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  2. Markets and price search engines
  3. Price search engines
  4. Basic Price Search Engine

Basic Price Search Engine

Use the format Basic Price Search Engine to export item data for any price search engine. You can use it to map the item data expected by most price search engines.

Before setting up the export, you might want to check if plentymarkets or a third party provides a direct interface to the price search engine on which you want to sell your products. You can find additional integrations in the plentyMarketplace .

1. Alternative 1 (deprecated): export format BasicPriceSearchEngine-Plugin

No new features are planned for the Elastic Export and the export formats. As such, we recommend that you create catalogues instead.

In the past, the export format BasicPriceSearchEngine for the Elastic Export was used to export item data to price search engines. This export method is deprecated and has been replaced with the catalogue export. At the moment, you can still use the export format BasicPriceSearchEngine. However, this technology is no longer maintained and will not be supported for much longer.

1.1. Installing the BasicPriceSearchEngine plugin

To export item data to price search engines, you need the following plugins:

You can download these plugins in the plentyMarketplace .

Adding and installing the plugin Elastic Export in your plentymarkets system

Adding plugin to the system:

  1. Go to Plugins » plentyMarketplace.
    → The marketplace opens in a new tab.

  2. Navigate to the plugin Elastic Export.
    Tip: Either use the search function or open the category Plugins » Sales » Marketplaces.

  3. Open the detail view of the plugin.

  4. In the column to the right, click on Go to checkout.
    → The Checkout window opens.

  5. Read and accept the General Terms and Conditions.

  6. Click on Order now.
    → Wait a few minutes before installing the plugin.

Installing plugins:

  1. Go to Plugins » Plugin set overview.

  2. Click on the plugin set in which you want to install the plugin.
    → The plugin set opens.

  3. Click on Add new plugin.

  4. Select Elastic Export from the plugin list.

  5. Click on Install.
    → The plugin is installed.
    → The plugin set is shown.

  6. Switch the plugin active ().

  7. Save () the plugin set.
    Tip: Problems saving the plugin set? Click on Open details to show additional information.

Adding and installing the plugin Basic Price Search Engine in your plentymarkets system

Adding plugin to the system:

  1. Go to Plugins » plentyMarketplace.
    → The marketplace opens in a new tab.

  2. Navigate to the plugin Basic Price Search Engine.
    Tip: Either use the search function or open the category Plugins » Sales » Marketplaces.

  3. Open the detail view of the plugin.

  4. In the column to the right, click on Go to checkout.
    → The Checkout window opens.

  5. Read and accept the General Terms and Conditions.

  6. Click on Order now.
    → Wait a few minutes before installing the plugin.

Installing plugins:

  1. Go to Plugins » Plugin set overview.

  2. Click on the plugin set in which you want to install the plugin.
    → The plugin set opens.

  3. Click on Add new plugin.

  4. Select Basic Price Search Engine from the plugin list.

  5. Click on Install.
    → The plugin is installed.
    → The plugin set is shown.

  6. Switch the plugin active ().

  7. Save () the plugin set.
    Tip: Problems saving the plugin set? Click on Open details to show additional information.

1.2. Setting up the format BasicPriceSearchEngine-Plugin in plentymarkets

By installing this plugin, you will receive the export format BasicPriceSearchEngine-Plugin. Use this export format to transfer item data to price search engines via the elastic export. You also need to install the plugin Elastic export from the plentyMarketplace first before you can use the format in plentymarkets.

Once both plugins are installed in your plentymarkets system, you can create the export format BasicPriceSearchEngine-Plugin. For more information on export formats, see the elastic export page.

Creating a new export format:

  1. Go to Data » Elastic export.

  2. Click on New export ().

  3. Carry out the desired settings. Pay attention to the explanations given in Table 1.

  4. Save () the settings.
    → The export format BasicPriceSearchEngine-Plugin is given an ID.
    → The export format is shown in the Exports overview.

Table 1 lists details for settings, format settings and recommended item filters for the format BasicPriceSearchEngine-Plugin.

Table 1. Format settings for BasicPriceSearchEngine-Plugin
Setting Explanation

Settings

Format

Select BasicPriceSearchEngine-Plugin.

Provisioning

Select URL.

File name

The file name must have the ending .csv or .txt so that the file can be imported successfully by the price search engine or a comparable interface.

Item filter

Add item filters

Select an item filter from the drop-down list and click on Add. There are no filters set by default. It is possible to add multiple item filters from the drop-down list one after the other.

  • Active = Select Active.

  • Markets = Select one or more order referrers. The selected order referrer has to be active at the variation for the item to be exported.

Format settings

Order referrer

Select the order referrer that should be assigned during the order import from the drop-down list.

VAT note

This setting does not affect this format.

1.3. Available columns for the export format

Open the export format BasicPriceSearchEngine plugin in the Data » Elastic export menu to download and edit the export file.

Downloading the export file:

  1. Go to Data » Elastic export.

  2. In the line of the format BasicPriceSearchEngine plugin, click on Download ().
    → The file is downloaded and saved on your computer.

  3. Open the export file with an appropriate program.

Table 2. Available columns of the export file for the export format BasicPriceSearchEngine-Plugin
Column header Explanation

article_id

The Item ID.

deeplink

The URL path according to the format settings Product URL, Client, and Order referrer.

name

According to the format setting Item name.

short_description

According to the format setting Preview text.

description

According to the format setting Description.

article_no

The Variation number.

producer

The manufacturer of the item. The external name saved in the Setup » Item » Manufacturers menu is preferred if existing.

model

The model as per Item » Edit item » [Open item] » [Open variation] » Settings » Basic settings.

availability

The name of the item availability saved in the Setup » Item » Availability menu or the translation according to the format setting Overwrite item availability.

ean

According to the format setting Barcode.

isbn

According to the format setting Barcode.

unit

The unit of the evaluated base price information.

price

The sales price of the variation, according to the format setting Order referrer.

price_old

The offer price of the variation, according to the format setting Order referrer.

weight

The weight of the variation.

category1

The first category level of the default category for the configured client in the format settings.

category2

The second category level of the default category for the configured client in the format settings.

category3

The third category level of the default category for the configured client in the format settings.

category4

The fourth category level of the default category for the configured client in the format settings.

category5

The fifth category level of the default category for the configured client in the format settings.

category6

The sixth category level of the default category for the configured client in the format settings.

category_concat

The category path of the default category for the Client configured in the format settings.

image_url_preview

The preview image of the first image of the variation.

image_url

The image of the first image of the variation.

shipment_and_handling

The shipping costs saved for the item.

unit_price

The base price information in the format "price / unit" (example: 10.00 EUR / kilogram)

unit_price_value

The price from the evaluated base price information.

unit_price_lot

The content from the evaluated base price information.

variation_id

The Variation ID.

2. Alternative 2 (recommended): Catalogue export

Catalogue formats provide you with a long-term and flexible way to export your items for price search engines. You create one catalogue for each price search engine. You can create export files in CSV or in TXT formats. To export your item data to a price search engine, send the URL of the catalogue download to the price search engine.

2.1. Creating a catalogue

Item data is exported using a marketplace format. To export your items to a price search engine, create a catalogue in the Data » Catalogue menu. Link the data fields in the catalogue with item data saved in plentymarkets in the marketplace format afterwards.

Creating a catalogue:

  1. Go to Data » Catalogues.

  2. Click on Create catalogue.

  3. Enter a name for the catalogue.

  4. In the drop-down list Export type, select the option Basic Price Search Engine.

  5. In the drop-down list Format type, select the option Item (new).

  6. In the drop-down list Format, select the option Basic Price Search Engine.
    Tip: You can only create one catalogue for this market. Thus, the only format you can select is the name of the market.

  7. Save () the settings.
    → The catalogue is created.
    → The catalogue is opened for editing.

2.2. Carrying out the format settings

Now carry out the format settings. This marketplace format allows you to export item data either as a CSV file or a TXT file. Select other format settings, such as field separators or text delimiters, based on the requirements of the price search engine.

2.3. Optional: Excluding items from the export

Now, set filters to only export specific items for the price search engine.

2.4. Mapping data fields in the catalogue

Now, map the data fields in the catalogue to the item data saved in plentymarkets.

Mapping catalogue fields:

  1. Go to Data » Catalogues.

  2. Click on the catalogue.
    → The Mapping tab opens.
    → In the left-hand column, the market’s data fields are listed.
    Tip: Mandatory fields are flagged with an asterisk (*).
    → In the right column, you map the plentymarkets data fields. Any plentymarkets data fields that are already assigned are also shown in the right column.

  3. Now, map suitable plentymarkets data fields to the market data fields.
    You can choose from the following mappings which are described in the info boxes below:

    • 1:1 mapping

    • 1:1 mapping with fallback data fields

    • 1:n mapping

    • Own value mapping

  4. Save () the catalogue.
    → The mappings are saved.

1:1 mapping: 1 marketplace data field, 1 plentymarkets data field

In a 1:1 mapping, you map a plentymarkets data field to the marketplace data field.

So this mapping specifies:

  • I want to fill this marketplace data field with the data from this plentymarkets setting.

  • If the data field is empty for a variation, no value is exported for this variation.

Creating a 1:1 mapping:

  1. Next to the marketplace data field, click on + Add data field.
    → To the left, the list of available plentymarkets data fields are shown in groups.

  2. Click on a group to expand the associated plentymarkets data fields.
    → The plentymarkets data fields are shown.

  3. Click on the plus to the right of the plentymarkets data field you want to select.
    → The plentymarkets data field is added to the right.

  4. Click on Confirm.

1:1 mapping with fallback data fields: 1 marketplace data field, 1 plentymarkets data field with alternatives

In a 1:1 mapping with a fallback data field, you map a plentymarkets data field to the marketplace data field. In addition, you specify one or more fallback data fields. This ensures that the system keeps looking if the first plentymarkets data field is empty or contains an invalid value.

So this mapping specifies:

  • I want to fill this marketplace data field with the data from this plentymarkets setting.

  • If the data field is empty or invalid for a variation, the first fallback data field is checked and the value of that fallback data field is exported instead.

  • If the first fallback data field also is empty or invalid for a variation, the value of the second fallback data field is exported and so on.

Creating a 1:1 mapping with a fallback data field:

  1. Next to the marketplace data field, click on + Add data field.
    → To the left, the list of available plentymarkets data fields are shown in groups.

  2. Click on a group to expand the associated plentymarkets data fields.
    → The plentymarkets data fields are shown.

  3. Click on the plus to the right of the plentymarkets data field you want to select.
    → The plentymarkets data field is added to the right.

  4. In the list of plentymarkets data fields, click on the plus icon next to the plentymarkets data field that you want to map.
    → The fallback data field is exported when the first data field does not exist or is empty.
    Note: Even if you map one or more fallback data fields to a marketplace data field, only one value is exported for each variation. For each variation, the plentymarkets data fields are checked in the order in which you mapped them. This means that if the first data field does not provide a value for a variation, the first fallback data field is exported etc.

  5. Click on Confirm.

1:n mapping: 1 marketplace data field, several concatenated plentymarkets data fields

In a 1:n mapping, you map several plentymarkets data fields to the marketplace data field. You can link these data fields with a separator.

So this mapping specifies:

  • I want to combine these plentymarkets data fields during export so that the marketplace data field is filled with the data of these two or more plentymarkets settings.

Creating a 1:n mapping:

  1. Next to the marketplace data field, click on + Add data field.
    → To the left, the list of available plentymarkets data fields are shown in groups.

  2. Click on a group to expand the associated plentymarkets data fields.
    → The plentymarkets data fields are shown.

  3. Click on the plus to the right of the plentymarkets data field you want to select.
    → The plentymarkets data field is added to the right.

  4. Click on Confirm.

  5. To the right of the mapped plentymarkets data field, click on Add data field ().
    → To the left, the list of available plentymarkets data fields again are shown in groups.

  6. Map one or several additional plentymarkets data fields to the marketplace data field as described above.

  7. Click on Confirm.

  8. To the very right of the row, click on Settings ().

  9. Select a separator from the drop-down list Separator or add a custom separator.

  10. Save the settings.

  11. Save () the catalogue.
    → The mappings are saved.
    → During the export, the content of the plentymarkets data fields is combined and exported as one field.

Own value mapping: 1 marketplace data field, the same value for all variations

You are sure that you want to export the same value for all variations of a catalogue for a marketplace data field? Then specify an own value. This own value is then exported for all variations.

So this mapping specifies:

  • For this marketplace data field, I want to export the value that I entered in the field Own value for all variations of this catalogue.

Creating an own value mapping:

  1. Next to the marketplace data field, click on + Add data field.
    → To the left, the list of available plentymarkets data fields are shown in groups.

  2. Click on the plus next to Own value at the top of the list.
    → The field for the own value is added to the view.

  3. Enter a value into the input field.
    → This value is exported for all variations.

Example: Diameter information

You want to export diameter information for some of your variations. The diameter is saved in centimetres for all your variations. Instead of creating a property for the unit and linking this property to the variations, you can enter the own value cm.

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List of recommended data field mappings

2.6. Transferring the catalogue data to the price search engine

Unlike with other marketplace formats, you cannot just activate the catalogue to start the export to a price search engine. Instead, you need to make the URL of the catalogue export available to the price search engine.

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