1. Implementing Product Management
  2. Example of Blending Rules

Example of Blending Rules

The following example demonstrates the effect of blending rules.

Scenario

For this example, assume that you have defined the blending rules shown in the following list.

  • Blending_Rule_1

    • Item Class: Televisions

    • Attribute Group: Specs

    • Attribute: Frame Description

    • Priority -- Spoke System:

      • 1-- Vendor1 Spoke

      • 2-- Vendor2 Spoke

  • Blending_Rule_2

    • Item Class: Televisions

    • Attribute Group: Specs

    • Attribute: Resolution

    • Priority -- Spoke System:

      • 1 -- Vendor2 Spoke

      • 2 -- Vendor1 Spoke

  • Blending_Rule_3

    • Item Class: Televisions

    • Attribute Group: Specs

    • Attribute: Weight

    • Priority -- Spoke System:

      • 1 -- Vendor3 Spoke

      • 2 -- Vendor4 Spoke

At the beginning of the import process, Vendor1 loads data in Product Hub Portal for the attributes Frame Description and Resolution, as shown in the following list.

  • Vendor1

    • Spoke Item:

      • Vendor1 TV Item

    • Attribute: Frame Description

      • Value: Plastic body with back hinge

    • Attribute: Resolution

      • Value: 1930x1024

You import the loaded data. Since Vendor2 hasn't loaded any data in Product Hub Portal, the values loaded by Vendor1 are imported for both of the attributes, Frame Description and Resolution. Consequently, the attribute values in production data are as follows.

  • Production data in Product Hub:

    • Production item in Product Hub:

      • TV_1

    • Spoke Item cross-reference

      • Vendor1 TV Item

    • Attribute: Frame Description

      • Value: Plastic body with back hinge (initial value, from Vendor1)

    • Attribute: Resolution

      • Value: 1930x1024 (initial value, from Vendor1)

At a later time, Vendor2 loads data in Product Hub Portal for the attributes Frame Description and Resolution, as shown in the following list.

  • Vendor2

    • Spoke Item:

      • Vendor2 Television

    • Attribute: Frame Description

      • Value: Plastic with hinge

    • Attribute: Resolution

      • Value: 2930x1034

Then you try to import the data loaded by Vendor2. You determine that there is a match with the existing production item TV_1, so you create a new spoke system cross-reference with TV_1. Since Blending_Rule_1 gives blending priority for the attribute Frame Description to Vendor1, Vendor1's value for that attribute remains as previously imported into production. Since Blending_Rule_2 gives blending priority for the attribute Resolution to Vendor2, Vendor2's value for that attribute is imported into production. The resulting data is imported into production, as shown in the following list.

  • Production data in Product Hub:

    • Production item in Product Hub:

      • TV_1

    • Spoke Item cross-references

      • Vendor1 TV Item

      • Vendor2 Television

    • Attribute: Frame Description (Vendor1 has blending priority)

      • Value: Plastic body with back hinge (from Vendor1, unchanged)

    • Attribute: Resolution (Vendor2 has blending priority)

      • Value: 2930x1034 (from Vendor2)

At a later time, both Vendor1 and Vendor2 update their data in Product Hub Portal, including changed values for Frame Description and the addition of the new attributes Height and Weight, as shown in the following lists.

  • Vendor1

    • Spoke Item:

      • Vendor1 TV Item

    • Attribute: Frame Description

      • Value: Plastic body of PVC make with metallic back hinge (updated)

    • Attribute: Resolution

      • Value: 1930x1024

    • Attribute: Height (new)

      • Value: 2 Feet (new)

  • Vendor2

    • Spoke Item:

      • Vendor2 Television

    • Attribute: Frame Description

      • Value: PVC body with hinge (updated)

    • Attribute: Resolution

      • Value: 2930x1034

    • Attribute: Weight (new)

      • Value: 5 kg (new)

Then you import the updated data from Vendor2 (but not from Vendor1). The resulting data is imported into production, as shown in the following list.

  • Production data in Product Hub:

    • Production item in Product Hub:

      • TV_1

    • Spoke Item cross-references:

      • Vendor1 TV Item

      • Vendor2 Television

    • Attribute: Frame Description (Vendor1 has blending priority)

      • Value: Plastic body with back hinge (original import, from Vendor1)

    • Attribute: Resolution (Vendor2 has blending priority)

      • Value: 2930x1034 (unchanged, from Vendor2)

    • Attribute: Weight (new, from Vendor2)

      • Value: 5 kg (new, from Vendor2)

Note the following about the import into production data:

  • Since Blending_Rule_1 gives blending priority for the attribute Frame Description to Vendor1, Vendor1's value for that attribute is used instead of Vendor2's updated value, which isn't imported.

  • Because Vendor1's updated data wasn't imported, Vendor1's value for the attribute Frame Description remains as originally imported into production.

  • The new attribute Weight is imported from Vendor2. Even though Blending_Rule_3 is defined on that attribute, the rule isn't triggered because neither Vendor3 or Vendor4 uploaded data in Product Hub Portal, and no spoke system cross-references for these vendors exist or are created by matching during import.

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