Overview

Extensive options are available for finding items, products or their variants in PIM Desktop. First, select the pool of data in which to search. It can be a specific supplier catalog (items only) or master catalog (items or products).

To specify the data pool use the Context selection view. In addition, use the item search or navigation in structure systems to find the required data.

Context selection

Actions, tasks and displays in a PIM desktop essentially relate to a particular context, thus the Context selection view is a key view . User can navigate through all available context areas shown in a tree view to select the desired context. The main nodes are:

Data transfer: The data transfer area includes imported catalogs from suppliers. The Data transfer area is utilized to manage the properties  and completeness of the imported catalogs. To import a new catalog, first create it.

Master catalog: The master catalog is the center point where all the product information is maintained. This product information can be used later elsewhere.

Export profiles: export profiles are used to export items from the master catalog and prepare them for a specific purpose. Further information can be found in the separate PIM Desktop export manual. 

Functions and options

Selecting a particular entry in the Co Context selection view focuses  PIM Desktop on a certain area. This focusing known as context setting is achieved by displaying the pop-up menu for the desired entry. The user selects Set as default catalog and other display elements take this context as a basis for further actions.

To list the available items or products in a table make use of Show items or Show products from the pop-up menu for a catalog or master catalog. This table provides a wide range of sorting and filtering options which are sufficient for finding the items or products required.

Different functions are available in the pop-up menu depending on which context is selected. These can be used to call up perspectives or to access functions that are not otherwise available in any other menu on the form.

Following functions are available for a supplier catalog in the Data transfer area:

Some of the functions listed above are not available in the pop-up menu for the master catalog. On the other hand, Show products are only available in the pop-up menu for the master catalog. This is used to display the products in the Products #1 view.

Searches

To search for items, products, or structure groups, use the Item search , Product search or Structure group search view. The Item search view is part of the Explorer (items) perspective, with the same applying to the Product search view. The Structure group search view must first be called up using Perspectives > Open view .

The procedure for searching is the same in all views:

• Click on Field selection... to open the Field selection dialog box.
• Select the field in which to perform a search.
• Click on OK to close the dialog box.
• Select a comparison operator: equal to, begins with, contains, not equal to.
• Enter the search term.
• Click on Start search.
• The search result is displayed in the Items #1 or Class list view.

The result set must meet both criteria if more than one fields are set in search criteria. The criteria have an AND link. When specifying search criteria for text fields, it can be useful to specify whether  to perform a case-sensitive search. If the corresponding check mark is not set, it is not required to pay attention to the case when entering the search term.

The search can be saved  under a particular name and then called again at any time. The management dialog box is used to edit, rename, delete and categorize the saved searches.

Saving a search

• In the views menu selects The dialog box for managing search queries opens.
• Enter a category and search name. A more detailed description makes it easier to find it again
• later.
• Selecting Release/Object rights navigates to the dialog box that enables to define the access rights for the search just created.
• Click on Save.

The Views menu provides with additional functions:

• The existing search settings can be undone so that new search criteria can be entered.
• The user can select saved searches. Search can be based on categories, names, or descriptions, and by the person who created or modified the search.
• The search can be saved under the existing name.

Navigation in structure systems

First, select the catalog or master catalog to use as the context. Within the set context the following options are available for finding the desired data:

• Select the relevant structure group in the Primary structure tree view.
• To find the desired structure group, activate the search function from the menu  within the view.
• Clicking on the icon to display only those structure groups to which items are assigned.

To simultaneously edit the items from multiple structure groups in a common, higher level structure group:

• Select the higher level structure group.
• Select Show all items below this group in the pop-up menu.
• The Item #1 view shows all items in the subordinate structure groups.

The latest version aids to display the name of the structure group in addition to the identifier in table views of products and items.

• Select Field selection in the Views menu. The Field selection dialog box opens.
• Select the Group name option in the list on the left in the Classification and properties category.
• Click on Add ->. The entry now appears in the list on the right. This list shows, from top to bottom, the
• columns in the table, in the order they are displayed from left to right.
• Specify the appropriate structure system for this entry.
• The structure group name display is language independent, i.e. the operating system language setting is ignored. The setting specified by a user  here has priority.
• Determine the order of the fields by clicking on or to position the entry either further to the left or to the right on the table.

Creating a search index

For more complex searches, the data stock must be prepared accordingly. This is done by indexing. Data modifications may not automatically influence a search, the administrator has to repeatedly generate new indices.

All indexing operations can be viewed in the process overview . A summary of both one-off and periodically repeated indexing operations is shown here.

The Search index view displays indexing operations with all assigned parameters. These fields can be edited if the user has the required rights. Indexing operations can be configured for different data sets, views  with reference to a specified language. If no language is specified, the language identified as active at login is used

Scheduling can be one-off on a particular date, or repeated at a specified interval. Indexing operation can be initiated using the relevant pop-up menu or , once the corresponding entry is selected in the table.