Classifications

Classification – a grouping of similar products, which use similar or same production processes, have similar physical characteristics, and may share customer segments, distribution channels, pricing methods, promotional campaigns, and other elements of the marketing mix.

In AtroPIM Classifications are used in order to define a set of attributes that are shared by products belonging to a certain family, and to describe the characteristics of these products. For each Classification you can define, which attributes are mandatory and which are optional, so the system can calculate the completeness of your product content.

Please, note that completeness calculation is possible only when a separate "Completeness" module is installed in your system. Please, visit our store to learn more about the module and its features.

Creating a Classification is a required step prior to arranging the assortment of your products. The product can belong only to one Classification.

One attribute can be used in several Classifications and Classification can have many attributes assigned. Each product can be assigned to only one Classification.

Classifications can be seen as "templates" for creating products with certain attributes quickly. When creating a new product, a Classification is to be chosen and thus, all the attributes to describe this certain product will be automatically linked to the product so the user should decide to fill them or not.

The attributes linked to the product via the Classification can be unlinked from the product only if the product is unlinked from the family or this attribute is removed from the Classification directly.

Classifications can be activated or deactivated.

Classification Fields

The Classification entity comes with the following preconfigured fields; mandatory are marked with *:

Field Name	Description
Active	Activity state of the Classification record
Name (multi-lang) *	Classification name
Code *	Unique value used to identify the Classification. It can only consist of lowercase letters, digits and underscore symbols
Description (multi-lang)	Description of the Classification usage

If you want to make changes to the Classification entity, e.g. add new fields, or modify Classification views, please contact your administrator.

How to Create a New Classification?

Before creating a new Classification, you have to convince yourself that it is really necessary in order not to create duplicates.

The following mandatory fields are required to create a new Classification:

• Name - the name of the Classification.
• Code - the inner code of the Classification, which is unique. Only numbers, lowercase letters and the underscore may be used.

We would recommend naming the Classifications clearly and meaningfully so that it is clear which attributes are used there.

If you name Classifications with the same or similar names, you can describe in detail in the Description field what the difference is and for which products a particular Classification can be used. At work, you can distinguish these families by the code because it is unique.

When creating new Classifications, the existing Classification can be duplicated; all attributes of the Classification are copied as well.

Unnecessary attributes can be removed from the Classification after they have been created, the new ones are added. Using this option allows you to save a lot of time in system configuration.

For example, if you have received a new clothing collection that should use a new attribute, eg “Style”, which was not available in the old collections, you can create a new Classification “Clothing New” based on the Classification “Clothing” and add this attribute to the new Classification as a mandatory attribute.

For more information on the configuration of the attributes that must belong to a certain Classification, read the article “How to create the product attributes?”.

How to create Classification Records?

To create a new Classification record, click Classifications in the navigation menu to get to the Classification list view, and then click the Create Classification button. The common creation window will open:

Here enter the desired name for the Classification record being created and activate it, if needed. Its code is automatically generated based on the entered name, but you can change it via the keyboard. The Classification description is an optional field and can be left empty.

Click the Save button to finish the Classification record creation or Cancel to abort the process.

If the Classification code is not unique, the error message will appear notifying you about it.

Alternatively, use the quick create button on any AtroPIM page and fill in the required fields in the Classification creation pop-up that appears:

Listing

To open the list of Classification records available in the system, click the Classifications option in the navigation menu:

By default, the following fields are displayed on the list view page for Classification records:

• Name
• Code
• Active

To change the Classification records order in the list, click any sortable column title; this will sort the column either ascending or descending.

Classification records can be searched and filtered according to your needs. For details on the search and filtering options, refer to the Search and Filtering article in this user guide.

To view some Classification record details, click the name field value of the corresponding record in the list of Classifications; the detail view page will open showing the Classification records and the records of the related entities. Alternatively, use the View option from the single record actions menu to open the quick detail pop-up.

Mass Actions

The following mass actions are available for Classification records on the list view page:

• Remove
• Mass update
• Export
• Add relation
• Remove relation

For details on these actions, refer to the Mass Actions section of the Views and Panels article in this user guide.

Single Record Actions

The following single record actions are available for Classification records on the list view page:

• View
• Edit
• Remove

For details on these actions, please, refer to the Single Record Actions section of the Views and Panels article in this user guide.

Editing

To edit the Classification, click the Edit button on the detail view page of the currently open Classification record; the following editing window will open:

Here edit the desired fields and click the Save button to apply your changes.

Besides, you can make changes in the Classification record via in-line editing on its detail view page.

Alternatively, make changes to the desired Classification record in the quick edit pop-up that appears when you select the Edit option from the single record actions menu on the Classifications list view page:

Removing

To remove the Classification record, use the Remove option from the actions menu on its detail view page

or from the single record actions menu on the Classifications list view page:

By default, it is not possible to remove the Classification, if it is used in products.

Duplicating

Use the Duplicate option from the actions menu to go to the Classification creation page and get all the values of the last chosen Classification record copied in the empty fields of the new Classification record to be created. Modifying the Classification code is required, as this value has to be unique.

Working With Entities Related to Classifications

Relations to attributes and products are available for all Classifications by default. The related entities records are displayed on the corresponding panels on the Classification detail view page. If any panel is missing, please, contact your administrator as to your access rights configuration.

To be able to relate more entities to Classifications, please, contact your administrator.

Attributes

Attributes that are linked to the Classification record are shown on the Classification ATTRIBUTES panel within the Classification detail view page and include the following table columns:

• Attribute
• Is required
• Scope
• Channels

On this panel, you can link attributes to the given Classification record by selecting the existing ones or creating new attributes.

To create new attributes to be linked to the currently open Classification record, click the + button located in the upper right corner of the Classification ATTRIBUTES panel:

In the Classification attribute creation pop-up that appears, click the select action button to open the "Attributes" pop-up and select the attribute from the existing ones by clicking its name or use the Create Attribute button to create a new attribute:

Return to the Classification attribute creation pop-up, define the owner and assigned user for the selected attribute and make it required by setting the corresponding checkbox, if needed. By default, the defined attribute has the Global scope, but you can change it to Channel and select the desired channel (or channels) in the added field:

Click the Save button to complete the Classification attribute creation process or Cancel to abort it.

Please, note that you can link the same attribute to the Classification record more than once, but with different scopes (Global / Channel), and same channel can be used only once:

Please, note that when the attribute is linked to the Classification record, it is automatically linked to all products belonging to the given Classification.

When you are trying to link to the Classification record the attribute, which is already linked to the product record belonging to the given family, different rules are applied depending on the product attribute scope level:

1. Global product attribute becomes Global Classification attribute. Its value (or values) is preserved in the product record.

2. Channel product attribute becomes Channel Classification attribute with the following peculiarities:

   • its values are preserved in the given product record provided that channel names defined for the Classification coincide with the ones used in the given product record;
   • two Channel attribute records appear in the product record, when you select less channels to the Classification attribute than there are in the product record attribute. The first attribute is created with the same channels as in the Classification record, but without the value, and the second attribute is left with the preserved value with the channels that are left, i.e. this attribute remains custom;
   • two Channel attribute records appear in the product record, when you select more channels to the Classification attribute than there are in the product record attribute. The initial custom attribute remains with the preserved value, but without channel name, and the second attribute is created with channel names used in the Classification, but without values.

Please, note that attributes, which are added to the Classification record, are of higher priority, whereas custom product attributes adapt to the changes made in the Classification attributes.

To assign an existing attribute (or several attributes) to the Classification record, use the Select option from the actions menu:

In the "Attributes" pop-up that appears, choose the desired attribute (or attributes) from the list and press the Select button to link the item(s) to the Classification record. The linked attributes have the Global scope by default.

AtroPIM supports linking to Classifications not only separate attributes, but also attribute groups. For this, use the Select Attribute Group option from the actions menu, and in the "Attribute Groups" pop-up that appears, select the desired groups from the list of available attribute groups.

Please, note that attributes linked to Classifications are arranged by attribute groups correspondingly. Their placement depends on the configuration and the sort order value of the attribute group to which they belong. The attribute records that don't belong to any Classification, are placed at the bottom of the Classification ATTRIBUTES panel in No Group.

Attributes linked to the given Classification record can be viewed, edited, unlinked or removed via the corresponding options from the single record actions menu on the Classification ATTRIBUTES panel:

When the attribute is unlinked from the Classification record, it still remains in the product record. However, when you unlink the required attribute from the family record, the given attribute becomes non-required in the product record.

The attribute record is removed from the Classification only after the action is confirmed:

Please, beware that removing the attribute record from the Classification leads to removing it from the product record as well.

Additionally, you can unlink attribute groups on the Classification ATTRIBUTES panel. To do this, use the Unlink option from the attribute group actions menu located to the right of the desired attribute group name, and confirm your decision in the pop-up that appears:

To view the attribute/attribute group record from the Classification ATTRIBUTES panel, click its name in the attributes list. The detail view page of the given attribute/attribute group will open, where you can perform further actions according to your access rights, configured by the administrator.

Products

Products that are linked to the Classification are displayed on its detail view page on the PRODUCTS panel and include the following table columns:

• Name
• SKU
• Type
• Active

On this panel, you can create new products within the currently open Classification record. To do this, click the + button and enter the necessary data in the product creation pop-up that appears:

Click the Save button to complete the product record creation process or Cancel to abort it.

Please, note that once the product record is created within the Classification, the given Classification cannot be changed for this product record.

To see all product records linked to the given Classification, use the Show full list option:

Then the "Products" page opens, where all product records filtered by the given Classification are displayed:

Products linked to the given Classification record can be viewed, edited, unlinked or removed via the corresponding options from the single record actions menu on the PRODUCTS panel:

To view the family related product record from the PRODUCTS panel, click its name in the products list. The detail view page of the given product will open, where you can perform further actions according to your access rights, configured by the administrator.