This document outlines the detailed process for setting up a fully automated workflow to enrich a Supplier Data Manager (SDM) reference base using product data from Akeneo PIM. The solution leverages Akeneo's Tailored Export and Scheduled Export features to ensure data is consistently and automatically synchronized via SFTP.

I. Objective

The primary goal is to create a seamless, hands-off process that exports a specific, structured set of product data from Akeneo PIM and makes it available for an SDM instance to ingest into its reference base. This eliminates the need for manual data pulls and ensures the SDM reference data remains up-to-date.

The overall data flow is as follows:

Akeneo PIM → Scheduled Tailored Export → SFTP Server → SDM Automated Import → SDM Reference Base

II. Prerequisites

Before beginning the configuration, ensure you have the following:

• System Access:
  • Administrative access to your Akeneo PIM instance.
  • Administrative access to your Supplier Data Manager (SDM) instance.
• Existing configured SDM Reference Base: The target reference base within SDM must already exist before you begin this process. It needs to be configured with all the necessary columns, especially the unique identifier columns that will be used to match and update records from the Akeneo export.
• SFTP Client:
  • An SFTP client (e.g., FileZilla) to test and verify the connection.
• Data Structure Definition:
  • A clear understanding of the data required for the SDM reference base, including the unique identifier (e.g., SKU) that will serve as the reconciliation key.

III. Configuration Steps

The process is divided into five main phases: creating the SDM workflow, configuring SDM for SFTP access, creating the Akeneo export, scheduling the export, and finally, testing the full process.

This process assumes you already have a reference base created with the correct columns configured.

Phase 1: Create the SDM Ingestion Workflow

Before Akeneo can send data, a dedicated project and an automated workflow must be established within SDM to receive and process the information. This workflow is the foundation of the automation.

1. Create a New Project: In your SDM instance, create a new project that will be used exclusively for ingesting the reference base data from Akeneo. Give it a clear, descriptive name (e.g., "Akeneo Reference Base Ingestion").
2. Define Project Fields: Within the project settings, create fields that correspond to each of the columns you plan to export from Akeneo. For the automation to work seamlessly, ensure the field codes in SDM match the attribute codes in Akeneo (e.g., sku in Akeneo corresponds to a sku field in SDM).
3. Configure the Workflow: A standard workflow for this purpose consists of two essential steps:
   • Mapping: This step is responsible for mapping the columns from the incoming file to the fields you defined in the project.
   • Match History: This step takes the mapped data and uses it to create or update the records in your SDM reference base.
4. Enable Automation (Fast Mode): For both the Mapping and Match History steps, you must enable "fast mode." This critical setting ensures that as soon as a file is received, it is processed automatically through the entire workflow without requiring any manual user intervention.

Phase 2: Configure SDM for SFTP Access

Next, you must create and configure a dedicated user in SDM to handle the SFTP connection.

1. Create a Dedicated User: In the SDM admin panel, create a new user specifically for this integration (e.g., your_email+customer_name@akeneo.com). This ensures the user is always linked to the correct organization.
2. Enable SFTP for the User: In the user's configuration settings, enable the SFTP access toggle.
3. Enable SFTP for the Organization: At the organization level within the SDM admin settings, ensure that SFTP access is globally enabled.
4. Verify Connection: Use your SFTP client (like FileZilla) with the new user's credentials to confirm that you can successfully connect to the SFTP server.

Phase 3: Create a Tailored Export Job in Akeneo

This step builds the custom export profile that formats product data exactly as SDM requires.

1. Navigate to Exports: In your Akeneo instance, go to Exports and click Create export profile.
2. Select "Tailored product export": This provides full control over the file's structure.
3. Define General Properties: Give the export profile a clear, recognizable name (e.g., sdm_reference_base_export).
4. Structure the Export File:
   • In the Content tab, provide the required product attributes into the export builder.
   • Crucially, ensure the column headers in the export match the Akeneo attribute codes exactly, and that you export every attributes needed
     • (e.g., if the attribute code is sku, the column header must also be sku). This allows SDM's mapping step to work automatically.
5. Filter the Products:
   • For the initial run: Configure the export to include all relevant products to populate the reference base for the first time. Ensure the unique identifier columns are indeed unique.
   • For subsequent runs: Modify the filters to optimize performance.
     • Add a filter to only include products where the unique identifier attributes are not empty.
     • Under the Time condition filter, select "Updated products since the last export". This creates a delta export containing only new or modified products.
6. Save the Export Profile: Save the profile.

Phase 4: Schedule the Export & Configure SFTP Destination

Next, automate the execution of the Tailored Export and configure its SFTP destination. This is done within the same export profile.

1. Navigate to the Properties Tab: Open the Tailored Export profile you just created.
2. Configure the Destination:
   • In the Storage subsection, set the Type of storage to SFTP.
   • File Path: This must follow a specific structure. The path will start with inputs/, followed by the exact name of the SDM project that will ingest the file. The full path will look like this: inputs/<Your_SDM_Project_Name>/export_%job_label%_%datetime%.xlsx.
   • Host: ftp.sdm.akeneo.cloud
   • Port: 22
   • Authentication: Select Login / Password and enter the username and password for the dedicated SDM user you created in Phase 2.
3. Enable Automation:
   • Toggle the Enable schedule option.
   • Set the frequency for the job to run. A daily run at a non-peak time (e.g., 2 AM) is recommended.
4. Save the Configuration: Save all changes to the export profile.

Phase 5: Test and Verify

Before letting the automation run, perform a manual test to ensure everything is configured correctly.

1. Run the Export Manually: From the export profile page in Akeneo, trigger a manual export.
2. Check the SFTP Server: Using your SFTP client, connect to the server and verify that the exported file has been delivered to the correct directory (inputs/<Your_SDM_Project_Name>/).
3. Confirm SDM Processing: The file's arrival should automatically trigger the pre-configured workflow in SDM. Check the Match History in SDM to confirm that the data was successfully processed and the reference base has been populated or updated.

Appendix: Monitoring and Troubleshooting

Once the automation is active, it's important to know how to monitor its health and troubleshoot any issues that may arise.

Monitoring the Automation

Regularly check the following points to ensure the process is running smoothly:

1. Check the Akeneo Export Status:
   • In Akeneo, navigate to Activity > Process Tracker.
   • Look for your scheduled export job (e.g., sdm_reference_base_export). Verify that its status is "Completed" for each scheduled run. If it shows "Failed," click on the job to view the error details.
2. Verify File Delivery on the SFTP Server:
   • Using an SFTP client, periodically log in to the SFTP server.
   • Confirm that the export file from Akeneo is present in the correct directory (inputs/<Your_SDM_Project_Name>/). After SDM processes the file, it should be automatically removed from this directory. If files are piling up, it indicates an issue on the SDM side.
3. Confirm SDM Data Ingestion:
   • In your SDM project, navigate to the Match History.
   • You should see new records corresponding to the schedule of the Akeneo export. This is the ultimate confirmation that the end-to-end process is working.

Common Issues and Troubleshooting Steps

If the data is not updating as expected, follow these steps to diagnose the problem.

1. File does not appear on the SFTP server.

• Cause: The Akeneo export job is failing.
• Solution:
  1. Check the Process Tracker in Akeneo for specific error messages.
  2. Verify the SFTP credentials (host, user, password, port) in the export profile are still correct.
  3. Ensure the file path is valid and the SFTP user has write permissions for that directory.

2. File is on the SFTP server but is not processed by SDM.

• Cause: The SDM workflow is not being triggered.
• Solution:
  1. Double-check that the file path in the Akeneo export (inputs/<Your_SDM_Project_Name>/...) exactly matches the name of your SDM project. A typo is a very common error.
  2. Confirm that both the Mapping and Match History steps in your SDM workflow are set to "fast mode." If not, the process will halt and wait for manual intervention.

3. Data is processed by SDM, but records are not created or updated correctly.

• Cause: There is a mismatch in the data structure or content.
• Solution:
  1. Manually download the export file from the SFTP server and open it.
  2. Verify column headers: Ensure they exactly match the field codes in your SDM project.
  3. Check unique identifiers: Make sure the unique ID column in your file is populated for all rows and contains no duplicates.
  4. Review Match History: Check the Match History in SDM for specific row-level errors, which can point to data type mismatches (e.g., sending text to a number field).

4. The automation suddenly stops working after running successfully for a while.

• Cause: A change in the environment or configuration.
• Solution:
  1. Check credentials: Has the password for the dedicated SFTP user expired or been changed?
  2. Check for configuration changes: Has an attribute in Akeneo or a field in the SDM project been renamed or deleted? This will break the automatic mapping.