the variation:
1. Click on the preview icon in the save bar of the variation.
  → The Client (store) window is displayed.
2. From the drop-down list Plugin set, select the plugin set in which you want to preview the item or variation.
3. From the drop-down list Client (Store), select the client in which you want to preview the item or variation.
  Tip: These settings are preselected next time you click on the preview icon.
4. Click on Execute.
  → A preview of the variation is shown.

Table 33. Carrying out basic settings for the main variation
Setting	Explanation
Variation name	Enter a name for the main variation.
Variation number	The variation number is assigned automatically based on the pattern saved in the Setup » Item » Settings menu. Variation numbers can be changed subsequently in the settings tab of a variation.
External variation ID	Enter the external variation ID. The external variation number is optional. It facilitates importing items and variations from external systems to plentymarkets.
Model	Enter the model of the main variation. The model is passed on to every variation.
Position	Enter the position number for the variation. Variations are sorted in ascending order by position. *Note:* If No is selected for the setting Automatically sort by monthly sales in the Setup » Client » Select client » Item layouts » Settings menu, manually entered position numbers will be overwritten automatically.

18.3. Setting the availability

You are legally required to provide information in your online store about how long it takes to deliver all items that you offer. There are ten availability options in plentymarkets.

18.3.1. Setting the availability options

Set the availability in the tab of a variation. Enter the texts for availability options in the plentymarkets back end. You can also replace the default availability icons with your own icons.

Setting the availability options:

Go to Setup » Item » Availability.
Carry out the settings. Pay attention to the information given in Table 34.
Save the settings.

Table 34. Setting the availability options
Setting	Explanation
Back end icon	The default availability icons of the system are displayed here. These icons are set by default and can be replaced with individual icons.
Name	Enter a name or description for the delivery period.
Language	Select the language from the drop-down list. The system language that was set when the system was first created is selected by default.
Average delivery period	Enter the average delivery time in days. These values are analysed by search engines. Enter realistic values for the average delivery period. Customers will interpret this information as a guarantee. In addition, it can be relevant to competition law.
Upload store icon	Upload an individual availability icon. The icon is displayed in the online store instead of the back end icon. Available file formats: PNG, JPG and GIF. Ideal image size: 16 x 16 pixels.
Delete store icon	Delete the individual availability icon. After deleting this icon, the back end icon is displayed in the online store.

18.3.2. Old online store: Displaying the availability in Callisto

By default, the availability in the design Callisto is displayed in the online store using the ItemViewSingleItem template. Use the template variables $AvailabilityString and $AvailabilityIcon to display the availability text and icon in the online store. By default, these template variables are included in the template ItemViewSingleItem of the plentymarkets default design.

Availability is not displayed correctly in the online store

If you use your own store icons for the availability, upload files for all availability options. Otherwise, an empty frame will be displayed in the design when the icon is missing.
If the availability is not displayed correctly in the online store after changes were made, then delete the browser cache and reload the page.

18.3.3. Deactivating availability options in the online store

By default, all availability options are activated and visible in the online store. Only products with an active availability option can be ordered in the online store. If you want to exclude products with a specific availability from your online store, deactivate this availability option. Products with a deactivated availability option are still available for markets. Proceed as described below to activate the availability options for your default online store. Activate the availability options for other clients (stores) in the same way.

Activating availability options for the online store:

Go to Setup » Client » Select client » Item layouts » Availability.
Press and hold Ctrl or Cmd and select the availability options.
Save the settings.
→ The selected availability options are activated for the online store of this client (store).

If a variation’s availability was not activated as described, then the variation can not be ordered in the online store. The visibility of the variation in the online store depends on the type of verification selected for the attribute availability in the Setup » Client » Select client » Item layouts » Settings.

If the option Attribute availability is set to Server check, the variation is visible and can be selected. The availability will not be checked until the last attribute has been selected in the order process.
If you select the setting Client check, the variation either is not shown in the online store or it is greyed out.

18.3.4. Setting a variation’s availability

Set the availability and store visibility of a variation in the Settings tab of the variation.

Setting the main variation’s availability:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the item.
→ The Settings tab of the main variation opens.
Pay attention to the information given in Table 35 and carry out the settings in the Availability area.
Save the settings.

Table 35. Setting the main variation’s availability
Setting	Explanation
Active	Activate the variation to offer the variation in the online store or, in the case of Default items, on markets. Variations will only be displayed in the online store when the variations are active. When searching for items using the default settings, inactive variations will not be shown. Select No in the Active filter to search for inactive variations.
Availability	Select the availability. 10 availability levels are available. *Note:* The availability is a static setting. That means that the availability level selected does not change irrespective of actual stock levels. The setting is relevant only if stock availability is not set automatically.
Show in online store: Available if net stock is positive; Not available if net stock is 0 or negative	Activate to make the variation available if the net stock is positive and unavailable if the net stock is 0 or negative. Both functions complement each other and work in combination with the To net stock option under Limitation. plentymarkets automatically controls the item’s availability in the online store. Variations do not have to be made invisible if no net stock is available.
Client: Automatically visible if net stock is positive; Automatically invisible if net stock is 0 or negative	Activate to automatically make the variation visible in the online store if the net stock is positive and invisible if the net stock is 0 or negative. Both functions complement each other and are only applied if the Limitation option is set to To net stock. When the options are activated and no net stock is available for the variation, the variation is not visible in the online store. Even the direct URL to the variation does not work.
Item list (automation currently only works for Calisto, implementation in Ceres to follow)	Always invisible (previously Invisible: in item list) = Activate to make the variations invisible in the item list of the online store. When the option is activated, the variation can only be opened using the direct URL to the variation. The variation is not shown in the categories, search results or item lists, i.e. store specials, cross-selling and last seen items. Automatically visible if net stock is positive; Invisible automatically if net stock is 0 or negative = Activate to automatically make the variation visible in the item list if the net stock is positive and invisible if the net stock is 0 or negative. Both functions complement each other and are only applied if the Limitation option is set to To net stock. When the options are activated and no net stock is available for the variation, the variation can only be opened using the direct URL to the variation. The variation is not shown in the categories, search results or item lists, i.e. store specials, cross-selling and last seen items. *Note:* The options Client: Automatically visible if net stock is positive and Client: Invisible automatically if net stock is 0 or negative takes priority. When those options are activated and no net stock is available for the variation, the variation is also not visible in the online store. Even the direct URL to the variation does not work. As such, we recommend that you do not combine these settings and manage the visibility using either the store visibility or the item list visibility.
In supply	Displays the estimated delivery date of ordered variations. For further information about reorders refer to Managing reorders.
Limitation	Select None, To net stock or Do not administer stock for this variation. None = No limitation to the stock is set. The variation’s availability is not checked automatically. To net stock = Stock is limited to the net stock. The variation’s availability is checked automatically. Do not administer stock for this variation = If this setting is selected, then the tabs Correction, Stock, Supply and Item movement will be hidden in the Stock tab of a variation.
Max. order quantity	Enter the maximum order quantity that is permitted per order. Decimal values are possible to allow orders by weight or length. The value 0 is set by default. With the value 0, the maximum order quantity is unlimited. You can use the maximum order quantity in combination with advance orders, for example to prevent other sellers from completely buying out the variation at a reduced price.
Min. order quantity	Enter the minimum order quantity. Decimal values are possible to allow orders by weight or length.
Interval order qty.	Enter which quantity intervals the variation can be ordered in. Decimal values are possible to allow orders by weight or length.
Release date	Date on which the variation becomes available. The variation can be visible in the online store before this date, e.g. for preorders. Respect the date format (DD.MM.YYYY) when entering the date manually. For further information about advance orders, refer to the Advance orders page of the manual.
Available until	Use the calendar to select the last date that the variation should be available. Respect the date format (DD.MM.YYYY) when entering the date manually.

18.3.5. Setting the availability for clients

In the variation’s Availability tab, you select the clients (stores) in which you want to offer the variation for sale.

Making main variation available for a client:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the item.
Open the main variation.
Click on the Availability tab.
Select the clients in the Client (store) section.
Save the settings.
→ The variation is available in the selected clients.

Availability/visibility for variations without net stock

Whether or not a variation without positive net stock is visible/available for the selected clients depends on the settings for net stock dependency in the Availability section of the Settings tab.
If the option Not available if net stock is 0 or negative or Not visible if net stock is 0 or negative is activated and no net stock is available for the variation, the client selection is greyed out. Click on the lock icon to activate the client selection even if net stock is negative. If you activate the selection and select a client, the settings for availability and/or visibility for negative net stock will be overwritten and the variation will be available in the selected clients. This settings remains valid until new stock is booked for the variation. Once net stock for the variation becomes positive, the availability and visibility settings if net stock is 0 or negative take effect again.

18.3.6. Setting the availability for markets

In the Availability tab, you activate markets and make changes to the SKU settings.

18.4. Linking sales prices

Link sales prices with the main variation of a Default item to save prices. You can enter prices or calculate them based on a price calculation. If inheritance is active, the combinations of sales price and price of the main variation are passed from the main variation to the variations of the item.

Linking a sales price with the main variation:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the Default item.
→ The Settings tab of the main variation opens.
Select a sales price from the drop-down list.
Select whether the price is net or gross.
Click on Add.
→ The sales price is added and displayed in the list.
Enter a value into the Price field.
Save the settings.

Linking a sales price with price calculation with the main variation:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the Default item.
→ The Settings tab of the main variation opens.
Select a sales price from the drop-down list.
Select whether the price is net or gross.
Select a price calculation from the drop-down list.
Save the variation.
→ The sales price is linked and a price is calculated.
Tip: Reload the tab of the variation to update the price shown.

If you want to maintain individual prices for your variations, deactivate the inheritance in the variation’s tab and add a sales price. Click on Delete in the line of a sales price of the main variation or variation to delete the price. For further information about sales prices and price calculations, refer to the chapters Managing sales prices and Creating price calculations.

18.5. Linking barcodes

Barcodes such as GTIN, ISBN, UPC and QR are used to identify items in plentymarkets. Link Barcodes with your item variations.

Linking a barcode with the main variation:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the item.
→ The Settings tab of the main variation opens.
In the Barcodes area, select a barcode from the drop-down list.
Click on Add.
→ The barcode is added and displayed in the list.
Enter the code into the Code field.
Or: Click on Generate GTIN to insert a code generated with GTIN numbering.
Save the settings.

18.6. Linking ASIN and ePID

ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number) is product identification that is provided by Amazon and omni-channel/multi-channel/amazon#, Amazon. An ePID (eBay Product ID) is a product identification that is provided by eBay. The ASIN contains 10 characters and/or numbers. For books, the ASIN matches the ISBN. The ASIN can be found on Amazon’s product page. The ePID is provided by eBay. Link ASIN and ePID with your variations.

Linking ASIN or ePID with the main variation:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the Default item.
→ The Settings tab of the main variation opens.
Click on Add in the ASIN/ePID area.
→ A new entry is added and displayed in the list.
Select the country platform from the drop-down list.
Select ASIN or ePID from the drop-down list.
Enter the ASIN or ePID into the field.
Save the settings.

18.7. Specifying item dimensions

In the Dimensions area, you specify the length, width and height of a Default item. You also define content and weight values.

Specifying the dimensions of the main variation:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the Default item.
→ The Settings tab of the main variation opens.
Pay attention to the information given in Table 36 and carry out the settings in the Dimensions area.
Save the settings.

Table 36. Specifying the dimensions of the main variation
Setting	Explanation
Content	Enter the content and select the unit from the drop-down list. Learn how to create and edit units in the Managing units chapter.
L x W x H	Enter the variation’s dimensions in millimetres.
Gross weight	Enter the variation’s gross weight in grams or kilograms. This weight includes the packaging for variations that are packaged separately. The value entered here is used for calculating shipping packages and weight-based shipping costs.
Net weight	Enter the variation’s weight without packaging in grams or kilograms.
Units contained	Units contained describes several sales units combined in one package. Default setting: 1. *Note:* This value is currently not considered for calculations. Calculation of the unit prices, for example per kilogram, is carried out on the basis of the entry for weight in the section content as well as the selected option for unit in connection with the price. The value you enter for the Units contained option will have no impact on the calculation of the unit price.
Show unit price	Select if the variation’s unit price is to be shown in the online store. Activated = The variation’s unit price is shown in the online store if the necessary logic is implemented in the design. Not activated = The variation’s unit price is not shown in the online store. *Tipp:* The unit price is the price based on a standard amount, for example per kg or litre. The unit price allows consumers to compare prices. In some countries, the unit price must be specified for products that are sold by weight, volume, length or surface area.

18.8. Specifying costs

In the Costs area, you specify the VAT rate and the variation’s purchase price. You also enter additional costs such as costs for transportation and storage. These entries are used for calculating your sales prices. For further information about price calculation, refer to Creating price calculations.

Specifying the costs of the main variation:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the Default item.
→ The Settings tab of the main variation opens.
Pay attention to the information given in Table 37 and carry out the settings in the Costs area.
Save the settings.

Table 37. Specifying the costs of the main variation
Setting	Explanation
Acquisition price	Display the gross or net acquisition price. The acquisition price results from the procurement calculation. It is calculated based on the price requested by the supplier minus discounts and bonuses Plus procurement costs for transportation, insurance and packaging.
VAT	Select the VAT rate for the main variation. For further information about VAT rates, refer to the Accounting page of the manual.
Net purchase price	The net purchase price. The purchase price is calculated or managed manually depending on the settings saved in the Setup » Stock » Stock » Incoming items menu. The net purchase price e.g. is used in price calculations.
Mov. av. purchase price (net)	The net moving average purchase price. The net moving average purchase price is recalculated every time stock is booked in. The calculation takes into account the purchase prices of all stock of a variation currently in stock. *Note:* During calculation, only items incoming to those warehouses activated for the moving average purchase price are taken into account. Go to Setup » Stock » Stock » Incoming items to activate the warehouses. If no warehouse is active, then no moving average purchase price is calculated.
Net transport	Enter the net transportation costs for the variation. This value is used for price calculations and for calculating the acquisition price.
Net storage costs	Enter the net storage costs for the variation.
Customs	Enter a value in percent for customs.
Operating costs	Enter a value in percent for operating costs.

18.9. Specifying shipping data

In addition to global shipping information which you activate in the Global tab, you specify further data, such as warehouses and surcharges, in the Shipping area of the variation.

Specifying the shipping data of the main variation:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the Default item.
→ The Settings tab of the main variation opens.
Pay attention to the information given in Table 38 and carry out the settings in the Shipping area.
Save the settings.

Table 38. Entering the shipping data of the main variation
Setting	Explanation
Order picking	Select Single order picking possible, Single order picking not possible or Exclude from pick list to define the order picking type. If you do not want to define the order picking type, select the empty option.
Main warehouse	Select the variation’s main warehouse.
Pallet type	Select the pallet type.
Packing units	Select the number of packing units and the type of packaging if the item consists of multiple packages. Select 0 if an item is always to be sent as one package. This setting also applies to various items. This setting also applies to various items. This means that all items of an order that have the value 0 will be packed into one package.
Extra charge 1; Extra charge 2	Enter a value for calculating an extra shipping charge for the 1. and 2. item. For further information, refer to Creating a shipping profile.

18.10. Linking additional categories

In the Categories tab, you can link additional categories with your variations. The variations will be displayed in all selected categories in the online store. Furthermore, activate the default category of the variation in the area Default categories. With the default category, you set the category path in the breadcrumb bar in the online store. If a variation is displayed in multiple categories, the category path of the default category will always appear in the breadcrumb bar.

Linking additional categories:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the item.
Open the variation.
Click on the Categories tab.
Click on Link category.
→ The Link category window opens.
Select a category or subcategory.
Click on Link category.
→ The category link is created and displayed in the Linked categories area.

Category links of the main variation are passed on to variations. You can change the category links for each variation individually. Click on Deactivate Inheritance in the Categories tab of a variation and change the settings.

Setting the default category:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the Default item.
Open the variation.
Click on the Categories tab.
Use the drop-down list to select the appropriate default category for the client.
Save the settings.
→ The default category is set.

18.11. Linking properties and texts

Properties are centrally managed in the Setup » Settings » Properties » Configuration menu and can be linked to variations of Default items. Properties of the Item area are linked to variations in two different tabs of a variation:

Variation properties of the types Integer, Float, Selection, Date and File are activated in the Properties tab of a variation.
Variation properties of the types Short text and Text are linked in the Texts tab of the variation.

Learn how to create properties in the Managing properties chapter.

Inheritance of links and values

By default, inheritance of variation properties and variation texts is active. All combinations of properties and values that are saved for the main variation in the Properties and Texts tabs are inherited to those variations of the item for which inheritance is not deactivated. If you want to save individual properties for the variations of an item, deactivate the inheritance in the variation’s tab and link properties.

18.11.1. Linking a variation property and saving a value

Proceed as described below to link a property of the types Integer, Float, Selection, Date or File to a main variation and save a value for that property.

Linking a variation property with a main variation:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the Default item.
→ The Settings tab of the main variation opens.
Open the Properties tab.
→ Any variation properties already linked to the variation are shown.
Click on the Properties field.
→ A drop-down list of available variation properties opens.
Activate the variation property.
Tip: You can link several or all variation properties to the variation at once.
Click on Add.
→ The variation properties are displayed in the Properties area.
Enter a value for the property. Pay attention to the information given in Table 28.
Save the settings.

Table 39. Linking a property
Setting	Explanation
Name	Displays the property name.
Type	Displays the property type. int = Integer float = Decimal number select = Selection date = Date file = File empty = None
Value	Enter a value. How you specify a value depends on the property type. int = Enter an integer. float = Enter a decimal number. select = Select an option from the drop-down list. date = Enter or select a date. file = Upload a file. empty = No value can be specified for this type.

18.11.2. Linking a text and saving a value

Proceed as described below to link a property of the types Short text or Text to a main variation and save a value for that property.

Linking text with a main variation:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the Default item.
→ The Settings tab of the main variation opens.
Click on the Texts tab.
→ Any texts already linked to the variation are shown.
Click on the Properties field.
→ A drop-down list of available variation properties opens.
Activate the variation property.
Tip: You can link several or all variation properties to the variation at once.
Click on Add.
→ The variation properties are displayed in the Texts area.
→ The default language is displayed for editing by default.
Enter a value. Pay attention to the information given in Table 40.
Save the settings.
Enter the text in additional languages (optional).
Tip: Click on Multilingualism to open a bilingual editing window.
Save the settings.

Table 40. Linking texts
Setting	Explanation
Name	Displays the property name.
Type	Properties of the type Short text are shown in the upper part of the tab. Enter a value into the text field. Properties of the type Text are shown in the lower part of the tab in an editor that provides additional formatting options. → The default language is displayed for editing by default.

18.11.3. Deleting link and value

To delete a property link, go to the Properties or Texts tab of the variation and click on Delete in the row of the property. The following inheritance logic applies when you delete a property link:

If you delete the property link of a main variation, the link and value are deleted for all variations of the item that inherit the properties of the main variation.
If you delete the property link of a variation for which inheritance is active, inheritance is deactivated and the remaining properties are saved for this variation.
Note: The properties and values of Properties tab and the Texts tab are inherited together. You can inherit either all or none of the values.

18.12. Adding suppliers to a variation

In the Supplier tab of a variation, you select suppliers for the product and enter supplier information, i.e. delivery time and minimum purchase. For further information, refer to the Stock management page of the manual.

Adding a supplier to the main variation:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the Default item.
→ The Settings tab of the main variation opens.
Open the Supplier tab of the variation.
Select a supplier from the drop-down list.
Click on Add.
→ The supplier is added and displayed in the list.
Enter the supplier information. Pay attention to the information given in Table 41.
Save the settings.

Table 41. Specifying the shipping data of the main variation
Setting	Explanation
Supplier item No.	Enter the supplier’s item number in order to explicitly identify the variation.
Purchase price	Enter the price at which you purchased the item from your supplier.
Minimum purchase	Enter the minimum quantity of the variation that have to be ordered from the supplier. Value is also used as a quantity suggestion when creating a reorder.
Delivery time in days	Enter the delivery time in days.
Last price query	Enter the date that you made the last price query to your supplier. This helps to plan price negotiations.
Discount	Enter the discount in percent if the supplier offers a discount on the variation.
Discountable	Activate the entered supplier’s discount.
Packaging unit	Enter the packaging unit of the supplier if it differs from the packaging unit settings in plentymarkets.

18.13. Adding warehouses for the variation

In the Warehouse tab of a variation, you select warehouses for the product and enter warehouse information, i.e. reorder level and maximum stock. For further information, refer to the Stock management page of the manual.

18.14. Managing the variation’s stock

In the Stock tab, you manage your stock, book incoming items, make stock corrections and view supplies as well as item movements. For further information, refer to the Stock management page of the manual.

18.15. Using item bundles

Item bundles consist of several Default items. The bundle price may be lower than the sum of the individual prices. Learn how to set up item bundles in the Setting up item bundles chapter.

18.16. Linking item images with variations

Image settings are managed in the item’s Images tab. You can assign the images displayed in this tab to its variations by linking them with the item’s variations. You can link images with variations in two different ways:

In the Images tab of the item, you link images with more than one variation of the item.
In the Images tab of the variation, you link images with the variation you are currently viewing.

Both procedures are described below.

18.16.1. Linking images with more than one variation

In the Images tab of the item, you link images with one or more variations of the item. To do so, proceed as described below.

Linking item images with more than one variation:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the item.
Open the Images tab.
→ A preview of all images saved for the item is displayed.
Place a check mark on the left for those images that you want to link.
Click on Variation link.
→ The Link variations window is displayed.
Optional: Filter the variations using the filter to the left.
Select the variations that you want to link with the selected images.
Click on Link.
→ The images are linked with the selected variations.

Proceed as described below to unlink images from more than one variation.

Unlinking images from more than one variation:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the item.
Open the Images tab.
→ A preview of all images saved for the item is displayed.
Below the image for which you want to unlink variations, klick on the plus sign next to Variation link.
→ A list of the variations linked with this image is displayed.
Select the variations for which you want to remove the link to this image.
Click on Unlink.
→ The links to the variations are removed.

18.16.2. Linking item images with the variation you are currently viewing

In the Images tab of the variation, you link images saved for the item with the variation you are currently viewing. To do so, proceed as described below.

Linking item images with the variation you are currently viewing:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the item.
Open the variation.
Open the Images tab.
→ A preview of all images saved for the item is displayed. Images that are linked with the variation are shown with a green border. Images that are not linked with the variation are greyed out.
Point your cursor over the image you want to link.
Click on Link.
→ The image is linked with this variation.

Proceed as described below to unlink images from the variation you are currently viewing.

Unlinking images from the variation you are currently viewing:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the item.
Open the variation.
Open the Images tab.
→ A preview of all images saved for the item is displayed. Images that are linked with the variation are shown with a green border. Images that are not linked with the variation are greyed out.
Point your cursor over the image you want to unlink.
Click on Unlink.
→ The link with the variation is removed.

18.17. Linking a tag to a variation

If you made your tags available for the Item menu, you can link an unlimited number of tags to variations. Tags that you link to the main variation are passed on to the variations of the item. To save other tags for a variation, deactivate inheritance and save different tags.

Inheriting tags

If you remove all tags from a variation, inheritance is not activated. This behaviour differs from other inheritance settings in the system. Instead, the variation is saved without any tags.

Adding a tag:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the variation.
→ The Settings tab of the variation opens.
Optional: If inheritance is activated, click Deactivate inheritance.
Click on the text field in the tags area to the right.
Enter the tag name.
Tip: Enter the first letter of the tag and then use the auto completion feature.
Or: Select the tag from the list.
Save the variation.
→ The tag is linked to the variation.
→ The variation can be found in the item overview by applying the tag filter.

18.18. Saving variation notes

In the Notes tab, you can save notes about a variation. Notes are only visible in your plentymarkets back end. As such, notes will not be displayed in the online store.

Saving a note:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Search for the item or variation by using the filter settings.
Open the variation.
Click on the Notes tab.
Enter a note.
Optional: Use the functions in the toolbar to format the note.
Save the note.
→ The variation note is saved.
→ Variations with notes are shown with a notes icon in the Procedures column of the item overview. Variations without notes are shown with a notes icon with a green plus symbol.

Notes in the item overview

The Procedures column of the item overview shows if a note has been saved for the variation. Variations without notes are shown with a notes icon with a green plus symbol. If you select the table type Item to filter the item overview, only notes saved for the main variation of the item will be shown. When you create a new note in the table view Item, this note is saved for the item’s main variation.

If you no longer need the information that you saved in the note, delete the note by clicking on Delete.

19. Editing multiple variations

Edit multiple variations with the Variation group function or the Batch processing function in the Item menu. The group function edits those variations that were selected in the item overview. The batch processing function edits previously filtered variations.

Carrying out the variation group function:

Go to Item » Edit item.
In the search, select Variations in the Table type drop-down list.
Select the variations that you want to edit.
Click on Variation group function.
→ The Variation group function window opens.
Activate the check box to the left of the option you want to modify. Pay attention to the information given in Table 42.
Select if the option is to be activated or deactivated for the selected variations.
→ To activate the option for the variation, activate the check box to the right of the option.
→ To deactivate the option for the variation, leave the check box to the right of the option empty.
Note: You can only apply one inheritance setting at a time. As such, all other settings are disabled when you select an inheritance setting.
Click on Execute to apply the settings to the variations.
Tip: When you change inheritance settings, any main variations you selected in the item overview will be ignored when the group function is run.

Table 42. Editing variations with the **Group function** or **Batch processing**
Setting	Explanation
Market availability
Activate markets	The settings in this area are for the topic Multi-Channel and are described on the markets' pages.
Procedures
Delete variations	Activate to delete the selected variations. *Note:* Even if main variations are selected, main variations are never deleted.
Tags
Add tags	Activate to link tags with the selected variations. Click into the field and select the tags to be added to the variation.
Remove tags	Activate to unlink tags from the selected variations. Click into the field and select the tags to be removed from the variation.
Remove all tags	Activate to unlink all tags from the selected variations.
Assign client (store)
Create link	Activate and select one or multiple clients (stores) to make the selected variations available for these online stores.
Prices
Price calculation	Activate and select price calculation.
Price change	Activate and select settings to change the price of the selected variations. To apply the operators to the price only, select the same sales price for both source and target price. Absolute = Select an operator and an absolute value. = The value entered is saved as the new price. The current price is increased by the amount entered. - The current price is decreased by the amount entered. / The current price is divided by the value entered. * The current price is multiplied by the value entered. In percent = Select an operator and enter a percentage. The current price is increased by the percentage entered. - The current price is decreased by the percentage entered. Source price = Select a sales price from the drop-down list. The price saved for this sales price will be applied to the selected target price. Target price = Select a sales price from the drop-down list. The price saved for this sales price will be changed. → If the sales price selected as target price is not linked to the variation, the target sales price is linked to the variation and the new price is saved. → If any of the selected variations currently inherit prices from the main variation, inheritance of all prices is deactivated and the prices are saved on the variation level.
Shipping
Extra charge 1; Extra charge 2	Activate and enter a value. This value will be saved in the selected variations.
Other
Generate GTIN	Activate and select the GTIN type to generate GTINs of this type with GTIN numbering for the selected variations.
Gross weight, Net weight	Activate and enter a value. This weight value will be saved in the selected variations.
Availability
Active	Activate the variations to offer them in the online store or on markets. Variations will only be displayed in the online store when the variations are active.
Availability symbols	Activate and select the availability for the selected variations.
Invisible: in item list	Activate to make the variations invisible in the item list of the online store. The variations will neither be displayed in a category nor will they be displayed with the search function. The variations can only be opened if the URL is known.
Item list: visible if net stock is positive; Item list: invisible if net stock is 0 or negative	Activate to automatically make the variations visible in the item list if the net stock is positive and invisible if the net stock is 0 or negative. When the options are activated and no net stock is available for the variations, the variations can only be accessed using the direct URL. The variation is not shown in the categories, search results or item lists (store specials, cross-selling, last seen items).
Stock
Limitation	Activate and select a stock limitation option.
Main warehouse	Activate and select the main warehouse for the variations.
Reorder level	Activate, select a warehouse and enter a value. If the stock reaches or falls below this value, a reorder is created for the variations.
Maximum stock	Activate, select a warehouse and enter a value to limit the stock of the selected variations.
Stock turnover (in days)	Activate, select a warehouse and enter a value in days. This represents the period in days that the stock of the selected variations will suffice.
Storage location type	Activate, select a warehouse and the storage location type according to the size of the selected variations.
Zone	Activate, select a warehouse and a zone for the selected variations if you have divided your warehouse into zones.
Available if net stock is positive; Not available if net stock is 0 or negative	Activate to make the selected variations available if the net stock is positive and unavailable if the net stock is 0 or negative. Both functions complement each other and work in combination with the To net stock option under Limitation.
Store: visible if net stock is positive; Store: invisible if net stock is 0 or negative	Activate to make the selected items visible in the online store if the net stock is positive and invisible if the net stock is 0 or negative. Both functions complement each other and work in combination with the To net stock option under Limitation.
Category
Category	Activate and select the category. The selected variations will be linked with the category. Existing category links remain unchanged.
Delete old category link	Activate to delete existing category links of the selected variations.
Inheritance (Variation group function only)
Prices	Activate to change the inheritance settings for those variations selected in the item overview. Check box to the right of Prices selected = Activates inheritance of the main variation’s prices to those variations selected in the item overview. Prices saved for the variation are overwritten. Check box to the right of Prices not selected = Deactivates inheritance of the main variation’s prices to those variations selected in the item overview. The main variation’s prices are saved for the variation. *Note:* This group function controls inheritance of all prices saved for the main variation. In other words, a variation cannot inherit just one of the main variation’s prices.
Availability	Activate to change the availability level settings for those variations selected in the item overview. Check box to the right of Availability selected = Activates inheritance of the main variation’s availability levels to those variations selected in the item overview. The availability level settings saved for the variation are overwritten. Check box to the right of Availability not selected = Deactivates inheritance of the main variation’s availability levels to those variations selected in the item overview. The main variation’s availability level is saved for the variation.
Markets	Activate to change the market availability settings for those variations selected in the item overview. Check box to the right of Markets selected = Activates inheritance of the main variation’s markets to those variations selected in the item overview. The market availability settings saved for the variation are overwritten. Check box to the right of Markets not selected = Deactivates inheritance of the main variation’s markets to those variations selected in the item overview. The main variation’s active markets are saved for the variation. *Note:* This group function controls inheritance of all market availability settings saved for the main variation. In other words, a variation cannot inherit only one of the main variation’s prices.
Clients (stores)	Activate to change the client availability settings for those variations selected in the item overview. Check box to the right of Clients (stores) selected = Activates inheritance of the main variation’s client (store) availability settings to those variations selected in the item overview. The client (store) availability settings saved for the variation are overwritten. Check box to the right of Clients (stores) not selected = Deactivates inheritance of the main variation’s client (store) availability settings to those variations selected in the item overview. The main variation’s active clients (stores) are saved for the variation. *Note:* This group function controls inheritance of all clients (stores) saved for the main variation. In other words, a variation cannot inherit only one of the main variation’s clients (stores).
Suppliers	Activate to change the suppliers for those variations selected in the item overview. Check box to the right of Suppliers selected = Activates inheritance of the main variation’s suppliers to those variations selected in the item overview. The supplier settings saved for the variation are overwritten. Check box to the right of Suppliers not selected = Deactivates inheritance of the main variation’s suppliers to those variations selected in the item overview. The main variation’s suppliers are saved for the variation. *Note:* This group function controls inheritance of all suppliers saved for the main variation. In other words, a variation cannot inherit just one of the main variation’s suppliers.
Categories	Activate to change the categories linked to those variations selected in the item overview. Check box to the right of Categories selected = Activates inheritance of the main variation’s categories to those variations selected in the item overview. The active categories saved for the variation are overwritten. Check box to the right of Categories not selected = Deactivates inheritance of the main variation’s categories to those variations selected in the item overview. The main variation’s active categories are saved for the variation. *Note:* This group function controls inheritance of all categories saved for the main variation. In other words, a variation cannot inherit just one of the main variation’s categories.
Warehouses	Activate to change the warehouses for those variations selected in the item overview. Check box to the right of Warehouses selected = Activates inheritance of the main variation’s warehouses to those variations selected in the item overview. The warehouse settings saved for the variation are overwritten. Check box to the right of Warehouses not selected = Deactivates inheritance of the main variation’s warehouses to those variations selected in the item overview. The main variation’s active warehouses are saved for the variation. *Note:* This group function controls inheritance of all warehouses saved for the main variation. In other words, a variation cannot inherit just one of the main variation’s warehouses.
Properties	Activate to change the property inheritance settings for those variations selected in the item overview. Check box to the right of Properties selected = Activates inheritance of the main variation’s properties to those variations selected in the item overview. The active properties saved for the variation are overwritten. Check box to the right of Properties not selected = Deactivates inheritance of the main variation’s properties to those variations selected in the item overview. The main variation’s active properties are saved for the variation. *Note:* This group function controls inheritance of all properties of the Properties and Texts of the main variation. In other words, a variation cannot inherit just one of the main variation’s properties.
Tags	Activate to change the tag inheritance settings for those variations selected in the item overview. Check box to the right of Tags selected = Activates inheritance of the main variation’s tags to those variations selected in the item overview. The tags linked to the variation are replaced. Check box to the right of Tags not selected = Deactivates inheritance of the main variation’s tags to those variations selected in the item overview. The linked tags are removed. The variation is saved without any tags. *Note:* This group function controls inheritance of all categories saved for the main variation. In other words, a variation cannot inherit just one of the main variation’s tags.

Carrying out batch processing:

Go to Item » Batch processing.
Open the Variations tab.
Select the filters based on Table 43.
Carry out the settings. Pay attention to the information given in Table 42.
Click on Apply to apply the settings to the variations.

Table 43. Filter options for **batch processing** of variations
Setting	Explanation
Variation ID	Select the operator and enter one or more variation IDs to search for variations with this ID. Use commas to separate multiple variation IDs.
Item ID	Select the operator and enter one or more item IDs to search for items with this ID. Use commas to separate multiple item IDs. Allows you to edit all variations of an item.
Flag 1; Flag 2	Select a flag to only edit variations that have this flag.
Manufacturers	Select a manufacturer or ALL to edit variations of the selected manufacturer only.
Condition	Select the condition to edit variations that have this condition only.
Main variations	Activate to edit main variations only.
Without category	Activate to edit variations which are not linked with a category only.
Categories	Select the category to edit variations that have this category only.
Tags	Activate to edit variations which are linked with these tags.

20. Turning a variation into the main variation

You can turn a different variation into the main variation. The old main variation becomes a child of the new main variation. Proceed as described below to set a new main variation.

Inheritance of values when setting a new main variation

If you set a new main variation, the values of this new main variation that can be inherited are compared to the values of the other variations of the item. All values remain unchanged. The following inheritance logic applies:

For values that are identical to the values of the new main variation, inheritance is activated automatically.
Values that are not identical to those of the new main variation are saved with the variation, i.e. inheritance is not activated.

Open the variations and deactivate inheritance if this behaviour does not meet your needs.

Turning another variation into the main variation:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the Default item.
Open the Variations tab.
Open the variation you want to turn into the new main variation.
In the variation’s toolbar, click on Make main variation.
Confirm your decision.
→ The variation becomes the Default item’s main variation.

21. Searching for items and variations

The Item » Edit item menu provides an item search function and the associated item overview. In the following, you will learn how to use the item search effectively.

21.1. Setting the prices and barcodes to prioritise in the item overview

You can set which sales price and/or which barcode is displayed in the columns of the item overview. If you do not set a preference, the first sales price and/or barcode saved for the variation is displayed.

Customising the item overview:

Go to Setup » Item » Settings.
For the option Prioritised price in item overview, select the sales price to be displayed in the Sales price column of the item overview.
→ For variations that are not linked to this sales price, one of the saved prices is displayed.
For the option Prioritised barcode in item overview, select the sales price to be displayed in the Barcode column of the item overview.
→ For variations that are not linked to this barcode, one of the saved barcodes is displayed.
Save the settings.

21.2. Setting up the back end item search

Go to Setup » Item » Search » Back end » Search index to set up searching for items in the Item » Editing items. To do so, you define those item parameters to be added to the search index. These parameters will then be searched during an item search in the back end.

The search index is set up automatically when a new item are created. The search index is updated the night after you imported the items. A maximum of 3000 items are added to the search index at a time. As such, if more than 3000 items are saved in the system, it can take several nights to update the search index.

In the Item catalogue tab, you can see how many items are included in the search index. In the Item characteristics tab, you can see how many items with characteristics are included in the search index.

In the Setup » Item » Search » Back end » Search index menu, you can start updating the search index manually.

Old online store Callisto with default search

If your online store is still based on the old design Callisto and the option Default search is activated in the Setup » Client » Select client » Online store » Item search menu, the index of the back end item search is also used for searching items in the front end.

21.2.1. Setting up the default index

With the default index, you define parameters that are indexed in the search index and taken into account when performing an item search in the back end. Proceed as described below to set up the default index.

Avoid changing the search index

Avoid changing the search index. After any change, the search index is rebuilt from scratch. If you have a lot of items, this may take a long time.

Setting up the default index:

Go to Setup » Item » Search » Back end » Search index.
Click on the Default index tab.
Activate the parameters that are taken into account when performing an item search.
Save the settings.
→ The selected parameters are used to search for items in the back end.

21.2.2. Setting up the extended index

In addition to the default index, you use the extended index to activate parameters that are taken into account when performing an item search with the Browse description option in the search area of the Item » Edit item menu. Proceed as described below to set up the extended index.

Setting up the extended index:

Go to Setup » Item » Search » Back end » Search index.
Open the Extended index tab.
Activate the parameters that are taken into account when performing an item search with the Browse description option in the search area of the Item » Edit item menu.
Save the settings.
→ The selected parameters are used to search for items in the back end when the option Browse description is activated.

21.2.3. Manually updating the item search index

The Setup » Item » Search » Back end » Search index » Tab: Overview shows how many items are saved in the system and how many items are in the search index.

The search index is updated automatically when you create a new item. The search index is updated the night after you imported the items. If you want to index items faster, start the indexing process manually.

Proceed as described below to manually build the item search index.

Manually updating the item search index:

Go to Setup » Item » Search » Back end » Search index.
→ The Overview tab opens.
→ Indexed items shows the number of items per language that are in the search index.
→ Total number of items shows the number of items in the plentymarkets system. This number includes recently imported items and items that are not yet indexed.
Click Set up an item search index to update the search index immediately.
→ The item search index is filled with the data of the first 3000 items.
To index more than 3000 items, click on Set up a property search index again once the option can be selected again.
→ The item search index is filled with the data of the next 3000 items.
Repeat until all items are indexed.

21.2.4. Manually updating the characteristics search index

The Setup » Item » Search » Back end » Search index » Tab: Item characteristics shows how many items with properties are saved in the system and how many items with properties are in the search index.

The search index is updated automatically when you create a new item with characteristics. The search index is updated the night after you imported the items. If you want to index items faster, start the indexing process manually.

During each run, a maximum of 3000 items are added to the search index. This is the case both when the indexing is started automatically and when you start the process manually. Only one cycle is carried out overnight. As such, if more than 3000 items are saved in the system, it can take several nights to update the search index. To add items to the search index more quickly, manually build the characteristics search index. Proceed as described below to manually build the property search index.

Manually updating the characteristics search index:

Go to Setup » Item » Search » Back end » Search index.
Click on the Item characteristics tab.
→ Indexed items with characteristics shows the number of items with characteristics per language that are in the search index.
→ Total number of items with characteristics shows the number of items with characteristics in the plentymarkets system. This number includes recently imported items and items that are not yet indexed.
Click Set up a characteristics search index to update the search index immediately.
→ The characteristics search index is filled with the data of the first 3000 items with characteristics.
To index more than 3000 items with characteristics, click on Set up a characteristics search index again once the option can be selected again.
→ The characteristics search index is filled with the data of the next 3000 items with characteristics.
Repeat until all items are indexed.

21.3. Filtering items

Filters help you search for items by type and variations. In the Table type drop-down list, select whether you want to search for items or variations. The table type Extended will display items in an extended view and grouped with all of their variations.

Searching for items:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Select the filters. Pay attention to the information given in Table 44.
→ The Active filter is set to Yes by default.
Click on Search.
→ All items found is displayed in the overview.

Table 44. Searching for items and variations
Setting	Explanation
Table type	Select the table type. Item = Display main variations in the overview only. Variations = Display all main variations and variations in the overview. Extended = Display an extended view of all items together with their variations.
Search fields
Item ID	Enter the ID to search for the item with this ID.
Variation ID	Enter the ID to search for the variation with this ID.
Variation number	Enter the variation number to search for the variation with this number.
Barcode	Enter the barcode to search for the variation with this barcode.
Item data	Enter the item data to search for the item with this data. Specify the data fields to be searched in the Search index.
Serial number	Enter the serial number to search for the item with this serial number.
Supplier item number	Enter the item number of the supplier to search for the item with this supplier item number.
SKU	Select a SKU or ALL to search for items with this SKU.
Tags	Enter a tag name to search for variations that were linked to these tags. Go to Setup » Settings » Tags to create tags. *Tip:* Enter the first letter of the tag and then use the auto completion feature.
Note text	Enter text to search for items with this text in the variation’s note.
Type	Select ALL or an item type to search for items of this type. Default = Search for Default items. Set = Search for Set items. Set items are a new plentymarkets feature. Set items can not currently be rendered in the online store. As such, creating set items is not recommended at this point in time.
Browse description	Activate to search for the item name or a keyword that is included in the item description.
Item list	Select ALL or an option to limit the search results. Visible = Search for variations that are visible in the item list. Invisible = Search for variations that are invisible in the item list.
Image	Select ALL or an option to limit the search results. Yes = Search for items without images. No = Search for items with images.
Filter
Flag 1; Flag 2	Select a flag or ALL to search for items that have this flag.
Manufacturers	Select a manufacturer or ALL to search for items that have this manufacturer. Select None to search for items without a manufacturer. The filter for a manufacturer will only be available in the item search if the manufacturer is linked to at least one item.
Attributes	Select an attribute in the left drop-down list or select ALL. Select an attribute value in the drop-down list to the right or select ALL to search for items and variations with this attribute value.
Active	Select Yes, ALL or No. Yes = Default setting. Search for all active items. Active items are available in the online store. ALL = Search for all items. Active and inactive items are displayed. No = Search for inactive items. Inactive items are not available in the online store.
Client (store)	Select a client (store) or ALL to search for items and variations of this client.
Available	Select the availability or ALL to search for items and variations with this availability.
Sales price	Select a sales price or ALL to search for items and variations with this sales price.
Shipping	Select a shipping profile or ALL to search for items with this shipping profile.
Warehouse	Select a warehouse or ALL to search for items and variations with this warehouse.
Stock limit	Select ALL, No limitation, Limited to net stock or Do not administer the stock. No limitation = Search for items without stock limitation. Limited to net stock = Search for items that are limited to net stock. Do not administer the stock = Search for items for which no stock is administered.
Stock	Select the stock or ALL to search for items and variations with this stock.
Stock type	Select the stock type or ALL to search for stock of this type. Select No colli to exclude all items of the stock type Colli from the search.
Bundle	Select ALL, Yes, No or Component. Yes = Search for items and variations which are main items of an item bundle. No = Search for items and variations which are neither a main item nor a component of an item bundle. Component = Search for items and variations which are components of an item bundle.
Listing	Select ALL, Yes, No or the listing type.
Store special	Select ALL, None or one of the store specials.
Age rating	Select ALL, None or an age rating.
Updated from; Updated to	Select a date in the calendar to search for all items changed in this period of time.
Amazon product type	Select ALL, Unknown or an Amazon product type.
Order referrers	Select ALL, Visible or Invisible for one or multiple order referrers.

21.4. Filtering by categories

In the Category tab, you filter for items of a specific category.

Filtering items by category:

Go to Item » Edit item.
In the search area, click on the Categories tab.
Click on a category to display all of the items in this category.
Or: To filter by subcategories, expand a category and click on the subcategory.
→ The items found are displayed in the item overview.

Proceed as described below to search for items in all of the categories again.

Deactivating the category search:

Click on the Filter tab.
Deactivate the With category filter.
→ The next search finds items in all of the categories.

21.5. Filtering by client

In the Client tab, you can search for items of a specific client or a category of the client only. You can also search for items that are not set as available for a client (store). The filter is applied based on the setting Available in the Categories tab of the variation.

Filtering items by client (store):

Go to Item » Edit item.
In the search area to the left, click on the Client tab.
Click on a client.
→ The items available for this client is displayed in the item view.
Or: Expand a client and click on a category.
→ The available items found in this category is displayed in the item overview.

Filtering items not available for a client (store):

Go to Item » Edit item.
In the search area, click on the Client tab.
Activate the option Not available.
Click on a client.
→ The items that are not available for the filtered client is displayed in the item overview.
Or: Expand a client and click on a category.
→ The items that are not available for the filtered category is displayed in the item overview.

21.6. Searching for variations within items

Filters help you search for items. Attribute filters are loaded into the filter list dynamically.

Searching for variations within an item:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the item.
Open the Variations tab.
Select the filters. Pay attention to the information given in Table 45.
Click on Search.
→ All variations found is displayed in the overview.

Table 45. Filtering variations
Setting	Explanation
Search fields
ID	Enter the ID to search for the variation with this ID.
Variation number	Enter the variation number to search for the variation with this number.
External variation ID	Enter the ID to search for the variation with this external variation ID.
Barcode	Enter the barcode to search for the variation with this barcode.
Filter
Attributes	Select an attribute value or ALL to search for variations with this attribute value. Attributes are loaded dynamically. As such, only attributes linked with variations are displayed.

22. Copying items and variations

In this chapter, you will learn how to copy items and variations. When copying an item, a copy of the item and all its variations is created. The following information is copied:

Item data which is entered in the Global tab
Item texts
Free text fields
Characteristics (old properties)
Images
Cross-selling settings
Sales prices including saved values
Barcodes including saved values
Item bundles
Properties

The following information is not copied:

Listings
Media files
Availability of the main variation
Dimensions
Costs

New variation numbers for the main variation and all additional variations of the copied item will be assigned. Change the variation numbers in the Settings tab of a variation. After copying, the copied item can be edited. Proceed as follows to copy an item.

Copying an item:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the item.
Click on Copy in the item’s toolbar.
→ The Copy window opens.
Click on Copy.
→ The item is copied.
→ The copy opens in a new tab.

Copy an item variation to offer this variation with different contents. All variation data will be copied. Main variations cannot be copied.

Copying a variation:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the Default item.
Open the variation.
Click on Copy in the variation’s toolbar.
→ The Copy window opens.
Enter the content.
Optional: Select a unit.
Click on Copy.
→ A copy of the variation is created.
→ The copy opens in a new tab.

Check sales prices and barcodes

Check the sales prices and barcodes after copying and change these values if needed.

For further information about creating item bundles and sets, refer to the Managing multipacks, item bundles and sets page of the manual.

23. Setting up cross-selling

With the cross-selling function, you have the possibility of offering additional items from your product range along with an item in your online store. The additional items should be necessary extensions or reasonable supplements for your customer’s current selection. Just a few examples:

The right batteries are needed for a flashlight.
A digital camera only makes sense in combination with a memory card that has sufficient capacity.
A customer who buys a premium tennis racket is likely to invest in a nice bag to store the racket in.

Replacement parts can also be offered as cross-selling items. If such connections also exist for your items, then you can use the cross-selling option to set up associations between them and benefit from additional sales.

YOOCHOOSE

The external service provider YOOCHOOSE offers an alternative to plentymarkets cross-selling.

The following requirements have to be met in order for direct cross-selling items to be displayed in your online store:

The item category of the cross-selling item has to be activated.
The items have to be visible in the store.

Items can be grouped in item lists and highlighted on the homepage of the online store and in the single item view. Find out how to create Cross-selling item lists on the Setting up item lists page of the manual.

23.1. Adding cross-selling items

In the Cross-selling tab of an item, create relations between an item and any number of similar items of your product range. You can also link accessories and replacement parts for the item. The relation of the linked cross-selling items can be changed at any time.

Adding cross-selling items:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the item.
Open the Cross-selling » Add items tab.
Place check marks next to the items you want to add as cross-selling items.
Click on the appropriate relation. Pay attention to the information given in Table 46.
→ The items is added and displayed in the Cross-selling items tab.

Table 46. Selecting the cross-selling relation
Setting	Explanation
Add to selection	Adds the opened item as a cross-selling item to all selected items. The cross-selling link will be added and is also visible in the Cross-selling tab of the selected items.
Similar	The selected items are similar to the opened item.
Accessory	The selected items are accessories of the opened item.
Replacement part	The selected items are replacement parts for the opened item.
Item bundle	The selected items are suitable to be sold as a bundle together with the opened item.

In the Cross-selling items tab, you can change the relation of linked items and delete links.

23.2. Copying cross-selling links

Copy the cross-selling links of the opened item and transfer these links to other items.

Copying cross-selling links:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the item.
Open the Cross-selling » Add item(s) tab.
Place check marks next to items to which you want to transfer the cross-selling links.
Click on Apply cross-selling settings to selected items.
→ The links of the opened item is transferred to the selected items.

24. Setting up store specials

Use store specials to present your items in a more prominent way in the online store. You have the following options:

Advertise special offers.
Introduce new items on the landing page of your online store.
Show your customers the best-selling items in your online store.

Learn how to set up store specials in Ceres in the Setting up item lists chapter of the manual.

Learn how to set up a store special in the old online store Callisto in the following example for top items. Set up other store specials in the same way.

24.1. Old online store: Displaying items as top items in Callisto

Proceed as follows in order to present selected items as top items. Presenting the selected items is not related to actual sales figures.

Displaying an item as a top item:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the item.
Click on the Global tab.
Click on the option Top item under Store special in the Online store area.
Save the settings.
→ The item is available as a top item.

The selected top items are displayed in the online store using the template ItemViewTopSellersList in the CMS » Web design » Folder: Layout » Folder: ItemView » Template: ItemViewTopSellersList. Specify the sorting order in the Settings tab of the template. For further information about the templates for other store specials, refer to the following pages of the manual:

Special offer: ItemViewSpecialOffersList
New item: ItemViewLatestItemsList

24.2. Old online store: Positioning top items in Callisto

You can also display top items in the online store sorted by their position numbers. For this option, use the ItemViewItemsByPositionList template. Assign the position numbers either manually or automatically. To enter positions manually, select No for the setting Automatically sort by monthly sales in the Setup » Client » Select client » Item layouts » Settings menu. If you select Yes, the positions will be assigned automatically. Any positions entered manually will be overwritten if this setting is selected. The automatic assignment is based on your monthly sales and thus will display your true top sellers.

24.2.1. Positioning top items manually

You can individually define your top items by assigning them position numbers manually. The template ItemViewItemsByPositionList displays items according to their position. The items are displayed in descending order. This template can be used to display the manually sorted top items in your online store. The template is found in the menu CMS » Web design » Folder: Layout » Folder: ItemView » Template: ItemViewItemsByPositionList.

Positioning top items manually:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the item.
Open the variation.
Click on the Settings tab.
Enter the Position in the Basic settings area.
→ Items is sorted and displayed in descending order. Therefore, assign the highest position numbers to top items.
Save the settings.

24.2.2. Old online store: Automatically positioning top items in Callisto

Once a day, plentymarkets calculates how often item variations have been sold. These sales determine the position. The most frequently sold top item will be given the highest position number. Carry out the following settings if you want the position to be entered automatically into the Position option within the item variation’s Settings tab.

Positioning top items automatically:

Go to Setup » Client » Select client » Item layouts » Settings.
Select Yes for the setting Automatically sort by monthly sales.
Save the settings.

The template ItemViewItemsByPositionList displays items according to their position. The items are displayed in descending order. This template can be used to display the automatically calculated top items in your online store.

For further information about setting up the different templates in the layout, refer to the Item sorting page of the manual.

24.3. Old online store: Linking items to online store specials in Callisto

Use the procedure manager to automatically link your items with online store specials.

Setting up a procedure:

Go to Setup » Item » Procedures.
Click on the New procedure tab.
Select the Link items to an online store special procedure.
Enter a name.
Specify a time at which the procedure is to be carried out.
Place a check mark next to the option Active.
Click on the Filter tab.
Carry out the filter settings as described in Table 47.
Click on the Procedure tab.
Carry out the procedure settings as described in Table 47.
Save the settings.
→ The procedure is set up and displayed in the Procedures tab.

Table 47. Old online store: Linking items to online store special in Callisto
Setting	Explanation
Filter
Price filter	Select items within a certain price range and link these items to the online store special. For example, you can link all items that have a higher RRP than their price.
Online store	Select a client (store).
Active items only	Activate to link active items only to the online store special. Inactive items will not be linked.
Availability	Select the availability of the items that you want to link to the online store special.
Flag 1; Flag 2	Select the flags of the items that you want to link to the online store special.
Procedures
Store special	Select the store special that the items should be linked to. For further information about store specials, refer to the Setting up store specials chapter.
Category (Item)	Select the item category that the items should be linked to.
Delete category (Item)	Select the item category that you want to delete.

25. Setting up give-aways

Use give-aways to generate more revenue in your online store by motivating your customers to buy more items and more frequently. The basic idea is simple: You offer customers a variation as a give-away when they reach a defined value of items per order. Instead of adding these give-aways to each order manually, you can use an event procedure to automate this process.

You can also add promotional items that you do not want to sell in the online store. To do so, set the variation to invisible and link it to an invisible category, i.e. a category that is not activated for the online store.

Creating an event procedure

Go to Setup » Orders » Events.
Click on Add event procedure.
→ The Create new event procedure window opens.
Enter a name.
Select the event listed in Table 48.
Save the settings.
Pay attention to the information given in Table 48.
Place a check mark next to the option Active.
Save the settings.

Table 48. Event procedure for give-aways
Setting	Option	Selection
Event	Order generation > New order
Filter 1	Order > Order type	Order
Filter 2	Value of items (gross)	Select operator and enter value of items. *Example:* Operator >=, Value of items 50.00 = Variation is added when value of items is or 50 GBP or more
Procedure	Variation > Add variation	Enter variation ID.

Tip: Bonus item scale

Use more than one event procedure to offer a bonus item scale. This allows you to offer different variations depending on the value of items customers buy. In the first event procedure, for example set the item value filter to >= 100.00 GBP and < 200.00 GBP. In the second event procedure, set an item value filter of >= 200 GBP and select a different, more attractive variation.

26. Old online store: Managing item templates in Callisto

Item templates can be used to create differing description texts for various categories of items in the online store.

Let’s assume you sell fashion and accessories. You would like a note to appear in the detailed view of each fashion item, reminding the customer to select a colour. However, you do not want this note to be shown for accessories. To put this into practice without having to add the note to the description of each fashion item individually, create a new category of the type Content that contains the information you want to display. The content consists of the template variable $Description as well as your note. The template variable $Description is important, because without it only the additional text will be displayed. Then you link the items with the new category. In the online store, the item description will then be displayed together with the additional text of the item template.

Figure 1. Inserting the template variable and the additional text

26.1. Old online store: Creating item templates in Callisto

In order to attach the additional text to item descriptions, proceed as follows.

Creating a category with an additional text:

Go to Item » Categories.
Click on New category.
→ The Create new category window opens.
Enter a name for the category.
Select Subcategory as the category level.
→ The category levels can now be selected.
Select a main category for the new category.
Click on Create to create the category.
→ The category is created and displayed as a subcategory in the directory tree on the left.
Click on this category’s Settings tab.
Select the type Content.
Save the settings.
Click on the Description 1 tab and enter the template variable $Description and the additional text (image 1).
Save the settings.

Instead of the template variable $Description, the actual item description will be displayed in the description area in the online store. This was entered into the Item text field in the item’s Texts tab. The additional text entered into the item template will be attached to this description.

Only use valid template variables and template functions

Only use the variables and functions valid for a template. In the category, click on Template variables and template functions to display the variables and functions sorted by templates. Only copy the variables and functions from the item view section, for example ItemViewSingleItem to create the item templates.

26.2. Old online store: Linking an item template with an item in Callisto

Once you have created the item template, link the template with the item.

Linking the item template:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the item.
Click on the Texts tab.
Use the Item template option to select the category.
Save the settings.

26.3. Linking an item template with multiple items

Instead of linking the item template to an item, use the group function to link an item template with multiple items at the same time.

Linking an item template with multiple items:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Select the filters.
Click on Search.
→ All items found is displayed in the overview.
Click on Select all in the header of the item overview.
Click on Item group function.
In the Global area, activate the option Item template.
Click on Assign category to select the item template.
Click on Execute.
→ The item template is linked with all items.

27. Using serial numbers

In plentymarkets you can set up serial numbers for items to uniquely identify every item sold. Serial numbers ensure traceability of an item in case of errors or problems.

27.1. Entering serial numbers

Enter each serial number individually or import large quantities of serial numbers using the data import function.

Entering a serial number:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the item.
Click on Serial number icon in the toolbar.
→ The Serial numbers window opens.
Enter a serial number in the New serial numbers area.
Save the serial number.
Or: Press Enter to save the serial number.

Saved serial numbers are shown in the overview. The serial numbers are highlighted in green and have the status FREE. For serial numbers that are already in use, the order number is shown under status. The order number is highlighted in red.

Importing serial numbers

You can create large quantities of serial numbers at once with ElasticSync. For further information about importing serial numbers, refer to the Importing data with ElasticSync page of the manual.

27.2. Searching for and editing serial numbers

In the Serial numbers area of the window, you search for certain serial numbers and edit existing serial numbers.

Editing a serial number:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the item.
Click on Serial numbers in the toolbar.
→ The Serial numbers window opens.
Select a status.
Optional: Enter the serial number into the search field.
Click on Search.
→ The filtered serial numbers is displayed.
Carry out the additional settings. Pay attention to the information given in Table 49.

Table 49. Editing serial numbers
Setting	Explanation
Status	Select ALL, free or assign. All serial numbers with the selected status will be displayed.
Serial number	Enter a serial number.
Selection	Select a procedure, for example Select all, to activate all of the serial numbers. Select Delete selection to delete all activated serial numbers.
Edit	Edit a serial number. Save the changes after editing.
Delete	Delete the selected serial number.

27.3. Exporting serial numbers

Export your serial numbers in a CSV file.

Exporting serial numbers:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the item.
Click on Serial numbers in the toolbar.
→ The Serial numbers window opens.
Select the status in the Export serial numbers area.
Select the field separator.
Click on Export.
→ The serial numbers is exported in a CSV file.

27.4. Assigning serial numbers

Serial numbers are assigned automatically with the help of an event procedure. The item needs to have been completely paid for before this can happen. The serial numbers will be displayed on the invoice that corresponds to the order. Set up an event procedure which automatically assigns a serial number once the order was fully paid for and the order status incoming payment: complete was assigned.

Setting up an event procedure

Go to Setup » Orders » Events.
Click on Add event procedure.
→ The Create new event procedure window opens.
Enter a name.
Select the event listed in Table 50.
Save the settings.
Carry out the settings. Pay attention to the information given in Table 50.
Place a check mark next to the option Active.
Save the settings.

Table 50. Event procedure for automatically assigning serial numbers
Setting	Option	Selection
Event	Payment: Complete
Procedure	Item	Assign serial numbers

Serial numbers can also be used in processes. In order for serial numbers to be available for use in processes, the Serial number option must have been activated in the item’s Global tab.

Activating the serial number function:

Go to Item » Edit item.
Open the item that has serial numbers that you want to use.
Click on the Global tab.
Select the setting Yes for the option Serial number.
Save the settings.

Processes allow you to automate the registration of serial numbers.