1. Dataflow Functionality Setup (legacy document)
1. Dataflow: Functionality & Setup
Once you have activated one or more channels in the Exports menu you can create the feed in Dataflow.
Please note that you need to activate at least one export channel first, otherwise you will get this message:
Import, Intermediate & Export
There are three types of data feed stages, represented in the columns below:
The left section is your Import or Source feed. Here, all the attributes listed come from your raw data that is imported from the Data Sources tab.
The middle section is where your feed gets restructured to a standardized Productsup feed, also referred to as the Intermediate feed. Here you make general optimizations that are relevant for all export channels. You can see the Intermediate as the base for all your export feeds.
On the right, you see the currently selected Export feed. This section contains all the attributes that are relevant for each respective export channel you have setup. The attributes you see are based off the Channel Templates. You can make adjustments requested by each marketing channel in this section.
Meaning of different column colors
Attributes in the Export stage have different shades of grey: Mandatory columns are dark greywhile optional columns are light grey. Custom attributes that have been created by the user and are not part of the Intermediate or Export templates appear as grey-white striped.
Meaning of the import column icons
There are three icons appearing next to the import attribute's name, indicating the origin or functionality of the attribute:
The "connection" icon, that you know from the left side bar, indicates that the attribute got created by one of our Data Services
The "three dots" icon shows that the attribute is coming from an Additional Data Source - by hovering over it, you can see which exact import file it is coming from
The "flag" icon indicates that an attribute has been set as the site's ID column in Data Sources
How to create connections
You can connect columns from the Import to the Intermediate to the Export by using the drag & drop functionality or connecting the arrows between the sections-
For drag & drop just click in the field in an earlier section and connect it with an attribute in the later section (Import to Intermediate and/or Intermediate to Export).
If you prefer to use the arrow function, click on the Import or Intermediate column and then connect it with the intended Intermediate or Export column.
How to delete connections
Whenever you want to delete a connection, click on the connecting line, select "Delete". You’ll need to confirm the deletion. If you delete an Intermediate connection to an attribute that is used in your export channels, you will get a warning notification, showing you the exports connected to this attribute. By clicking Remove the connection will be deleted nevertheless.
How to create custom columns
If you’d like to create a column that is not part of the Channel Template at the Intermediate or Export stage, you can always create a custom column.
This can be done by dragging an attribute from an earlier stage into the black field at the very bottom of the Intermediate and/or Export section. The resulting field will have the same name as the previous stage.
If you’d like to create a custom column with a different header name, click in the black field at the bottom and type the name manually. You’ll need to then connect it with an earlier column to display the newly created custom column.
