Categorizing Offering Data

This chapter provides an overview of configurable categorization and the categorization process and discusses how to:

• Create categorization rules.

• Define category substitutions.

• Categorize offerings.

• Review categorization results.

• Approve proposed categories and catalog offerings.

Understanding Configurable Categorization and the Categorization Process

With categorization, you associate partner offerings to catalog offerings, and group them into enterprise catalog categories. Configurable categorization improves the probability of automatically matching a partner's offering to an enterprise offering, and also the probability of automatically matching a partner's category to an enterprise category.

With configurable categorization, you can choose the fields used for matching partner offerings to catalog offerings, and also create rules based on those fields. Each rule can contain multiple conditions and can be applied to several partner catalogs across the same catalog type. It can also be specific to one partner catalog.

Category substitutions automatically match partner categories with enterprise categories, based on user-defined substitute categories. For example, the enterprise category Notebook Computers always matches the partner category Laptops. This feature can be used when you know that partners suggest certain categories and you want them matched with specific enterprise categories.

When reviewing categorization results, you can:

• Manually associate partner offerings to catalog offerings.

• Propose new catalog offerings when no association exists.

• Update partner offering information.

• Manually associate proposed new catalog offerings to catalog categories.

• Propose new categories when there is no match with existing catalog categories.

Note. The above activities, with the exception of creating rules and defining substitutions, can be performed by partners if they have been granted privileges.

After the categorization review process is complete, the offering assignments are ready to be approved by the enterprise catalog manager, and the partner catalog can be staged for inclusion in the next production version of the enterprise catalog.

Creating Categorization Rules

To create categorization rules, use the Maintain Categorization Rules (EOCM_CAT_RULE) component.

You use categorization rules to map between partner offerings and the business categories.

Pages Used to Create Categorization Rules

Creating Rules

Access the Maintain Categorization Rules (Catalog Management, Catalog Management Home, Maintain Categorization Rules).

Catalog Type	Select the catalog type for this rule. Note. The categorization fields available to create rule conditions are based on the catalog type and the fields selected on the Installation Options - Categorization page.
Set as Default	Select to use the rule as the default for the categorization process. This selection overrides any previous selection. Only one default per catalog type is allowed.
Priority	Define the priority order. The system automatically prioritizes the conditions by the order entered. You can reorder the conditions. The system reads the priority order from low to high. Gaps in the numbering sequence are acceptable.
Categorization Field	Select a field for the condition.
Operator	(Optional) Select a logical operator. Required to add an additional field to the condition. Note. Currently, And is the only option available. When you link two fields with And, an offering is considered a match only if both the first and second field match. Only one categorization field is permitted for catalog category conditions.
Categorization Field	(Optional) Select a second field for the condition.

Relating Multiple Conditions

When a rule includes multiple conditions, PeopleSoft automatically links them using the OR operator. When two conditions are linked with OR, an offering is considered a match if the first or the second condition matches, not necessarily both. The conditions are evaluated in priority order, and as soon as one condition is satisfied, processing is complete for that offering.

See Also

Selecting Fields for Categorization Rules

Defining Category Substitutions

To define category substitutions, use the Translate (EOCM_TRANSLATE) component.

You use category substitutions when you know partners suggest certain categories and you want those categories replaced with internal categories.

Pages Used to Define Category Substitutions

Defining Substitutions

Access the Maintain Categorization Substitutions page (Catalog Management, Catalog Management Home, Maintain Categorization Substitutions).

Substitution Name	Enter a name for this substitution set. Note. Categorization Substitution ID and Substitute Name are the only fields available on the Search page.
Set as Default	Select to use the substitution set as the default for the categorization process. This selection overrides any previous selection. Only one default per catalog type is allowed.
Source Category	Enter the partner category name. This is a free text field with no validation. The system finds categories that are very similar to the value entered. For example, if you enter color pencils, the system also finds colored pencils and coloring pencils.
Target Category	Select a category from the enterprise catalog. All partner offerings within the source category are grouped under the target category.

Categorizing Partner Offering Data

You use the Categorize Offerings page to review data and run the categorization process.

Note. At this stage of the process, you can only see offering data belonging to the selected partner. Categorization is the last step in preparing the data for consolidating with offerings from other partners.

Pages Used to Categorize Partner Offering Data

Categorizing Partner Offerings

Access the Categorize Offerings page (Catalog Management, Catalog Management Home, Categorize Offerings).

Categorization Rule ID	Select a rule. If a rule has been set as the default, it is already selected.
View Rule	Click to view the details of the selected rule in a new browser window.
Categorization Substitution ID	Select a substitution set. If a substitution set has been set as a default, it is already selected.
View Substitution	Click to view the details of the selected substitution set in a new browser window.
Max Rows (maximum rows)	Enter the maximum number of rows, no greater than 300, to display in the grid. Use the arrows to page up, page down, go to end, or go to beginning. The rows currently in the grid and the total number of rows are also displayed.
Offering ID and Offering Description	Displays the offering description and ID. If a partner offering is not mapped to a catalog offering ID, the offering ID and offering description fields are blank, and values are assigned during categorization. If they are mapped, then new catalog offerings are created with the mapped offering ID and description, providing no association is found between the partner offering and catalog offerings.

Partner Offering Info Tab

Select the Partner Offering Info tab (select the Partner Offering Info tab on the Categorize Offerings page).

Partner offerings are listed using the field names based on the catalog type. Additional fields reflecting the status of the offerings are described below.

Verify that all offerings listed in the source file are listed here, and that the mapping of the original data is correct.

Note. The total number of offerings is displayed above the grid. For example, 1 to 300 of 3000.

See Also

Enterprise PeopleTools 8.50 PeopleBook: PeopleSoft Process Scheduler.

Reviewing Categorization Results

This section discusses how to:

• Review categorization results.

• Update partner offering details.

• Update proposed offering categories.

• Update catalog offering categories.

• Choose partner offering categories.

• Revalidate partner offerings.

Important! Changes made to partner offerings should also be made in the partner's catalog source file. This prevents the same errors, rejections, and so forth from occurring again.

Common Elements Used in This Section

Pages Used to Review Categorization Results

Reviewing Categorization Results

Access the Review Categorization Results page (Catalog Management, Catalog Management Home, Review Categorization Results).

View By Status

Click View by Status link to display status types as links. When you select a status, the number of partner offerings associated with that status appears to the right of the View by Status link.

The following table lists the different status types and the action that can be taken:

The following three grids are displayed in a collapsed state below the status links. Only the partner offerings associated with the selected status appear in the grids:

• Partner Offerings.

• Proposed Offerings.

• Catalog Offerings.

View By Status: Partner Offerings Grid

The Partner Offerings grid contains information about the partner offerings after categorization. The Offering Info section includes a Detail link for each partner offering listed. This link is used to update offering information.

To assign one or more partner offerings to a proposed or enterprise catalog offering:

1. Select the check box for each partner offering to assign.

2. Go to either the Catalog Offerings grid or the Proposed Offerings grid and select the check box associated with the catalog offering to associate to the selected partner offerings.

   Note. To prevent the selection of more than one catalog offering, the check boxes associated with the remaining catalog offerings are inactive.

3. Click the Assign Partner Offerings to Offerings button.

   Note. Refresh the page to view assignments.

You can also review the message text generated by the categorization process for all partner offerings. The following table lists the messages that can be generated:

View By Status: Proposed Catalog Offerings Grid

The Proposed Catalog Offerings grid is not populated until a status is selected and one of these links, located above the title bar, is selected:

• Proposed Offerings.

  The grid is populated with proposed catalog offerings that currently do not exist in the catalog for the selected status. For example, no other partner offers this offering.

  For each offering listed, the system automatically generates an offering ID and copies the vendor description to the offering description.

• Uncategorized Offerings.

  The grid is populated with proposed catalog offerings that have no category provided.

  Click the Detail link associated with each proposed catalog offering to access the Proposed Offering Details page and assign a category.

• Rejected Offerings.

  The grid is populated with proposed new catalog offerings that were rejected during the approval process.

  Move the associated partner offerings to catalog offerings.

  Note. When the Stage Partner Offerings (EOCM_STAGE) process is run, only approved partner offerings are staged.

View By Status: Catalog Offerings Grid

The Catalog Offerings grid is not populated until a status is selected and the Catalog Offerings link, located above the title bar, is selected. The grid is populated with all catalog offerings currently in the catalog.

Click the Detail link associated with each catalog offering to access the Catalog Offering Details page and review or remove assigned categories, and assign additional categories.

Results By Category

Access the Review Categorization Results page. Click the View by Category link.

View categorization results by category to verify if partner offerings have been assigned to the correct categories. As each category within a group is highlighted, the number of partner offerings, catalog offerings, and proposed catalog offerings contained in that category are displayed to the right. You can use the Find Category feature to search for a specific category within the hierarchy.

See Creating Category Hierarchies.

You can review offerings by these groups:

• Catalog categories.

  Use the folder icons to navigate through the enterprise catalog's category hierarchy. The number of offerings contained in each category appears as the category is selected.

  Note. Only the number of offerings contained in the highlighted category are counted. For instance, the number of offerings displayed for a parent category does not include the number contained in its child categories.

• Proposed categories.

  Review offerings that are assigned categories that do not exist in the enterprise catalog and are proposed to be included.

• Unknown category.

  Review all offerings that have no category assigned.

• Rejected categories.

  Review offerings that are assigned to categories that were rejected during the approval process.

See Also

Categorizing Partner Offering Data

Updating Partner Offering Details

Access the Partner Offering Details page (select Partner Offering Details in Review Categorization Results page). The Partner Offering Details page contains the original data as proposed by the partner.

Update detail information for the selected partner offering. All field values, except the offering ID and description, can be updated.

The fields that appear are based on the enterprise catalog type.

Click OK to save changes and return to the Review Categorization Results page.

Note. Remember to update the partner source file with any changes made to offering detail information.

Updating Proposed Offering Categories

Access the Proposed Offering Details page (select Proposed Offering Details in Review Categorization Results page).

This page is used to:

• Propose a new category.

• Remove a proposed new category and assign an existing category.

• Add additional categories.

• Change the primary category.

Updating Catalog Offering Categories

Access the Catalog Offering Details page (select Catalog Offering Details in Review Categorization Results page).

Associate an existing catalog category with the selected catalog offering.

Choosing Partner Offering Categories

Access the Choose Category page (click Assign Offerings to Category in Review Categorization Results page).

Select the appropriate category group and navigate to the category you want to assign to the selected offering. Click OK.

Revalidating Partner Offerings

When you revalidate partner offerings, you run the validation (EOCM_REVALID) process to detect any errors that may have resulted from updating partner data. Review the initial categorization results completely before revalidating.

Once you have completed the review and all the required adjustments are made, click Revalidate Partner Offerings. A process request is submitted. Click the Process Monitor link to monitor the status of the request. When it has the process has completed successfully, return to the Review Categorization Results page to once again review results. When you are satisfied, the partner offerings are ready for approval.

See Also

Enterprise PeopleTools 8.50 PeopleBook: PeopleSoft Process Scheduler.

Approving Categorization Results

The enterprise catalog manager is responsible for approving, or rejecting proposed categories and proposed catalog offerings based on categorization results.

Pages Used to Approve Categorization Results

Approving Proposed Categories and Catalog Offerings

Access the Approve Proposed Categories and Catalog Offerings page (Catalog Management, Catalog Management Home, Approve Proposed Categories and Catalog Offerings).

Approve Offerings/Categories

Click to approve all new categories and catalog offerings that are not marked for rejection. A process request is submitted. Click the Process Monitor link to monitor its status. Once it has completed successfully, you can return to the Approval page. Only the categories and catalog offerings that were initially rejected are listed.

Proposed Categories

Proposed Catalog Offerings

Lists all the proposed new catalog offerings.

Select the Reject check box located to the left of each catalog offering to reject. Rejected catalog offerings and associated partner offerings are not in the current enterprise catalog. To include partner offerings, they need to be assigned to existing enterprise catalog offerings.