Export Module Overview

The Export Module (implemented in pxm/export) is a core component of the prodexa PXM platform. It enables business users and administrators to share, distribute, and publish high-quality product data to business partners, external databases, print servers, and marketplaces (such as Amazon or SAP).

Instead of relying on hardcoded, expensive, and fragile IT-driven custom exports, the prodexa PXM Export Module provides a highly configurable, self-service infrastructure. Users can easily define what data gets exported, how it is structured/transformed, where it is sent, and when the export job should run.

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Solutions & Core Architecture

An export job is executed through an Export Channel, which binds together three main configurations:

                  ┌─────────────────────────────────┐
                  │         Export Channel          │
                  └────────┬───────────────┬────────┘
                           │               │
         ┌─────────────────┘               └─────────────────┐
         ▼                                                   ▼
┌──────────────────┐                               ┌──────────────────┐
│  Output Format   │                               │  Communication   │
│  (exportFormat)  │                               │   Destination    │
└────────┬─────────┘                               └────────┬─────────┘
         │                                                  │
         ▼                                                  ▼
┌──────────────────┐                               ┌──────────────────┐
│• FreeMarker      │                               │• Workarea File   │
│  Engine          │                               │• REST API        │
│• JXLS Excel      │                               │• FTP / SFTP      │
│  Templates       │                               │• Email (Mail)    │
└──────────────────┘                               └──────────────────┘

1. Which Data (Export Channel Filters): Restricts the scope of exported products based on catalogs, product groups, contract prices, or languages.
2. Output Format (exportFormat): Defines the structural mapping and syntax of the target file (XML, JSON, CSV, Excel, HTML, or PDF).
3. Communication Destination (communication): Specifies the protocol and credentials used to send the generated export package to its destination.

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User Stories

Administrator / Integrator

1. Define Channels: Creates and tests a REST Web Service communication destination to send product data to a retailer API.
2. Write Mapping Rules: Sets up a FreeMarker mapping template to construct valid catalog formats matching partner requirements.
3. Automate: Schedules the export to run weekly and emails a status report.

Business User / Product Manager

1. Request Export: Triggers a manual export to Excel using JXLS templates containing active assortments.
2. Monitor: Watches progress on the Job Dashboard and downloads the finished zip archive.