Creating static kits and prebuilt kits in the integration

You can create a kit to attract customers. Kits are groupings of catalog entries that can be used when creating promotions.

Do not follow this procedure to create Dynamic kits in the Sterling Configurator integration.

In the HCL Commerce and Sterling Order Management integration, you can build both static and prebuilt kits to attract customers. Static kits can be added to the cart, and only the parent SKU is in the cart. Static kits are represented as a catentry that is mapped to the items that are in the static kits. The catalogs between HCL Commerce and Sterling Order Management must be in sync. Inventory is at the component level. In the Sterling Order Management, the equivalent is a Bundle.

Prebuilt kits, can be added to the cart, and only parent SKU is in the cart. Prebuilt kits are represented as a catentry that is mapped to the items that are in the prebuilt kit. Inventory is at the parent level. In the Sterling Order Management, the equivalent is a physical kit.

The HCL Commerce catalog does not differentiate between prebuilt and static kit, but, it is differentiated in the Sterling Order Management database. In inventory cache in HCL Commerce, both prebuilt and static kits, the check is against the parent component. Sterling Order Management calculates the parent inventory for static kit based on minimum quantity available of components.

About this task

There are two ways to add a kit to your catalog in HCL Commerce:
  • By copying an existing kit
  • By creating a kit
    Note: You cannot create a kit in the sales catalog. Add a kit by copying an existing one from the master catalog.
Note: If you are using the extended sites model and are currently in the extended site store, you can add a kit that belongs to the asset store. You can do so by copying a current asset store kit.

Procedure

  1. Open the Catalogs tool.
  2. From the explorer filter, select Master Catalog.
  3. Copy an existing kit, or create a kit:
    OptionDescription
    To copy an existing kit, in the explorer view, click the category the kit belongs to
    1. In the list view, right-click the kit; then click Copy.
    2. In the list view, right-click any field; then click Paste. The kit properties view displays.
    3. Make any necessary updates to any required fields.

      A new kit is added with the same attributes, unless you specify changes. When you copy a kit, the offer price and merchandising associations for that kit, are not copied.

    Restriction: To copy kits, you can also drag them from the main work area or utilities view into the explorer tree when using the Master Catalog filter. You cannot drag kits into the explorer tree when using the Master Catalog Categories filter or Sales Catalog Categories filter.
    To add an entirely new kit
    • Click File > New > Kit
    • Click the Manage Kit tab. The Kit Properties view displays.
  4. Expand the General Information section. Complete the following information:
    OptionDescription
    Kit Type Choose kit. This field is only available from the Manage kit tab.
    Code The language independent catalog entry identifier.
    Name The name of the catalog entry.
    Short description Type a brief description of the catalog entry.
    Long description Type a detailed description, if applicable.
    Keyword Type one or more keywords, separated by a comma and a space, that describe the contents of the web page. Some Internet search engines use these keywords to determine whether your page satisfies a search query.
    Additional description 1 Type a detailed description of the catalog entry, if applicable.
    Additional description 2 Type a detailed description of the catalog entry, if applicable.
    Manufacturer Type the name of the manufacturer or vendor.
    Manufacturer part number Type the part number for the catalog entry, uniquely defined by the manufacturer. The part number is different from the code.
    Parent category The category to which an object such as a category, product, or SKU belongs, or the catalog to which a top category belongs.
    Recurring order item Indicate whether the kit is available for a recurring order.
    For purchase Indicate whether customers can include the catalog entry in their shopping carts and order it.
  5. Expand the Publishing section. Complete the following information:
    OptionDescription
    For purchase Indicate whether customers can include the catalog entry in their shopping carts and order it. This check box is read-only and cannot be cleared if the entries for purchase are on auction.
    On special Indicates whether the catalog entry is on special.
    On auction Indicates whether the catalog entry is available for auction. This field is read-only. This field does not show by default in the list view. To show the filed as a column in a list view, right-click on a column heading in the list view and click Configure Columns.
    Announcement date Add the year, month, and day that the catalog entry becomes available to customers. Click the calendar icon to select a date. This field is for your interpretation and information only. HCL Commerce does not start any actions based on this date.
    Withdrawal date Add the year, month, and day that the catalog entry is removed from the catalog and is unavailable for customers to purchase. Click the calendar icon to select a date. This field is for your information only.
    Availability date Add the year, month, and day that the catalog entry is available to customers for purchase. Click the calendar icon to select a date. This field is for your interpretation and information only. HCL Commerce does not start any actions based on this date.
    Last date to order Add the final year, month, and day that the catalog entry is available for order. Click the calendar icon to select a date. This is the latest date a customer can order the catalog entry. For example, a manufacturer can discontinue a product, but because stock still exists, it is still available for order for one month.
    End of service date Add the year, month, and day when the catalog entry is no longer in service. For example, this date can be the date that a software manufacturer stops providing upgrades for a version of their product. Click the calendar icon to select a date. This field is for your interpretation and information only. HCL Commerce does not show any actions based on this date.
    Discontinued date Add the year, month, and day when the catalog entry is discontinued. For example, this date can be the date the manufacturer stops producing the product, or the date your store stops selling the product. Click the calendar icon to select a date. Use this field consistently to avoid confusion. This field is for your interpretation and information only. HCL Commerce does not start any actions based on this date.
    Field 1 A customized field for your catalog entry data. The entry must be a decimal number such as 5.345.
    Field 2 A customized field for your catalog entry data. The entry must be a decimal number such as 5.345.
    Field 3 A customized field for your catalog entry data. The entry must be a whole number such as 5.
    Field 4 A customized field for your catalog entry data. The entry must be text.
    Field 5 A customized field for your catalog entry data. The entry must be text.
  6. Expand the Display section. Complete the following information:
    OptionDescription
    Display to customers Select this check box to indicate that customers can view this product in the storefront.
    Thumbnail N/A
    Full Image N/A
  7. Expand the Pricing section. Complete the following information:
    OptionDescription
    List Price The list price for the kit. The list price is supplied by the manufacturer, as part of the catalog entry description. This field is for your information only.
    Offer Price The price at which the catalog entry is offered for purchase. Click New to add in a new offer price. Type in a Minimum Quantity at which the catalog entry can be offered at this price. The maximum quantity is determined by the minimum quantity of the next range. For example, if the minimum quantity of a catalog entry to be sold at $25.00 is one, and the minimum quantity of the same catalog entry to be sold at $35.00 is 10, then the maximum quantity for the catalog entry to be sold at $25.00 is nine.
    Note: If you are using the extended sites model, the offer price for the catalog asset store shows first. The list price and offer price for the extended store show next.
  8. Optional: Click the Search Engine Optimization tab to change the SEO options for the kit:

    To insert an SEO substitution parameter, use the format: <seo:SEOSUBSTITUTIONPARAMETER/>. For example to add the page title "Shop coffee-makers from Aurora" in the coffee maker category page: "Shop <seo:CategoryName/> from <seo:StoreName/>"

    The following list describes SEO substitution parameters that you can use on kit pages.
    SEO substitution parameters
    <seo:StoreName/>
    The name of the store. For example, Aurora.
    <seo:StoreDescription/>
    The store's description. For example, Online Department Store.
    <seo:ProductName/>
    The catalog entry's name
    <seo:ProductKeyword/>
    The catalog entry's keyword
    <seo:ProductShortDescription/>
    The catalog entry's short description
    <seo:ProductPartNumber/>
    The catalog entry's part number
    <seo:ProductManufacturerPartNumber/>
    The catalog entry's manufacturer's part number
    <seo:ProductManufacturer/>
    The catalog entry's manufacturer

    Override the default values for any of the following fields:

    OptionDescription
    Desktop URL keyword Type a unique name for the category URL. For example, www.example.com/category/girls-dresses-and-skirts.
    Page title The language-specific page title for this category. The title you provide displays in the title bar in the customer's browser.
    Meta description The language-specific meta description for the page. The meta description is used by a search engine to provide a description of your site and this category on a search results page. The text that you provide is put in the page META tag.
    Image alt text The language-specific image alternative text for the category image. The alt text describes the contents of the image for search engines to accurately rank and index the image. The text that you provide displays when a customer hovers over the category image.
  9. Click the Components tab. Complete the following information:
    OptionDescription
    Sequence The order in which the object shows. Numbers are shown in ascending order.
    Type The component type.
    Store Name The name of the extended sites store.
    Code The kit unique identifier. This number cannot be changed.
    Name The name of the kit.
    Quantity The number of SKUs within the selected catalog entry.
  10. Click Save; then click Close.