Introduction

The installation of the Akeneo Connector for Adobe Commerce is a technical process that should be handled by individuals or teams with a strong technical background and experience in setting up software integrations.

The Akeneo Connector for Adobe Commerce is available in two distinct versions:

1. Akeneo Connector for Adobe Commerce Community Edition
2. Akeneo Connector for Adobe Commerce Enterprise Edition

Please be aware that each version features its own installation process, tailored to its specific characteristics and requirements. Choose the edition that aligns with your business needs and follow the corresponding installation procedure for a seamless setup.

Getting the connector

Installing the connector on Akeneo PIM

 composer config repositories.magento2-connector-enterprise '{"type": "vcs", "url": "ssh://git@distribution.akeneo.com:443/magento2-connector-enterprise"}'

 composer require "akeneo/magento2-connector-enterprise" "103.*"

 php bin/magento module:enable Akeneo_Connector

 php bin/magento setup:db:status

 php bin/magento setup:upgrade

php bin/magento cache:flush

 composer require akeneo/module-magento2-connector-community

 php bin/magento module:enable Akeneo_Connector

 php bin/magento setup:db:status

 php bin/magento setup:upgrade

 php bin/magento cache:flush

Configuring your PIM API

Before proceeding with the setup of the Akeneo Connector for Adobe Commerce, it is imperative to generate a "client ID" and "secret" pair within your PIM to enable the API connection. For detailed instructions on this process, please consult our dedicated documentation.

Please refer to our specific documentation to do so.

Key Information to Note:

1. Your PIM URL (ex: https://mypim.cloud.akeneo.com)
2. Your PIM API Client ID and Secret
3. Your PIM User dedicated to the use of the API (Username and Password).

Installing the connector on Adobe Commerce cloud environment

Installing the extension with the deploy key

Installing the Akeneo Connector for Adobe Commerce on an Adobe Commerce Cloud environment is a straightforward process. You can follow the standard Adobe Commerce documentation for installing an extension in an Adobe Commerce Cloud environment.

Additionally, it's essential to enable the deploy key of your Adobe Commerce Cloud environment within the Akeneo Portal to ensure a secure and seamless connection. To get your Adobe Commerce Cloud environment deploy key, go to your Adobe Commerce Cloud account:

1. Enable Adobe Commerce Cloud Deploy Key: Within your Adobe Commerce Cloud account, locate your Adobe Commerce Cloud environment's deploy key by following these steps:
   • Access your Adobe Commerce Cloud account.
   • Click on "Configure Environment" (look for the gear icon).
   • Navigate to the "Deploy Key" tab.
2. Copy the Deploy Key: Once you've accessed the Deploy Key tab, copy the deploy key, as you will need it to access external private code repositories during the build process.
3. Enable the Key in the Akeneo Portal: To finalize the setup, follow the provided guide within the Akeneo Portal to enable the Adobe Commerce Cloud environment's deploy key. This step ensures that the Akeneo Connector can securely access the necessary resources during the installation and synchronization processes.

Configuring the connector with your PIM API information

Within the  connector configuration page, navigate to the "Akeneo API configuration" section and input the following parameters with the PIM information collected earlier:

To verify the functionality of the connection, simply click on the "Test" button. If the connection is successful, you should receive a confirmation message stating, "The connection is working fine." This indicates that the connection is operating as expected.

Optimize the performance of the PIM API connection

In the connector configuration page, under the "Akeneo API configuration" section, you have the option to adjust the API pagination limit. By default, this limit is set to 100. Feel free to modify this parameter to optimize the import speed of the Connector according to your specific requirements and preferences.

Configuring your Akeneo Edition

Available since the 101.1.0 version of the Akeneo Connector for Adobe Commerce.

Within the connector configuration panel, make sure to specify the Akeneo Edition of your Akeneo platform. This step is vital for ensuring accurate integration between the systems. This configuration will activate and display features, depending on your Akeneo Edition.

Setting up on a pre-existing Adobe Commerce

To ensure a seamless data transfer and connection between the two systems, there are crucial preparatory steps to consider before configuring your connector. These steps are vital for the success of your integration.

Configuring Akeneo PIM Catalog Structure

When integrating Akeneo PIM with your existing Adobe Commerce catalog, careful consideration of your catalog's structure is essential. The modelization of your Akeneo PIM catalog should align with your current catalog structure in Adobe Commerce. If the data structure you establish in Akeneo PIM significantly deviates from your Adobe Commerce setup, it can lead to challenges during data transfers and compatibility issues due to the inherent disparities between the two systems.

Conversely, deploying an Akeneo PIM instance presents an opportunity to reassess your catalog structure and enrichment workflows. However, you should be mindful that any structural changes made may impact your established Adobe Commerce catalog structure and synchronization processes with the connector.

In such cases, it may be necessary to conduct some cleaning or restructuring within Adobe Commerce before implementing the connector. These proactive steps are critical to ensuring a smooth and successful integration that maintains consistency and data integrity between Akeneo PIM and Adobe Commerce.

Initializing your Catalog Data in Akeneo PIM 

Following the setup of your new Akeneo PIM instance, the next crucial step is to import your current catalog data. This data import can originate from either your existing Adobe Commerce or your Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system.

Please be aware that this process is highly specific and contingent upon the choices you've made regarding your Akeneo PIM catalog structure and internal organization.

It's important to note that the Akeneo Connector for Adobe Commerce is primarily designed to synchronize data from Akeneo to Adobe Commerce. It does not facilitate the transfer of data from Adobe Commerce to Akeneo PIM. This transfer must be independently executed, taking into account your specific catalog structure and requirements.

Before proceeding with the installation of the Akeneo Connector for Adobe Commerce on your existing Adobe Commerce platform, please consider the following.

You may be in the process of setting up a new Akeneo PIM instance and intend to connect it to your pre-existing Adobe Commerce environment. 

The installation and configuration of the Akeneo Connector for Adobe Commerce represent just one step in your overall migration process. 

When you're installing the Akeneo Connector for Adobe Commerce on an existing Adobe Commerce instance that already contains entities like products or attributes, you need to consider the differences in catalog and entity structures between Akeneo PIM and Adobe Commerce.

The connector employs a custom table (akeneo_connector_entities) to establish and store the relationships between Akeneo PIM entities and Adobe Commerce entities. These relationships are established when entities are imported using the connector.

However, if you're installing the connector on an existing Adobe Commerce instance, the relations in the Akeneo Connector's custom table may not be present. In such cases, the connector may not automatically know which Akeneo PIM entity corresponds to which Adobe Commerce entity.

Starting from version 100.3.4 of the Akeneo Connector for Adobe Commerce, it's now possible to automatically map specific entity types from Akeneo PIM to existing entities in Adobe Commerce during the initial import. The supported entity types include Attributes, Options, and Products.

Here's a breakdown of each entity type and general recommendations to ensure a successful connection between your Akeneo PIM and your existing Adobe Commerce instance using the Akeneo Connector for Adobe Commerce.

Synchronizing your Akeneo PIM data to your Adobe Commerce for the first time

With your Akeneo PIM instance prepared, the connector successfully installed and configured within your Adobe Commerce environment, you are now ready to execute your first synchronization between these two systems.

However, it's essential to keep in mind that this kind of integration entails rigorous testing and comprehensive data analysis. These post-synchronization activities are crucial to ensure there are no misconfigurations or unintended side effects that could impact the smooth operation of your data transfer processes. Thorough testing and ongoing analysis are key to maintaining the integrity and efficiency of your data connection.