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User Guide
The information contained in this section applies to WebSphere Commerce Version 8. The documentation also applies to all subsequent releases and modifications until otherwise indicated in a newer section.WebSphere Commerce is a single, unified e-commerce platform that offers the ability to do business directly with consumers (B2C), directly with businesses (B2B), and indirectly through channel partners (indirect business models). WebSphere Commerce is designed to be a customizable, scalable, and high availability solution that is built to leverage open standards. It provides easy-to-use tools for business users to centrally manage a cross-channel strategy. Business users can create and manage precision marketing campaigns, promotions, catalog, and merchandising across all sales channels.
Operating
IBM Management Center for WebSphere Commerce
The IBM Management Center for WebSphere Commerce, or Management Center, is a suite of tools to support store management, merchandising, and marketing tasks for business users (Sellers, Marketing Managers, Product Managers, Catalog Managers, and others).
Commerce Composer tool
Create pages and build layouts for your store directly in Management Center without involving IT by using the Commerce Composer tool. Take advantage of the tool's page design and management functions to improve your productivity and give you more control over the customer experience.
Widgets for Commerce Composer
A widget is a frame that displays a specific type of store content, such as ads, product recommendations, or navigational links. To create a layout, you add widgets to slots in a layout template, and then set the properties and content for each widget.
Commerce Composer widget library
WebSphere Commerce provides over two dozen layout widgets that you can use in the Commerce Composer tool to create layouts for store pages.
Defining Attributes widget
Use this widget in a catalog entry page layout to display the defining attributes, such as color and size, of the catalog entry.

User Guide
The information contained in this section applies to WebSphere Commerce Version 8. The documentation also applies to all subsequent releases and modifications until otherwise indicated in a newer section.WebSphere Commerce is a single, unified e-commerce platform that offers the ability to do business directly with consumers (B2C), directly with businesses (B2B), and indirectly through channel partners (indirect business models). WebSphere Commerce is designed to be a customizable, scalable, and high availability solution that is built to leverage open standards. It provides easy-to-use tools for business users to centrally manage a cross-channel strategy. Business users can create and manage precision marketing campaigns, promotions, catalog, and merchandising across all sales channels.
- Planning
  Creating a custom implementation of a WebSphere Commerce store requires a significant amount of planning. From gathering client needs, to deploying the live solution, much work is needed to successfully deploy a custom client store. Use the resources in here to help you plan every phase of store creation.
- Installing
  Review the following sections for information about installing the WebSphere Commerce product, associated maintenance, and WebSphere Commerce enhancements.
- Migrating
  Before you migrate to WebSphere Commerce Version 8.0, review this information to help plan and execute your migration.
- Deploying
  The topics in this section describe how to publish stores to either a test or production environment, and how to deploy customized code.
- Operating
  - IBM Management Center for WebSphere Commerce
    The IBM Management Center for WebSphere Commerce, or Management Center, is a suite of tools to support store management, merchandising, and marketing tasks for business users (Sellers, Marketing Managers, Product Managers, Catalog Managers, and others).
    - Planning to use Management Center
      If you are using WebSphere Commerce Accelerator, consider using Management Center to manage your store.
    - management-center/refs/rtfgetstart.htm
    - Management Center keyboard shortcuts
      Use the Management Center keyboard shortcuts to access user interface functions or complete tasks, using a single key or combination of keys.
    - Working in extended site stores in Management Center
      If your company operates an extended site, you can perform certain tasks directly from your extended site store within Management Center.
    - Manage content externally for use in Management Center
      If content management capabilities other than the functionality that is provided by default with WebSphere Commerce is required, WebSphere Commerce can be integrated with IBM Web Content Manager. If WebSphere Commerce is integrated with IBM Web Content Manager, you can use content from IBM Web Content Manager content libraries with Management Center objects.
    - Manage marketing externally with IBM Marketing Center
      If your site is integrated with IBM Marketing Center, Management Center users can open IBM Marketing Center from Management Center to upload promotion codes and to create and manage marketing campaigns.
    - Management Center user interface
      The Management Center user interface provides a usable, intuitive, and efficient way to complete your business tasks.
    - Using the Management Center
      The starting point for all Management Center tasks is to open the tooling. Afterward, you can use several methods to complete a task: by selecting menu options, by clicking toolbar buttons, by right-clicking and selecting menus, or by keyboard shortcuts.
    - Catalogs tool
      Use the Catalogs tool in Management Center to manage catalogs, categories, catalog entries, merchandising associations, product attributes, and attachments in your store. The Catalogs tool lets business users create, and manage online catalogs. Catalogs provide a way of organizing the products that you want to sell. You define catalog data in groups of categories and products. Catalog data contains descriptions and pricing information for products and services.
    - Marketing tool
      Use the Marketing tool in Management Center to create and manage marketing campaigns and other store content, excluding catalog content. You can use the extensive precision marketing features in the tool to deliver targeted marketing messages to customers.
    - Promotions tool
      Use the Promotions tool in Management Center to create and manage promotions that support the marketing campaigns for your site.
    - Assets tool
      As a Product Manager, Marketing Manager, or Category Manager, you can use the Assets tool to upload and manage your store assets. The term assets refers to web content that you use on your storefront and in marketing campaigns, such as marketing image files, catalog image files, PDF documents, and multimedia files.
    - Catalog Filter and Pricing tool
      Use the Catalog Filter and Pricing tool in Management Center to create and manage catalog filters, price lists, and price rules. Sellers, Sales Managers, and Account Representatives can use the tool's flexible features to implement catalog filtering and pricing strategies that meet the site's business needs over time.
    - Installments tool
      Use the Installments tool in Management Center to create and manage installment rules that support the payment methods for your site.
    - Commerce Composer tool
      Create pages and build layouts for your store directly in Management Center without involving IT by using the Commerce Composer tool. Take advantage of the tool's page design and management functions to improve your productivity and give you more control over the customer experience.
      - Commerce Composer overview
        The Commerce Composer tool gives you the freedom to quickly create and assemble the contents of your store pages without involving IT. By using a library of prebuilt layout templates and widgets, you can manage store page layouts directly in Management Center. The Commerce Composer tool offers a streamlined workflow that improves your productivity and reduces time-to-market for your campaigns.
      - Managing pages
        By using the Commerce Composer tool, you can add URLs for new pages to your store whenever you need a new page. You can also manage the SEO data for content, category, and catalog entry pages to optimize your site for search.
      - Managing layouts
        The Commerce Composer tool provides templates and widgets for you to build layouts for your store pages without involving IT.
      - Widgets for Commerce Composer
        A widget is a frame that displays a specific type of store content, such as ads, product recommendations, or navigational links. To create a layout, you add widgets to slots in a layout template, and then set the properties and content for each widget.
        Commerce Composer widget library
        WebSphere Commerce provides over two dozen layout widgets that you can use in the Commerce Composer tool to create layouts for store pages.
        Add to Requisition List widget
        Use this widget in a catalog entry page layout to add an Add to Requisition List button that buyers can click to add the item (SKU) that they are viewing to a requisition list. A requisition list is a reusable list of items (SKUs) that buyers plan to periodically reorder.
        Associated Assets widget
        Use this widget in a catalog entry page layout to display links to associated assets for a catalog entry, such as videos, user manuals, and warranty documents. Each link is displayed with a corresponding icon and a display name.
        Breadcrumb Trail widget
        This widget automatically retrieves and displays a horizontal list of links that show customers their current location within the site hierarchy. Customers can click any link in the breadcrumb to navigate to another page within the hierarchy.
        Catalog Entry List widget
        This widget automatically retrieves and displays a list of catalog entries that apply to the current page. Optionally, you can insert marketing content, such as an ad, into the catalog entry list.
        Catalog Entry Recommendation widget
        Use this widget to display a list of catalog entries (products, SKUs, bundles, and kits) on a store page. For example, you might want to display a list of featured products on a landing page, or a list of recently viewed products on a category page.
        Category Navigation widget
        This widget automatically retrieves and displays a list of category links to help customers navigate as they browse and search your catalog. For each category link, the number of catalog entries is displayed in parentheses. Typically, this widget is placed in the left sidebar of the page.
        Category Recommendation widget
        Use this widget to display a list of categories on a store page. For example, you might want to display a list of subcategories on a department page, or a list of featured categories on a brand landing page.
        Components widget
        Use this widget in a layout for a bundle, kit, or dynamic kit to display the catalog entries that are included.
        Content Carousel widget
        Use this widget to display two or more pieces of content that transition from one to the next in an image carousel. You can include scrolling controls and image counters on the widget to give customers more control over the transitions. This type of widget is commonly used at the top of a landing page.
        Content Recommendation widget
        Use this widget to display content, such as images, text, HTML, and Flash content, on a store page.
        Defining Attributes widget
        Use this widget in a catalog entry page layout to display the defining attributes, such as color and size, of the catalog entry.
        Descriptive Attributes widget
        Use this widget in a catalog entry page layout to display the descriptive attributes of the catalog entry. Each applicable descriptive attribute is displayed in a bulleted list that displays the name followed by the value.
        Discounts widget
        Use this widget in a catalog entry page layout to display the short descriptions of certain promotions that the catalog entry qualifies for. The promotion must be a catalog entry or category promotion that is not a site-wide promotion. Order and shipping promotions are not displayed in this widget. This widget informs customers of applicable store promotions to encourage them to purchase the catalog entry.
        E-Marketing Spot widget
        Use this widget to display content, catalog entries, and categories in an e-Marketing Spot in the layout. In the e-Marketing Spot, you can run web activities and specify default content.
        Facebook Like widget
        Use this widget in a layout to display a Like button to allow customers to like the catalog entry that they are viewing and share it on Facebook. Customers can click a Share button to add a message to the link and then share the link on their timeline, or with Facebook friends or groups.
        Facet Navigation widget
        This widget automatically retrieves and displays a list of facets, such as the Brand, Price, and Color facets. For each facet value, the number of matching catalog entries is displayed in parentheses. Typically, this widget is placed in the left sidebar of the page.
        Full Image widget
        Use this widget in a catalog entry page layout to display the full image of the catalog entry. The widget also displays any angle images that are defined as associated assets for the catalog entry.
        Heading widget
        This widget automatically retrieves the name of a category or catalog entry to display as a page heading.
        IBM Product Recommendations widget
        Use this widget in a layout to display recommendations that are generated by the IBM Product Recommendations engine, part of the IBM Digital Marketing Optimization solution. This widget supports both flat file and dynamic recommendations.
        Inventory Availability widget
        Use this widget in a catalog entry page layout to display information about the online and in-store availability of a catalog entry.
        Links widget
        Use this widget to add one or more text links from a store page to other store pages, or to external URLs. The widget displays the links in a vertical list and supports an optional display title.
        Long Description widget
        Use this widget in a catalog entry page layout to display the long description of the catalog entry.
        Merchandising Associations widget
        Use this widget in a catalog entry page layout to display merchandising associations for a catalog entry. Merchandising associations are catalog entries that are defined as cross-sells, up-sells, replacements, or accessories for another catalog entry.
        Name, Part Number, and Price widget
        Use this widget in a catalog entry page layout to display the name, part number, and price of a catalog entry.
        Predefined Dynamic Kit List widget
        Use this widget in a layout for a dynamic kit page to automatically retrieve and display a list of the associated predefined dynamic kits that customers can purchase. The widget displays the thumbnail image, name, and price of each predefined dynamic kit. Customers can add the predefined dynamic kit to their cart directly from the widget, or they can click the kit to open the Predefined Dynamic Kit Details page and get more information.
        Search Summary widget
        On a search results page, this widget displays the search term the customer used and the number of matching search results. If there are no matches for the search term, this widget also displays suggested search terms. Typically, this widget is used above a Catalog Entry List widget.
        Shopper Actions widget
        Use this widget in a catalog entry page layout to display the Quantity entry field, and the Add to Cart and Add to Wish List buttons for a catalog entry.
        Short Description widget
        Use this widget in a catalog entry page layout to display the short description of the catalog entry. This widget also indicates whether the catalog entry is offered as a recurring order.
        Site Content List widget
        Use this widget in a layout for a search results page to display links to site content that matched the customer's search term. This widget broadens the search results to include more than just matching products.
        Site Map widget
        Use this widget in a layout for a site map page to display links to all categories in the catalog that the shopper is browsing, arranged according to the catalog hierarchy. The Site Map widget is configured to be three categories deep.
        SKU List widget
        Use this widget in a layout for a product page to display a list of SKUs for the product. In the widget, customers can view the full set of SKUs associated to a product in a table and scan the attributes quickly to pick the right combination. Customers can specify the quantity of each SKU and then add those SKUs to their cart or current order, or to a requisition list.
        Text Editor widget
        Use this widget to add text or HTML content to a page. The widget contains a built-in text editor for you to enter custom HTML code, or format text by using options in the editing toolbar.
        Creating page-specific e-Marketing Spots for the E-Marketing Spot widget
        If you add an E-Marketing Spot widget to a layout and choose page-specific e-Marketing Spots, each page to which the layout is assigned has its own generated e-Marketing Spot. For each page, you must use the Marketing tool to create the e-Marketing Spot and populate it with default content, or web activities, or both.
        Creating a web activity from within a Commerce Composer widget
        In certain Commerce Composer widgets, you can create a web activity directly from the widget properties view. By running a web activity in the widget, you can take advantage of web activity capabilities for managing the widget content. These capabilities include personalization, scheduling, and prioritization.
        Web activity actions supported in Commerce Composer widgets
        Certain widgets in the Commerce Composer widget library support web activities. When you build a web activity to run in one of these widgets, you must choose a web activity action that is supported by the widget.
      - Organizing content pages and layouts with folders
        By using folders to group and organize your content pages and layouts, you can work more efficiently in the Store Management tool.
      - Tutorial: Creating a page and its layout by using the Commerce Composer tool
        In this tutorial, you use Management Center to create a new content page. You then build a layout for the page by using a selection of widgets from the Commerce Composer widget library.
    - Store Management tool
      As a Seller, Site Administrator, or Channel Manager, you can use the Store Management tool in Management Center to manage your stores. The Store Management tool in Management Center replaces all of the store management features in WebSphere Commerce Accelerator, except store creation and the ability to suspend and resume stores. Continue to use the Store Creation wizard in WebSphere Commerce Accelerator to create new stores; continue to use WebSphere Commerce Accelerator to suspend and resume stores.
    - Workspace Management tool
      You can use the Workspace Management tool in Management Center to manage and edit workspaces and its tasks and task groups that you are authorized to work with.
    - Previewing a store
      Preview your store to ensure that changes made in Management Center show up in your store as expected. You can use store preview in production, authoring, and staging environments.
    - Management Center frequently asked questions (FAQ)
      Find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the Management Center.
    - Management Center Troubleshooting
      If you encounter issues with the Management Center that are not related to any specific tool, review this troubleshooting topic to solve common problems.
  - WebSphere Commerce Accelerator
    Use the WebSphere Commerce Accelerator to maintain online stores.
- Integrating
  Topics in the Integrating category highlight the tasks that are commonly performed for using WebSphere Commerce in combination with other products.
- Administering
- Tutorials
  WebSphere Commerce provides many tutorials to help you customize and understand your WebSphere Commerce instance and stores.
- Samples
- Developing
  The topics in the Developing section describe tasks performed by an application developer.
- Compliance
  The following section describes how you can leverage WebSphere Commerce features and functionality to help your site be compliant with different privacy and security standards.
- Securing
  These topics describe the security features of WebSphere Commerce and how to configure these features.
- Performance
- Troubleshooting

Defining Attributes widget

Use this widget in a catalog entry page layout to display the defining attributes, such as color and size, of the catalog entry.

This widget supports the display of attribute values either in a list or as swatch images. If the catalog entry does not have defining attributes, this widget is not rendered on the page.

Page dependency

Use this widget only in layouts for catalog entry pages. For any other page type, this widget is not rendered on the page.

Examples of widget content

Example of a Defining Attributes widget — Figure 1. Defining Attributes - values displayed in a list

Example of a Defining Attributes widget — Figure 2. Defining Attributes - values displayed as swatch images

See an example layout for a product page that uses this widget.

Prerequisites for using this widget

In the Catalogs tool, the defining attributes must be:

Set up in the attribute dictionary with the Displayable check box selected. For more information, see Creating attributes in the attribute dictionary.
Assigned to catalog entries. For more information, see Assigning defining attributes from the attribute dictionary.

For instructions on setting up attributes to use product-specific swatch images as shown in Defining Attributes - values displayed as swatch images, see Defining product-specific swatch images.

Widget properties and content

This widget has no configurable properties other than the widget name. The content is automatically retrieved from your catalog data.