Table of Contents

Features for Items & Categories

A feature is a basic attribute of a product item. The feature means feature name and feature value. A product can be defined by an unlimited number of features which can be inherited in the product hierarchy. Features can be accumulated into groups. Pimics enables to manage features directly on the Item Card. Displaying of product features is user-friendly and easy to use. Features can have predefined set of values from which can be selected for an individual item. For example, the product feature – colour - can have values: red, green and black. Values can be imported from defined standards or entered by the user and marked as internal.

To create a new Feature

  1. Choose the Search icon, enter Features (Classification/Features), and then choose the related link.
  2. Click New to create new feature.
  3. On the General FastTab, fill in the fields as necessary:
    1. Press Enter to generate new Feature ID from the default No. Series or type in unique ID manually.
    2. In the Description field, enter the name of the new feature (e.g. “Color”).
    3. Fill in the Abbreviation field.
    4. In the field Unit ID, select the unit by which the feature value can be measured (e.g. Inch, Kg, mm etc.). Unit Shorthand will be added automatically. If there are no Units, create a new one (see more New Catalog Unit).
    5. In the field Field Type/Field Format, select the one of the following types/formats:
      • Numeric
      • Alphanumeric
      • Logical
      • Range
    6. System status shows the state of completeness based on the data quality check.
    7. The field Search Feature ID is filled automatically.
  4. On the Values FastTab, define the list of values which specify values that could be assigned to the feature.
    1. Click on to the new line to create new value for this feature (e.g. “Black”, “Red”, “Yellow”).
    2. In the Value ID field, select a value or create a new.
    3. The field Description is filled automatically.
  5. On the Translations FastTab, set up the translations for the Feature.
  6. On the Allocations FastTab, you can add more information about the Feature.
Note

You can also define the feature which has not any option. In this case, you should not create and assign the values.

Add Feature to an Entity (Item/ Item group/ Product group/Chapter/Catalog Group/Class)

The features are the characteristics of the entities. The feature can be added to an Item/Item group/Product Group/Class and so on. Entities can be sorted, ordered and otherwise manipulated based on the features.

PRECONDITIONS
  • At least one feature or feature group exists (see more [New Feature](#New feature))
  • An item or a category has been created

To add feature to an Entity

  1. Open list of entity to which you want to add the Feature (Product Information/ Item or Item group or Product Group or Chapter or Catalogue Group).
  2. Open the Card of entity to which you want to add the Feature.
  3. Click on PIM Ribbon Tab and then choose Features.
  4. Click New to create a new line.
  5. Select the Group System Number from the list, or create a new one.
  6. In the Line Type field, select Feature.
  7. In the field Number, select the Feature from the list.
  8. If the Feature uses values, you can specify which values are available for the Item:
    1. Click on the arrow in Values field and a new window is opened.
    2. In the field Value Allowed, you can specify if the values could be selected as the value of the feature (List must be in Edit List mode) for this Item.
    3. Click OK to save settings (If you do any changes, fields Values and Possible Values has been changed).
  9. If the feature uses values you can select Value from the list. If the feature does not use values, type in the field Value specific text or number.
  10. The Unit shorthand field is filled automatically based on the Feature.

Note: The entity can inherit the features from the mother´s entity. So for example, you can define the features for the Item group and item inherits those features from the Item group (including values if needed). You should use this functionality when the items have the same features. For example, you have the item group called T-shirt with the features Color (red, blue, white,..), Size (S,M,L,XL,..), Long sleeve (yes/no). You can assign all T-shirt items to this Item group and then specify the feature values for each Item separately.

Product Features

Users can define the feature directly on items or categories. Anyway, we suggest to create definition of a feature before you use it.

Create features on item groups

  1. Using Alt+Q, search for item groups and open the relevant link, or access Product Information > Item Groups. Open an item group card
  2. Go to the FastTab Features
  3. In the action bar, select Manage > New Line
  4. Fill in the Description (e.g., Color) and Value (Green). After the field is left, a new record is created if there is no other feature with the same description
Note

All items that have this item group set as Standard Item Group will inherit features defined at the standard item group level (see Categories). Also, inheritance of features must be allowed – for more details read about inheritance.

prod-features-1

Repeat the previous two steps to define all required features related to the current item group

Create features on items

Items assigned to a specific item group will automatically inherit features from the item group if feature inheritance is enabled for those items. However, if you want to define specific features for items irrespective of their item group you can do it for each item just as you did previously for the item group. To define features for multiple items at once irrespective of their item group, you can select those items in the item list, and then access Features just as you would do for a single item.

Create features for multiple items belonging to the same item group

  1. On the item group card select the action Features by Items (action bar > More options > Related > Classification > Features by Items)

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  1. Then a new page is shown, where you can see the matrix - items in the columns and features on the lines. That is, provided there are several items attached to that item group
  2. Fill up the values (from our example, Red, Green, etc.) into the cells for specific combinations of items and features

prod-features-3

Close the page. You can now check individual item cards to see the specified features

Titles

Features can be organized into sections to improve customer experience in the channels.

Create Title line

  1. In items Product Features click New or to an Empty line
  2. As Line type select Title
  3. Fill in Description

Feature Groups

Feature Groups are lines that consist of more features. Feature Groups have the same list of features on every item or category, this is different again Title because titles can be different. A typical scenario for a Feature Group is Size which consists of features like Width, Height, and Depth. Before you can use Feature Group you need to define it.

Create Feature Group line

  1. In items Product Features click New or to an Empty line
  2. As Line type select Feature Group
  3. Select Feature Group in List or create "New"
    1. If new Feature group is created

Feature Value Set

Pimics use a Feature Value Set to define different allowed values on different items or categories but for the same feature. Typical use is for colors, different products can be paid by different colors, but the color sets are different per product group/type. In this case you create Feature Value Set for each Product Type.

Create Feature Value Set

Before you start creating a Feature Value Set you need to define all values on the feature. The steps below shows how to define it on items, the similar steps can be used also for categories.

  1. Using Alt+Q, search for PIM Items and open the relevant link.
  2. Select an item where you'd like to define other set and select action Features
  3. Select a line with a feature that has defined values
  4. Under the group Values select action Create Value Set
    1. The new set has been created and the field Value Set gets a new value
  5. Select See Values and change the field Value Allowed
  6. Close page Product Features
  7. Select another item that will use the same values and select action Features
  8. Set field Value Set to the same value as it was in 4.1
    1. Now both items use the same values

Add new value into Feature Set

The value needs to be created in Feature Values first and then defined in all feature sets.

  1. Using Alt+Q, search for Features and open the relevant link.
  2. Select an Feature where you'd like to change values and open the card page
  3. In group Feature Values create a new line.
    1. The value has been created in all sets.
    2. If the value is allowed or disabled by default is defined by the configuration in Catalog Setup field New Feature Value in Sets
  4. Select action Value Set Matrix it shows all value sets
  5. You can define if the new value is allowed or disabled for each sets

If you have more than 20 sets it is better to open Value Sets and select lines where you'd like to change the value and run Value Set Matrix in this case it will be filtered for the selected lines.

Polyvalent Features

Polyvalent features are features where a user can select more values for that feature. It is useful for features like Suitable for where you need to select more values.

PRECONDITIONS

Before you set a feature as polyvalent feature needs to have predefined set of values

Polyvalent can be set for these feature types:

  • Alphanumeric
  • Numeric
  • Date
  • Document
  • Graphic
  • Feature

Set Polyvalent

  1. Choose the search icon, enter Features, then choose the related link.
  2. Page Features was shown. Select a line and open Feature Card.
  3. Set field Polyvalent in fast tab Allocations to Yes

Item Attributes

Features are replacing the standard Item Attributes, so we don't suggest to use them together. Anyway there is way how to synchronize them if it is necessary for other extensions. It is desgined the way that Features in Pimics is the master entity where you manage it and it is synchronize back to Item Attributes. Because you can have already data in Item Attributes there is a process to copy those attributes into features after installation of Pimics.

Synchronise Features to Item Attributes

You can enable in general or select features that you'd like to synchronize. The synchronization is done when you change, create or delete feature in Pimics.

  1. Using Alt+Q, search for Catalog Setup and open the relevant link.
  2. Define a configuration in field Sync. To Attributes in the group Allocations.
    Note

    When you change the field it doesn't have impact to the current data.

    1. Yes means that all features will be synchronise to attributes by default
    2. No means that no features will be synchronise to attributes by default
  3. Close the page
  4. Using Alt+Q, search for Features and open the relevant link.
  5. Select one of the features and open the card
  6. Define the beheviour for the selected feature in Sync. To Attributes in the group Details.
    1. Default use the settings from Catalog Setup
    2. Yes means that the feature is synchronised to attributes when it is changed on items
    3. No means taht the feature stays only in Pimics
  7. Close the page

Important notice Synchronization to Item Attributes of Polyvalent Features is not allowed. An error will be thrown when

  1. Synchronization is turned on in configuration (page "Catalog Setup") and Polyvalent Features with "Sync. To Attributes" set to "Default" exits.

  2. Synchronization is turned on for a Polyvalent Feature, the Feature has

    2.1. "Sync. to Attributes" = "Default" and global configuration (page "Catalog Setup") of "Sync. to Attributes" is already turned on.

    2.2. "Sync. to Attributes" = "Yes", regardless of global configuration

  3. The Feature's Polyvalent is enabled, field "Sync. to Attributes"

    3.1. is already set to "Yes"

    3.2. is already set to "Default" and global configuration has "Sync. to Attributes" enabled

Be careful about the configuration of Feature. When Pimics synchronize it to Attributes, any change of the feature needs to be manually change also on the attribute. Translations are not synchronize at all.

Synchronize once Item Attribute to Feature

The Synchronize Item Attribute to Feature report allows you to migrate existing Item Attributes from Business Central to Pimics Features. This is particularly useful when upgrading from standard Business Central attribute management to the advanced Pimics Feature system.

Prerequisites

  • At least one Item Attribute exists in Business Central
  • Pimics Catalog Setup is configured with an internal Group System Number
  • The appropriate permissions are assigned (see Permissions)

How to Synchronize Item Attributes to Features

  1. Choose the Search icon (or use Alt+Q), enter Synchronize Item Attribute to Feature, and then choose the related link.

  2. In the Filters section of the Request page:

    • Item Attribute (mandatory): Select the Business Central Item Attribute you want to synchronize
    • Feature (optional):
      • Leave empty to create a new Feature automatically
      • Or select an existing Feature if you want to link the attribute to a specific Feature
    Note

    If you leave the Feature field empty, a new Feature will be automatically created with:

    • Description: Same as the Item Attribute name
    • Type: Automatically mapped based on the attribute type:
      • Decimal or Integer attributes → Numeric feature
      • Date attributes → Date feature
      • Text or Option attributes → Alphanumeric feature

  3. Choose OK to execute the report.

  4. If the Item Attribute is already linked to a different Feature, you will be asked to confirm if you want to overwrite the existing data. Select Yes to proceed or No to cancel.

What the Synchronization Process Does

When you run the report, the following actions occur:

  1. Feature Creation or Linking

    • If you selected a Feature: Links the Item Attribute to that existing Feature
    • If you left the Feature field empty: Creates a new Feature based on the attribute type and links it
    • Automatically creates a Unit if the Item Attribute has a unit of measure

  2. Feature Value Creation

    • For Item Attributes of type Option, all option values are converted to Pimics Feature Values
    • These values are created in the internal group system

  3. Product Feature Assignment

    • For each Item that has this Item Attribute assigned (via Item Attribute Value Mapping), a Product Feature line is created
    • The Product Feature is assigned the value from the Item Attribute Value Mapping
    • The Sync. to Attributes field is set to Yes, enabling bi-directional synchronization

Supported Item Attribute Types

The report supports the following Item Attribute types:

  • Text → converted to Alphanumeric feature
  • Option → converted to Alphanumeric feature (with values created)
  • Date → converted to Date feature
  • Decimal → converted to Numeric feature
  • Integer → converted to Numeric feature
Warning

Other attribute types (such as HTML) are not supported and cannot be synchronized.

Validation Rules

The synchronization process includes the following validations:

  1. Feature Type Compatibility: The Feature type must be one of:

    • Alphanumeric, Range, Date, Numeric, or Numeric Range

  2. Attribute-to-Feature Type Matching:

    • Text Item Attributes can only link to Alphanumeric or Range features
    • Option Item Attributes can only link to Alphanumeric or Range features
    • Date Item Attributes can only link to Date features
    • Numeric Item Attributes can only link to Numeric or Numeric Range features

  3. Single Feature Linkage:

    • An Item Attribute cannot be linked to multiple different Features
    • If already linked, you must confirm overwriting before proceeding

  4. Value Compatibility for Option Attributes:

    • If linking an Option attribute to an existing Feature that already has values, the attribute's values are added to the Feature's value set

Example Scenario

Scenario: You have a Business Central Item Attribute called "Color" with Option values: Red, Green, Blue

Steps:

  1. Run the Synchronize report
  2. Select Color in the Item Attribute field
  3. Leave the Feature field empty
  4. Choose OK

Result:

  • A new Alphanumeric Feature named "Color" is created
  • Feature Values are created: Red, Green, Blue
  • For each item that has Color attribute assigned (e.g., shirt items), a Product Feature line is created with the corresponding color
  • The synchronization is set to bidirectional

Permissions

To execute this report, you need the appropriate permission set. If you receive a permission error, contact your administrator to ensure your permission set includes access to:

  • The Synchronize Item Attribute to Feature report
  • Features table (read/write)
  • Item Attribute Value Mapping table (read)
  • Product Features table (write)

After Synchronization

Once synchronization is complete:

  1. Check the Features: Go to Classification > Features and verify the new Features were created correctly

  2. Verify Product Features: Open individual Items and check the PIM > Features action to see the synchronized Product Features

  3. Monitor Synchronization:

    • When you now change a Product Feature value on an Item, it automatically updates the corresponding Item Attribute
    • Changes to Item Attributes are synchronized to Features based on the configuration in Catalog Setup

  4. Related Synchronization Settings:

Tip

If you have multiple Item Attributes to synchronize, run the report for each attribute. You can also select multiple attributes at once if you're migrating an entire attribute set.

Feature Matrix: Batch Navigation

The Feature Matrix allows you to efficiently manage large sets of features for your products. You can load and edit features in batches of 20 columns, making it easier to work with products that have many specifications without excessive horizontal scrolling.

How to use:

  • In the Feature Matrix view, use the Next/Previous controls to navigate between batches of features.
  • This enables efficient editing and review of large sets of product specifications.

This is especially useful for catalogs with many technical attributes per item.

Classes

For each level of the catalog hierarchy (Items, Item Groups, Product Groups, and Chapters) can be defined a Class. To each Class can be assigned Features and Keywords. When the Class is applied to an Item or an Item Group then the Item/Item Group inherits the Features and Keywords from the Class.

Create Class

  1. Either go to Calssification tab and select Classes, o search for Classes
  2. Select New option
  3. New Class Card will be displayed
  4. Define Code or let it autofill after defining Description
  5. Unless you defined Groups, leave Group ID blank
  6. If you are Using specific Group system number, select it, otherwise leave INTERNAL
  7. In *Detailes tab, you can write down Class definition and select Checlist for this class.
  8. Fill in Translations if needed
  9. In Classification tab on Class card
    1. In Product Features assign Titles, Features and Feature groups, the Class wil contain.
    2. In Keywords assign Keyword, the Class will contain.

How to assign class to an Item

  1. Choose the search icon, enter Items, and then choose the related link.
  2. Select an item or [create a new one].
  3. Choose Classes action in the PIM group.
  4. In the Catalog Classes page set value to desired Class in field Number.
  5. Choose OK to close the page.
  6. Choose Features action in the PIM group.
  7. In the Features page you see all features from the class.
  8. Select one line fill up a value in field Value manually or use a lookup page.
  9. Choose OK to close the page.
  10. Choose Keywords action in the PIM group.
  11. In the Keywords page you can see all synonyms from the class.
  12. Chose OK to close the page.

Feature Matrix

Feature Matrix is Excel like spreadsheet, that allows you to See all Items and all features assigned to them in 1 view.
Matrix can be Transposed.

Filtering

To filter on features

  1. Click on List View
  2. Select Filter By Pim
  3. In field Type select Feature
  4. In Field Name celect one of the presented options
  5. In Firld Value You can manualy fill in, or select from the list
  6. Click Ok
Tip

If you wisht to filter on specific Feature and its Value, in first row of the filter set Field name to Description and in second row on the specific Value tied to said feature.

define rules