Manually forced channel updates can be performed at any time. Automatic synchronizations occur per hour.
Automatic Synchronization and Forced Channel Update
Although a manually forced channel update can be performed at any time, the system automatically synchronizes all updated data every hour and quantities every 15 minutes through the eCommerce channels. The data to be automatically updated by default needs to be preset.
Automatic Channel Synchronization Settings
1. In the navigation panel on the left-hand side of the screen, a plus sign appears next to the word ‘Settings’. This can be clicked to expand the navigation panel revealing the word ‘Common’. Click the word ‘Common’. In this tab make sure “Product Sync Enabled” is switched to “Enabled” before proceeding to the second tab.
2. The second tab, labeled ‘Sync’, is where default channel options can be found
Under ‘Include All Inventory’, there is the option to ‘Allow Product Creation’. This can also be viewed as a yes/no (all or nothing) question.
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If the box is checked, newly created products will be sent live during the next scheduled or forced, sync.
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If the box is not checked, newly created products will not be sent live during the next scheduled or forced, sync
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This switch’s either position will not have any effect on existing products.
Next Switch is “Allow Product Update” which will update quantity, price, and images of existing products already listed on the channel. Allow Product Update has the following options:
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Product Data
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Inventory
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Price
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Shipping Price
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Images
For each option, placing a checkmark in the corresponding box tells the system “yes” (enable updates – for all products). Not placing a checkmark in the corresponding box, tells the system “no” (do not enable updates – for all products).
In the next section, placing a checkmark in the box next to ‘Remove Discontinued Items’ will tell the system that the products recently marked as ‘Discontinued’ and should be removed from public view.
Not placing a checkmark in the box next to ‘Remove Discontinued Items’ will tell the system that the products recently marked as ‘Discontinued’ should be left visible to the public.
The last option is ‘Create Discontinued Items’. Placing a checkmark in the box next to ‘Create Discontinued Items’ will tell the system that the products recently created as ‘Discontinued’ should be made visible to the public.
Not placing a checkmark in the box next to ‘Create Discontinued Items’ will tell the system that the products recently created as ‘Discontinued’ should not be made visible to the public.
Before moving ahead, any changes made should be Saved.
Earlier in this chapter, it was stated that data is automatically synchronized every few hours, but updates to a whole channel or a single product can also be Forced at any time:
Force an Update on a Product
1. In the navigation pane on the left-hand side of the screen, a plus sign appears next to the word ‘Inventory’. This can be clicked to expand the navigation panel,
2. Click the word Products. There is a small white arrow in a green box at the far end of each product. This can be clicked to reveal more options:
3. Click the words ‘Force Update’
When the message in the green box appears, all approved data for this channel has been successfully updated.
Force an Update for the Entire Channel
Click the refresh symbol that appears near the top left side of the page
A message will appear on your screen asking if you want to Synchronize this channel. Click Yes.
The message ‘Sync Now Requested’ will appear to confirm that the Sync was successfully requested:
When the sync is complete, a message will briefly appear stating that there is a ‘New Notification’:
Notifications can be found on the top left side of the screen:
Effect of Inclusion Control in Syncing Process
Inclusion control includes or excludes products on channels; anything not included on a channel cannot be synced to the remote channel.
At the location Channel > Channel Settings, Common and in Sync Tab the first switch which is “Include All Inventory” and the tab “Inclusion Control” controls the inclusion of products, and can be viewed as a yes/no (all or nothing) question.
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If the box is checked, all products and data in inventory will be included in the channel and will be updated live during the next scheduled or forced sync.
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If the box is not checked, then products that are manually included from the inclusion control tab will be updated during the next scheduled or forced sync.
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Under the Inclusion Control settings, Brand or Product Inclusion control settings are set to “Default”. Brand or Product Inclusion control can be customized