App connection settings

Now that you are aware of the current Akeneo App features, let us help you set up and effectively use your App.

Set up App for BigCommerce in the Akeneo PIM

Prerequisite:

• Akeneo App activated by your Akeneo's representative
• Manage/Open App permissions in the PIM

Please follow the steps below:

1. Go to: Connect >> App store >> Akeneo App for BigCommerce >> Click on Connect
2. Pop-in with authorization permissions will be displayed. You will be asked to agree to App's Privacy Policy and Terms of use. Acknowledge & confirm.   
   
3. Pop-in with requested permissions will be displayed. Acknowledge & confirm.   
   
4. Allow following permissions:   
   
   • Category tree - View all mode
   • Locales - View all mode
   • Attribute Groups - View all >> Confirm
      
5. Permissions recap will be displayed >> Confirm 
   
6. The app is now activated and will be Open

To correctly set up your Configuration page in the App, you will need to create a new API connection in your BigCommerce store interface to allow a data flow from the App to your BigCommerce store & storefronts.

To do so, please follow the steps below:

1. Open your BigCommerce Store (Please note that you need to be an owner of the store to be able to set up a new API Connection)
2. Go to Advanced Settings >> API Accounts >> Click on Create API Account >> Create V2/V3 API Token   
   
3. Give a name to your new Connection and set up:
   • Products - MODIFY mode
   • Channel Settings - MODIFY mode
   • Channel Listings - MODIFY mode   
       
     Save the changes.   
     

     Without those permissions, the App will not function correctly and you will encounter serious problems during synchronization.

      
4. The credentials will be displayed in the pop-in. Please make sure to keep them saved on your device as you will not be able to access them afterward.   
   
5. Then, you can open the Configuration page of your App/Connector and set up your BigCommerce credentials. You will need:
   • Client ID and Access Token (see above)
   • Store hash (BigCommerce identifier of your store - see example below)   
     
6. When saving your credentials by clicking on the "SAVE" button, your API connection will be tested to confirm that the linking between your App and the BigCommerce store could have been established. You will see the indication displayed in green or red depending on the state of your connection.

Set up Store Configuration

You can select the fields from the dropdown list. The list of choices is automatically pre-populated from your PIM.

1. Locale What is a locale?
2. Channel What is a channel?
3. Currency - you need to set up your default currency even if you are not using your PIM for price matters (BigCommerce requirement)
4. Main category What is a category?

Please remember that only categories and products created within a given locale, channel, and category will be imported to your BigCommerce instance.

Set up Storefront

You will need to finish your configuration setup by choosing a data destination Storefront. This functionality enables you to choose a Storefront to which your products and categories will be attached once imported.

The Storefront section becomes available only when BigCommerce credentials are saved correctly. The list reflects a list of your storefronts available in your BigCommerce store. The list will be updated each time a new storefront is created.

If your API connections are established with Success, and your main configuration and storefront are all set up, then it means that you are good to go and map your BigCommerce/PIM attributes.

Set up display type for variants

The product display section lets you select the display type you wish to see for your variants in your BigCommerce store.

Display types supported by Akeneo App for BigCommerce:

• Radio Buttons
• Rectangle List
• Dropdown

You need to select a display type in order to be able to import your variants correctly.

Akeneo App

BigCommerce Product Page

Store resetting

In the event that changes are made to your store's data configuration, there are two different methods of cleaning data persistence, depending on the nature of the changes. 

If the changes to the store's configuration are partial (e.g. a change of the locale/channel used), we recommend cleaning the data persistence without deleting the store. 

This involves removing any data associated with the app but retaining the existing store hash. You will be notified in the app in case of the necessity of this cleaning. It is advised to clean your BigCommerce store accordingly before re-importing the data. This cleaning method ensures that the app continues to function with the updated configuration of your store. 

However, suppose the store hash has changed due to significant changes in your store's configuration (e.g., a change of the store hash). In that case, we recommend deleting the store entirely and starting from scratch. This will ensure that all data associated with the app is removed, and the app can be configured from the beginning with the new store hash. 

You can consult the article about Store deletion here.

We highly recommend carefully considering any changes to your Store's configuration before implementing them and consulting with our support team if you have any questions or concerns about the cleaning process.