Purpose: Use the Batch Affinity Updates menu option to update Customer Affinity Preference records, including records for customers who have not recently ordered, or to initialize the Customer Affinity Preference data base for the first time.
Updating Customer Affinity Preference Records
The system updates customer affinity preference information automatically When a Customer Places an Order or Makes a Return; however, you can update information for customers who have not ordered recently When You Run the Batch Affinity Update Function to Update.
Example: A customer has not ordered from your company for one year. Her Lifetime frequency rates for all customer affinity preference records are outdated. When you run the Batch Affinity Updates function to update, using the current date, the system will recalculate her Lifetime frequency rates to average them over the course of her buying history up to the current date.
Initializing Customer Affinity Preference Records
When you create new attribute values, and link the values to items you are already offering for sale, you can create customer affinity preference information based on existing orders for the items, When You Run the Batch Affinity Update Function to Initialize.
Example: You have created a new attribute value of wool for the fabric attribute. You want to create Customer Affinity Preference records for your customers, based on their past orders of Wool items. The system will create these records (and recreate all existing records for other attribute values) when you run the Batch Affinity Updates function to initialize.
The Customer Affinity Recalculation Method (G60) system control value determines whether the system uses the current date, or the customer’s last order date, for the most recent calculation when you update or initialize Customer Affinity Preference information.
In this topic:
• Updating Customer Affinity Preference Records
• Initializing Customer Affinity Preference Records
• Batch Affinity Update Screen
How to display this screen: Enter MBAU in the Fast path field at the top of any menu or select Batch Affinity Update from a menu.
Field |
Description |
Recalculate affinity based on |
The option you select for the most recent calculation in the Customer Affinity Preference record; you specify this option in the Customer Affinity Recalculation Method (G60) system control value. Valid settings are: • Last Order Date: the most recent calculation will be based on the customer’s last order date. This setting will display when the Customer Affinity Recalculation Method system control value is set to Order. • Last Affinity Date: the most recent calculation in the Customer Affinity Preference table will be based on the current date; this setting will display when the Customer Affinity Recalculation Method system control value is set to Affinity. Alphanumeric, 18 positions; display-only |
From customer # |
The first customer number in the range of customers you wish to update. To maximize processing efficiency, you may wish to update Customer Affinity Preference tables in segments, by specifying the range of customers. If you leave this field blank, the system will update Customer Affinity Preference information beginning with customer # 0. If you leave both the From customer # and the To customer # fields blank, the system will update Customer Affinity Preference information for all customers. Numeric, 9 positions; optional. |
To customer # |
The last customer number in the range of customers you wish to update. If you leave both the From customer # and the To customer # fields blank, the system will update Customer Affinity Preference information for all customers. Numeric, 9 positions; required if you have entered a customer number in the From customer # field. |
Initialize |
Determines whether the Batch Affinity Update function will update previous Customer Affinity Preference information, or create new Customer Affinity Preference information for new or existing attribute values. Valid values are: • Unselected (default value): the Batch Affinity Update function will update information in previously created Customer Affinity Preference tables, but will not create new tables based on existing orders for new or existing attribute values. • Selected: the Batch Affinity Update function will delete all Customer Affinity Preference information and create new records based on existing orders which included new or previously established attribute values. |
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Note: When You Run the Batch Affinity Update Function to Initialize Customer Affinity Preference records, the system creates records based only on orders which included an item linked to the attribute value for which the record is being created. For previously existing Customer Affinity Preference records, the new record does not reflect updates that occurred when the customer placed an order for unrelated items; therefore, new values for Lifetime frequency may differ from previously existing values, which were updated every time the customer placed an order, regardless of whether it included an item linked to the attribute value for which you are creating the record. |
Screen option |
Procedure |
Submit the Batch Affinity Update job |
Select Submit. |
