Siebel Product Administration Guide > Products with Attributes > About Managing Product Classes >

Exporting or Importing Product Classes

You can export a product class or the whole product class structure to another database. When you export a product class, the following parts are included in the export:

• The parent product class of the product class you are exporting plus all the subclasses of the parent product class. When you export a product class, the export contains not just the product class you selected, but the portion of the product class structure to which it belongs.
• Attribute definitions for the product classes and all subclasses.
• List of values definitions associated with attribute definitions. List of values are exported in the current language only.

The products in the product classes are not exported.

When you export the whole product class structure, all product classes and subclasses are exported, along with the items listed above. Products are not exported.

When you export a product class or the product class structure, an XML file is created in a location you specify. The XML file contains the exported product class structure. When you import this product class structure, the application reads the XML file and synchronizes the product class system of the import database to the XML file. The XML file takes precedence, and the product class system is modified to reflect the portion of the product class system in the XML file.

For example, in the XML file the subclass shoes, has the parent product class footwear. In the import database the subclass shoes has the parent product class Wardrobe. After importing the XML file, the subclass shoes will have the parent product class footwear.

Use the following process to update the product class structure in database B with changes from database A.

• Back up database B.
• Export the desired product classes from database A.
• Import the product classes to database B.
• Compare the updated product class structure and list of values definitions in database B with database A.
• Verify that components in affected products with components in database B have the correct attributes.

Use the following process to update both the products and product class structure in database B with changes from database A:

• Use the process above to update the product class structure in database B.
• Export the products from database A, except products with components.
• Import the products into database B. Verify that the products are in the correct product classes and inherit the correct attributes.
• Export products with components from database A.
• Import products with components to database B. For each product with components, verify that the component products are present and have the correct attributes.

To export a product class or the whole product class structure

1. Review the processes above.
2. Navigate to the Administration Product screen, then the Product Classes view.
3. In the Product Classes list, select the product class you want to export.
4. In the Versions list, select the version you want to export.
5. From the Versions menu, choose Export Version.

   The Export Versioned Object dialog box appears.

6. In the dialog box, click Object(s) Only to export the product class or click Full Structure to export the whole product class structure.

   A Save As dialog box appears.

7. Browse to the location where you want to store the file, specify the file name, and then click Save.

   The application creates an XML file containing the exported product class structure and stores it at the location you specified.

When you import a product class structure, you must import the entire contents of the export file. You cannot choose which product classes in the file to import.

To import a product class structure

1. Review the processes above.
2. Navigate to the Administration - Product, then the Workspace Projects view.
3. Select the desired workspace record.
4. From the applet-level menu, select Import Contents.

   The new product class structure is imported into the database.