Seamless Attribute Type Modification: Empower Your Data Model with Flexibility

Type:  New | Feature: Governance Scalability | Packaging: Growth Advanced Premium | 📖 Read the doc

Last month, we announced the possibility of optimizing your data modeling by converting non-localizable attributes to localizable ones (and vice versa) and switching scoopable attributes to scoopable ones (and vice versa). 
The latest updates brought by the Flexible Attribute Expansion in Akeneo's Product Cloud introduce the ability to change 11 different attribute types directly within the PIM without any data loss. 

This powerful enhancement allows users to seamlessly adapt their data models to evolving business needs, whether during the PSA phase or post-go-live.

You can now modify the following attribute types:

• Text :
  → Text Area
• Number :
  → Text
  → Text Area
• Identifier :
  → Text : The attribute will be migrated to a text type with the 'unique' property enabled
• Simple Select :
  → Text : The option code will be copied into a text, and all options will be deleted
  → Text Area : The option code will be copied into a text area, and all options will be deleted
  → Multiselect
  → Reference entity Simple Link : All options will be converted into records, and the name of the targeted Reference Entity will be requested in the migration modal
  → Reference entity Multi-Link : All options will be converted into records, and the name of the targeted Reference Entity will be requested in the migration screen
• Multiselect :
  → Reference entity Multi-Link : All options will be transformed into records, and the name of the targeted Reference Entity will be requested in the migration screen
  Reference entity Simple :
  → Reference entity Multi-Link
   

These changes can now be made directly within the PIM, allowing you to:

• Increase agility: Modify attribute types independently, enabling faster and more flexible changes.
• Improve efficiency: Reduce manual work and eliminate error-prone processes that previously required export and import steps.
• Enhance empowerment: No need for external support, reducing service costs and increasing your ability to adjust your data model to market demands.

This enhancement provides greater flexibility and control, allowing you to align your product catalog with evolving business requirements, all while maintaining data integrity.

Technical Note on Versioning and Integration Impact: 

Any catalogs that reference the migrating attribute(s) will be deactivated, and manual reactivation will be required to enable them again. Please be aware that this may impact integrations, such as Shopify, Adobe, Salesforce, etc., which will need to account for these updates to ensure synchronization.

UI Extensibility Gets Even Better with New Admin UI Capabilities

Type: Improvement | Feature: Productivity | Packaging: Growth Advanced Premium | 📖 Read the doc

This month, we’re taking UI Extensibility to the next level by introducing the new Admin UI for UI Extensions in Akeneo PIM (available from the System menu). Previously, users could only manage UI Extensions via the API. Now, with a more intuitive and user-friendly interface, you can:

• Create new UI Extensions directly from the Admin UI
• Delete extensions in bulk for easy management
• Edit existing extensions for any improvement

This enhancement simplifies the process of configuring and managing UI Extensions, allowing you to tailor Akeneo PIM to your needs seamlessly—no coding required! Whether you’re adding custom buttons, integrating third-party tools, or streamlining workflows, the Admin UI makes it easier than ever to customize your PIM experience with just a few clicks.

New Import & Export Enhancements in Akeneo

Type: Improvement | Feature: Productivity Scalability | Packaging: Growth Advanced Premium | 📖 Read the doc

We’re thrilled to share some powerful new improvements to Akeneo’s Import & Export capabilities, designed to make your workflows more efficient and easier to manage:

1. Tailored Import Structure Updates

The Challenge: Rebuilding tailored import profiles from scratch to add or rename columns was a time-consuming task.
The Solution: You can now update existing profiles directly by uploading a new configuration file and applying changes in just a few clicks, saving you time and effort.

2. Execute Import/Export by API

The Challenge: Automating sequential import/export tasks within the PIM was cumbersome and manual.
The Solution: We’ve introduced two new API endpoints that allow you to trigger import and export jobs with a single API call. With recent Events improvements, you can now easily build automated workflows, streamline tasks, and monitor job statuses more efficiently.
📖 Check out the API documentation

We’re excited to see how these improvements will make your product data management smoother and more efficient.

New SKU Usage Monitoring: Stay Ahead of Your Limits

Type: Enhancement | Feature: Reporting Scalability | Packaging: Growth Advanced Premium | 📖 Read the doc

In response to customer feedback, we’ve enhanced SKU usage monitoring in Akeneo PIM with a helpful in-app notification banner that alerts you when you approach your contracted SKU capacity. This feature, first released last summer, now includes real-time notifications to keep you informed as you manage your product data.

Here’s how it works:
When you reach certain thresholds of your contracted SKU limit, a banner will appear at the top of the screen to alert you. There are the two concerned thresholds:

• 90-99%: “You’ve reached [90-99%] of your contracted SKU capacity. It’s a good time to review your usage and plan ahead. Want to discuss next steps or capacity adjustments? Contact your Customer Success Manager.”
• 99-100%: "You’ve reached [99-100%] of your contracted SKU capacity, and your service could be impacted. Contact your Customer Success Manager."

While there is no hard limit, and you can exceed your contracted SKUs, these notifications are designed to help you plan ahead, avoid surprises, and keep your operations running smoothly. The notification will only reappear after a new session, except for the 99-100% threshold banner, which remains until addressed.

This feature aims to ensure you’re always aware of your usage so you can confidently manage your data and plan for the future. Your Customer Success Manager is here to assist you with any questions or adjustments to your SKU capacity.

Know Your Catalogs Better: Enhancements to the "Usage" Tab for Improved Visibility Across Sales Channels

Type: Enhancement | Feature: Reporting Governance | Packaging: Growth Advanced Premium

Last month, we introduced the "Usage" tab for attributes, providing instant insights into where each attribute is used across your data model, including families, variant axes, dependencies, and the identifier generator. This update made it easier than ever to navigate your product data model and enhance catalog structuring.

This month, we’ve made the "Usage" tab even more powerful! 🌟 We've added a new "Catalogs" section, showing how many Sales catalogs use a specific attribute (the ones created within the connected App(s)). This is especially useful when planning to delete or change an attribute’s type, as you can now identify which catalogs (whether in marketplaces, SAP Commerce Cloud, or other sales channels) rely on the attribute. You can view which catalogs utilize the attribute in their Product Selection and Product Mapping configurations, and for users with the appropriate permissions, clicking a catalog label will take you directly to its edit page.

This enhancement ensures you can make smarter, more efficient decisions when managing your catalogs, reducing guesswork and improving productivity across your sales channels. Say hello to better visibility and governance as you streamline your catalog management!