Implementation of Product Information Management (PIM) and Macula, using CPI

Project: Optical Retailer E-commerce Integration Upgrade

Problem Statement:

With one of our recent client, Enfogen Consulting has helped a leading optical retailer solve a critical challenge. They were facing a challenge with their existing e-commerce platform, Hybris. While the platform efficiently supported customers up to the point of order placement, its architecture for listing products proved to be non-scalable and insufficient for the retailer's growing product catalogue. As the retailer expanded its offerings with new brands and products, it became evident that the current system couldn't adequately accommodate these changes. To address this issue, the retailer sought a more robust solution that could seamlessly integrate with their existing SAP IS-Retail system and provide future-proof scalability. Thus, the decision was made to explore the implementation of Product Information Management (PIM) and Macula, both headless systems designed to orchestrate product catalogues according to the retailer's specific requirements.

Challenges:

1. Integration Complexity: One of the primary challenges the retailer faced was the complexity of integrating the new PIM and Macula systems with their existing infrastructure. With SAP sending daily data feeds for products, stocks, taxes, and prices to Hybris via the ODATA channel through CPI (Cloud Platform Integration), ensuring seamless integration without disrupting existing operations was paramount.

2. Tight Timelines: The retailer had stringent timelines for onboarding the PIM and Macula systems, adding pressure to find a solution that could be implemented swiftly and efficiently.

3. Future-Proof Solution: The solution needed to be future-proof, requiring minimal effort and time to set up new integration paths to accommodate potential future changes and expansions in the retailer's product catalogue.

Solution:

Enfogen Consulting proposed a comprehensive solution to address the retailer's challenges effectively:

1. Reuse of Existing Artifacts: Leveraging the existing artifacts from CPI, Enfogen proposed the reuse of these components to send data to an additional target, in addition to Hybris. This approach minimized the need for developing entirely new integration paths and streamlined the process.

2. Creation of Daily Feed Files: Enfogen recommended the creation of new feed files for each feed type on a daily basis. These files would include delta changes, allowing for seamless updates to the product catalogue. The feed files would then be written to an Azure HotFolder, where they would be accessible to the PIM and Macula teams for processing.

3. Archiving Process: After processing the feed files, PIM or Macula would archive the processed files to designated archive folders, ensuring data integrity and traceability.

4. Initial Load Strategy: To expedite the onboarding process, Enfogen proposed running existing batch jobs with only active products from Hybris production for the initial load. This approach minimised the time required for data migration and facilitated a quicker transition to the new systems.

Results:

By implementing Enfogen's solution, the optical retailer was able to:

- Successfully onboard the PIM and Macula systems within a tight timeline of less than three months.

- Ensure seamless integration between SAP, Hybris, and the new headless systems, minimising disruptions to daily operations.

- Future-proof their e-commerce infrastructure, enabling scalability and adaptability to accommodate future expansions in their product catalogue.

- Enhance efficiency and productivity through streamlined data processing and archiving procedures.

Conclusion:

Enfogen Consulting's tailored solution not only addressed the retailer's immediate challenges but also provided a robust foundation for future growth and innovation. By leveraging existing resources, implementing efficient data processing workflows, and prioritising scalability, Enfogen enabled the retailer to optimise its e-commerce operations and stay ahead in a rapidly evolving market landscape.

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