Bulk Price Increase

[3dk]

Hi, Can anyone suggest how I can increase prices across the catalog (8000 products). The problem I have is that all my products are permutations and when I try the hierarchical export file route as suggested in the Actinic knowledge base, the instructions are given for products. All my prices are listed in the permutations section, which I can change/increase easy enough, but I have problems mapping the import fields when trying to update the prices. Many thanks.

Steve

[fergusw]

Hi Steve,
Your best bet is most likely a scripted change directly into the database itself rather than through the export/import CSV change as requested.

The price values for permutations lie in the ProductProperties table in the nValue1 field within the Actinic database. Note: these entries are in pence!
They are only for those entries in the table where the nType = 8 i.e. for permutations.

What is the particular increase you are after as there may be a simple-ish way to do this.

[3dk]

Hi Fergus,

Thanks for your reply. Sounds easy enough...ehh... How does one change the script directly in the database. Do I need to open ActinicCatalog in Access which I don't have, or can the ProductProperties be updated in Excel? I have changed all the prices in the 'nValue1 field' in Excel, I now need to import them back into Actinic and I'm not sure how! Some guidance would be appreciated.

Steve

[fergusw]

Hi Steve,
Sorry - I should have been more explicit in my response. When I mentioned a "scripted" change I was referring to some scripted programme e.g. VBScript, written to programmatically run through the database and make the changes as required.
Without knowing the specifics of what you need to do I wouldn't be able to suggest an alternative.
Opening an Access table in Excel only allows a read-only, one-way viewing of the data in the table and not a simple way to get it back, AFAIK.
Microsoft Access would give you direct access to the database table but it would still mean manual changes directly into the database.

There may be a more automated way for you here e.g. if you required a blanket 5% change across all permutations for example, however without knowing the specifics then I would not be able to advise/help any further I'm afraid.

[Duncan Rounding]

...
Opening an Access table in Excel only allows a read-only, one-way viewing of the data in the table and not a simple way to get it back, AFAIK...

You can export a table to Excel and then import it back in again overwriting the original. make sure you keep everything else the same in the table apart from the pricing mind. Backup the database first.

[fergusw]

You can export a table to Excel and then import it back in again overwriting the original. make sure you keep everything else the same in the table apart from the pricing mind. Backup the database first.

There you go Steve - a simpler way to do it and it sounds like your half way there. This would mean you would still need MS Access though to import from the spreadsheet into the Actinic Access database! - is not correct Duncan?

[Duncan Rounding]

Yes - you would still need Access to import back again.

[fergusw]

Do I need to open ActinicCatalog in Access which I don't have,

So back to either a) getting access, b) doing it manually in Actinic, c) getting someone else to do it manually or d) we could look at some kind of scripted way to change this

By scripted, to clarify, I mean some form of VBScript which would perform an automated operation against the productproperties table
e.g.

Update ProductProperties SET nValue1 = (nValue1 * 1.15) WHERE nType = 8

*pseudo code - not tested

the above example simply being some SQL which will update ALL permutation prices and increase them by 15%.

[3dk]

Thanks for your collective advice guys.

I could trial Access for 60 days, problem is I did that earlier in the year and if I try again it will show trial has expired. Guess I'll have to try another trial on a different machine and jiggle some files between the external hard drive!

The problem with a scripted solution as I understand, it can only add a percentage increase across the whole catalogue and the price increases I have range between 5% on some items through to 15% on others!!

I have already changed all the prices down an Excel spreadsheet so I will try the jiggle option. If I get stuck getting the speadsheet back via Access, I will have to put out another shout. Thanks Again.

Steve

PS I dont understand why the hierarchical export file route as suggested in the Actinic knowledge base (link below) works for products but not for permutations!

http://kb.actinic.com/activekb/quest...ach+product%3F

[fergusw]

Hi Steve,
If you do not have any luck with any of these options then drop me a line. I've written a couple of tools that allow selective bulk editing within the Actinic program e.g. by product or section, that may be modified slightly to allow you to do what I think you need to do
i.e. select certain sections and/or products and alter the price of the child product's permutations in one action.

[3dk]

Thanks Fergus,

I'll keep you posted.