Yes. Here is the documentation explaining how to create your own data file to import to Catalog-on-Demand.
Yes, you specify the URL where the data file will be available. You also specify the time of day for the import. This is explained below.
Yes, that is the way most data files are created. That is because the original source of data is usually an ERP, ecommerce, or other corporate database. Plus there is often an image repository involved. For handling attributes, we provide a programmer-friendly way of loading all attribute label/value pairs into a single field of a product record (in contrast to the separate field approach that is suited for manual editing). The same applies to multiple product images and multiple categories.
Yes, we have created custom imports from many different types of systems. Please contact us for a free consultation.
Catalog-on-Demand can accommodate as many different and separate product databases under one account as you need. Please contact us to discuss your requirements for an enterprise solution.
Yes, you can do this and more with the “Override and Supplementary Data” capability, documented here. Here are the available features:
Yes, by using Catalog-on-Demand Plug-Ins. This is a powerful capability to apply JavaScript in just about any way you can imagine to transform your content for publishing. You might use it to publish or suppress prices, combine attributes in a separate field, pull data from another source, or almost anything else. You can create your own Plug-Ins, or we can make them for you.
Catalog-on-Demand supports simple HTML for print publications, such as bullets and some styling. Other HTML, such as complicated embedded tables or extensive styling, does not transfer well from web to print. Such HTML may be easily stripped out with simple checkboxes.
In addition, Plug-Ins can be created to handle just about any other clean up or formatting replacement that you can imagine.
Yes. Catalog-on-Demand automatically handles all the sizing, positioning, and text wrap issues associated with having different shape images for different products.
Do you need a quality print catalog or brochure for your top-selling products? Getting started is a lot easier than you think.
Begin by making a simple data file. It can be either Excel (sample here)*, tab-delimited (sample here), or XML (sample here). Here are the most basic 7 fields:
Note — If you use Excel, save it in the 97-2003 format.
First you must create a data feed file that is compatible with Catalog-on-Demand. See above.
You’re ready to start publishing! If you have any question or problems, please contact support.
Catalog-on-Demand offers extensive support for product variants in your print catalogs and brochures. By product variants we mean products that come in multiple colors, sizes, shapes, etc. In Catalog-on-Demand we call each one of these variants an “item”.
It is easy to make a data feed file that supports variants.
The simplest way to handle variants in your data file is with the itemDescription. This way you add only one column to the data file.
To show you, we will begin with products from the same data file as in the previous article.
In this example file, you will see only one additional column from the previous article. This column is labeled itemDescription. We have seen that this alone covers a many requirements for variants. A few notes:
Often it is important to control the order of the variants as they appear in the catalog. You can do this with an additional field called itemSequence. Place any number you want in that field. The variants will be stored in the Catalog-on-Demand database in numerical order, within each product group. See this example file.
We explained in the previous article that the simplest way to make variants is to add just one column, called itemDescription.
However, a more creative and interesting way to make variants is with item attributes. Usually this approach is much friendlier for the reader. They can read the column label to see what the value means.
We recognize that sometimes you will be manually editing your spreadsheets in order to create data for publishing with Catalog-on-Demand. Here is a sample file that illustrates how it is done.
You will see 4 columns that were not mentioned in the first article of this series. They are named ia_Label1, ia_Value1, ia_Label2, and ia_Value2. These are label/value pairs. You can have as many label/value pairs as you want. You just need to follow the naming convention shown here. For example, if you had a third label/value pair, the columns would named ia_Label3 and ia_Value3.
This file format accomplishes exactly the same thing at the previous one. The difference is that all the item attributes are put into a single field. This format is usually preferred by programmers.
Each of the label/value pairs are separated by a pipe delimiter. The label and value for each pair are separated by the equal sign. (Here is the same file in a tab-delimited text file format.)
There are many types of print catalogs where you need an image to appear with some or all variants. One good example is a parts catalog.
This is easily handled in the data file. You need to add a field called itemGraphic. A few notes:
Regardless of whether you have product variants, it is helpful to have attributes at the product group level. The example product to the right shows a product with three product attributes: Country of Origin, Milk Source, and Texture. Many catalogers consider attributes to be the most clear and consistent way to convey product information.
Catalog-on-Demand supports as many product attributes as you want. You can also choose to hide some attributes for certain publications.
The approach for product attributes is exactly the same as for item attributes (used for variants).
We recognize that sometimes you will be manually editing your spreadsheets in order to create data for publishing with Catalog-on-Demand. Here is a sample file that illustrates how it is done.
You will see 6 new columns. They are named pa_Label1, pa_Value1, pa_Label2, pa_Value2, pa_Label3, and pa_Value3. These are label/value pairs. You can have as many label/value pairs as you want. You just need to follow the naming convention shown here. For example, if you had a fourth label/value pair, the columns would named pa_Label4 and pa_Value4.
This file format accomplishes exactly the same thing at the previous one. The difference is that all the product group attributes are put into a single field. This format is usually preferred by programmers.
Each of the label/value pairs are separated by a pipe delimiter. The label and value for each pair are separated by the equal sign. (Here is the same file in a tab-delimited text file format.)
All products must belong to at least one category in the Catalog-on-Demand database. This is for two reasons:
The quickest way to import your category hierarchy is to enter your categories in the simple data file. This is explained in Part I: Make a Simple Data File.
It is possible to publish a product in more than one category. To do this, enter a pipe delimiter (|) between each category path. For example, Toys#$#Games#$#Board|Family#$#Activities#$#All Ages.
If you simply need to organize your categories for a single Catalog-on-Demand database, then your best bet is to use Private Data Editor (PDE).
PDE lets you manually rearrange categories and products. As long as you use PDE to do further imports, then the category structure will remain intact. Here is an introduction to PDE.
Two additional files must be included in the import in order to organize your categories via file import
*Note 1: If you use these files, then the Category column in your data file will be ignored.
**Note 2: If you use Excel, save it in the 97-2003 format.
See the sample set of datafiles contained in SampleHierarchyFiles.zip.
Column name | Description | Data Format |
sec_Project | Project name | String up to 100 characters long. These characters may not be used: ” = , | ; |
sec_Sequence | Section sequences | Comma-delimited list of integers defining order number for each section in the hierarchy path |
sec_HierarchyPath | Section hierarchy path | “#$#” – delimited list of section names; each section name should be up to 100 characters long |
sec_Flag | Section record flag | “N”,”U”,”D” characters or empty |
Notes
Column name | Description | Data Format |
proj_Key | Product name | String up to 100 characters long. |
proj_ProdName | Product name | String up to 100 characters long. |
proj_Sequence | Product order number within the section | Numeric |
proj_Name | Project name | String up to 100 characters long, prohibited characters: ” = , | ; |
proj_HierarchyPath | Section hierarchy path | Path sections separated by #$# |
proj_Flag | Product/section link record flag | “N”,”U”,”D” characters or empty |
Notes:
Create a zip file that contains datafile.txt, CatalogSection.txt, and CatalogProject.txt. Follow the same instructions as for uploading a stand-alone data file.
Create a zip file that contains datafile.txt, CatalogSection.txt, and CatalogProject.txt. Follow the same instructions as for uploading a stand-alone data file.
Note — If you use Excel, save files in the 97-2003 format.