Channels

The Channels page is where you configure product feeds for your application. This functionality is commonly used by developers when setting up system integrations, allowing you to create and manage feeds that distribute product data to external systems.

Overview

Channels serve as the configuration hub for product feed distribution in Norce:

• Product feed management: Configure how product data is exported and distributed
• System integrations: Enable connections between Norce and external systems
• Export control: Manage different types of exports (full or delta)
• Data distribution: Currently supports Azure Blob storage for feed distribution

Channel List View

When you first access the Channels page, you'll see a list of all current channels configured for your application. From this view, you can:

• View existing channels and their configurations
• Create new channels
• Click into individual channels to edit their settings

Channel Configuration

Job Key

At the top of each channel configuration, you'll find the job key. This unique identifier is essential for integrations as it's used to create and generate new feeds programmatically.

Settings section

The Settings section contains the core configuration options for your channel:

Required Fields

• Name: Display name for the channel
• Description: Detailed description of the channel's purpose
• Cultures: Language and regional settings for the feed
• Price Lists: Pricing information to include in the feed

Feed Type Configuration

Depending on the type of channel feed you're creating, additional settings will appear in the lower section of the Settings tab.

Supported Feed Types

Azure Blob

Currently, Norce supports one feed type:

• Azure Blob: Distributes feeds to Azure data services
• Download capability: Access completed feeds directly from Azure storage
• Future expansion: Additional feed types may be added in future releases

Log Tab

The Log tab provides comprehensive tracking and management of your channel exports.

Export History

View and manage all exports that have been processed through the channel:

• Unique keys: Each log entry has its own unique identifier
• Export scope: Filter by delta (incremental) or full exports
• Export type: Identify different types of exports processed
• Date filtering: Search exports by date range

Log Information

Each log entry displays:

• Items count: Number of products included in the export
• Processing duration: Time taken to process the export
• Export status: Current status of the export process

Download Capability

You can download export results directly from the UI:

• Manual review: Access export data for manual inspection
• Download icon: Located on the right side of each log item
• Data size warning: Be cautious as export files can be quite large

Working with Channels

Creating New Channels

1. Navigate to the Channels page
2. Click to create a new channel
3. Configure basic settings (name, description, cultures, price lists)
4. Select and configure the appropriate feed type
5. Note the generated job key for integration use

Managing Exports

1. Access the Log tab for the relevant channel
2. Use filters to find specific exports:
   • Search by unique key
   • Filter by scope (delta/full)
   • Filter by export type
   • Filter by date range
3. Download results as needed for review

Integration Setup

Developers can use the job key to:

• Trigger new feed generation programmatically
• Integrate with external systems
• Automate product data distribution processes

Additional reading

Read about product feeds in the technical documentation.