3 features discussed in this article: content segmentation, application template, and delimited import adapter.
1. Content Segmentation
As your company increases your product offerings (possibly through an acquisition or a new distribution agreement), you need a way to centralize new products in your PIM and to control which teams can access this expanded variety of products. The inRiver PIM’s new Content Segmentation feature should help you do just that.
Checkout inRiver’s video on Content Segmentation for a quick introduction of the functionality. Visit the inRiver Service Center to learn how to use it.
If you’re fairly familiar with inRiver, you may be wondering about the Server Filters (available with the on-premise version) and how they compare. With Server Filters, we were in fact able to filter entities based on roles, permissions, data, and more. However Server Filters slowly executed custom logic for each and every request. Content Segmentation is much more efficient.
This being the first iteration of the Content Segmentation feature, we expect many new evolutions to be rolled out in the coming months.
2. Application Template
With the Application Template, we can create a custom interface to fully cater to the different needs you and your teams may face with your PIM data.
Application Template opens the door to a world of possibilities. Our PIM Practice Lead, Danny Langlois, had the chance to experiment with this new feature during the first Hackathon organized by inRiver as part of the 2019 PIMPoint Summit in Malmö. Danny tested the application template using the soon to be released REST API and he saw some high-potential possibilities! The first such custom interfaces that come to mind are:
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Show all entities modified within the last 24 hours;
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Create a custom approval process;
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Merge data from PIM and external systems.
The inRiver Service Center provides more information on Application Template. You can also contact your Absolunet PIM expert, practice-lead or PIM subject matter expert.
3. Delimited Import Adapter
If you need to import data from a CSV file without applying some transformation, the Delimited Import Adapter could save you a lot of money. Instead of your integration partner creating a traditional inbound extension, you could easily configure this adapter by yourself and create/update Product and Item entities and link them together.
Take into consideration that this is an out-of-the-box adapter and there are some limitations. The Delimited Import Adapter:
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Doesn’t transform data; all columns are imported as-is.
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Supports a 2 level-only model (for instance, Product and Item, and not Bundle, Product and Item).
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Doesn’t support Excel files, only CSV.
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Requires you to update your file on an SFTP, or by using an Azure file or Azure blob.
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Requires a unique field on both Product and Item entities.
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Has no error management.
Note that your integration partner could overwrite this adapter for any custom needs. Overall, the Delimited Import Adapter can be a good starting point.
Visit the inRiver Service Center to learn more and download the Delimited Import Adapter.
Takeaways:
We like where inRiver is focusing their time and energy. We can clearly see how these 3 new features will positively impact merchants who have integrated or are in the process of integrating the inRiver PIM system. If you are considering inRiver for PIM, work with a partner with proven expertise.
Useful info:
See inRiver’s full report of the latest releases.
Absolunet has completed dozens of inRiver PIM integrations for some of America’s iconic brands, from footwear to beverages to automotive and more (all of which we can’t name for contractual reasons). Combined with client vision, our inRiver and .NET teams are the reason inRiver has named Absolunet North American Partner of the year for the past 4 years.
The authors, Sebastien Contant and Danny Langlois, have more than 10 years of combined inRiver experience. With other PIM experts, they guide Absolunet clients to successful digital transformations and growth processes through improved product data management.
