Lesson 3: Connect Reference Data

The final step in your Magento connection is to link up your Brightpearl reference data, such as Brands and Options, to the Magento equivalent. This is important so that Magento can recognise your Brightpearl products and display them correctly. Once you have completed these steps your product information will begin to synchronise.

In this guide you will learn:

1. What reference data needs to be connected
2. (UK users only) How to set up Magento localisation for the UK
3. How to create and connect Brightpearl reference data to the equivelant Magento data

Watch this video, or follow the steps below:

1. What reference data needs to be connected

The following reference data needs to be connected before a product will be updated on Magento:

• Brands
• Product Types
• Options (if you have product variants)
• Option values (if you have product variants)
• Tax codes

If you are an existing Brightpearl user...

It's likely that all your Brands, Product Types, Options, Option Values and Tax codes exist already, so you'll just need to duplicate them directly in Magento and then connect them up.

If you are an existing Magento user but new to Brightpearl...

Before you consider linking up your live Magento site you should spend a decent amount of time learning how to use Brightpearl. As soon as your store is connected to Brighpearl orders will begin downloading and you will need to know what to do with them!

Once you're confident with Brightpearl you will need all your Magento products, types, brands, attributes etc. to be created as records. To make use of our import service please email us at Magento@brightpearl.com.

More information on Magento Professional Services

If you are new to both Brightpearl and Magento...

You're going to need to set up all your Brands, Product Types, Options, Option Values and Tax codes in Brightpearl and then duplicate them in Magento before connecting them all up.

2. (UK only) How to set up Magento localisation for UK

If you have a UK Brightpearl account you will firstly need to ensure you have the localisation on your Magento account set to UK. This involves a number of steps.

Watch this video or follow the steps below to localise your Magento account:

Countries

Specify your default country and language settings:

1. Go to System > Configuration.
2. Click on Countries Options to expand the section and view the settings. Make the Default Country the United Kingdom.
3. Click on Local Options to expand the section and select your Timezone and language (Locale).
4. Click the Save Config button.

Currencies

Define your base currency and any other allowed currencies for sales:

1. Still in System > Configuration, select Currencies Setup from the menu on the left-hand side.
2. Click on Currency Options to expand the section.
3. Select British Pound Sterling as the Base Currency and Default Display Currency and also ensure it is selected as an Allowed Currency.
4. Click the Save Config button.

Tax Classes

You will need to create new Tax Classes; one for each tax code in Brightpearl:

1. Go to Sales > Tax > Product Tax Classes.
2. The default classes that come with Magento are listed. To add another class click the Add New button.
3. Enter the class name (e.g. VAT Standard) and save.
4. Add more classes as required, you'll need one for each of the tax codes you use in your Brightpearl account.

Tax Rates

Next you need to create the Tax Rates:

1. You now need to assign rates to the classes, go to Sales > Tax > Manage Tax Zones & Rates.
2. Click the Add New Tax Rate button and make the following entries.
3. Click the Save Tax Rate button.
   • Tax Identifier - Type VAT
   • Country - Select United Kingdom
   • Rate Percent - Enter the current VAT rate, e.g. 20
4. Add more rates as required.

Tax Rules

You now need to create Tax Rules to connect the Tax Rates to customers.

1. Go to Sales > Tax > Manage Tax Rules.
2. Click the Add New button and make the following entries:
   • Name – Enter VAT
   • Customer Tax Class – Select your customer type the rate will apply to
   • Product Tax Class – Select the tax code this rate will apply
   • Tax Rate - Select the rate that will apply
3. Click the Save Rule button.
4. Create more rules as required.
5. You can now delete the default rules if you no longer require them. Click to edit and select the Delete Rule button.

You can now go back to Tax Rates and delete the rates you no longer need. It is not possible to delete rates while they are still connected to rules. Then you can go back to Tax Classes and delete unwanted classes. It is not possible to delete classes while they are still connected to rates. You will not be able to delete tax classes that have any attached products, so any example products will also need to be deleted.

3. How to create and connect Brightpearl reference data to the equivalent Magento data

Brands

Every product you create in Brightpearl requires a brand. Brands is not a concept that Magento supports, so to ensure you still get all the same benefits in Brightpearl, such as reporting, we've designed the integration to use the Magento "Manufacturer" Attribute as the brand. All of your product brands must exist in Magento under the Attribute named "Manufacturer" and this Attribute must be assigned to all of your Attribute Sets. This attribute comes as standard with new Magento accounts, but if you don't have it, add a new Attribute named "Manufacturer".

...in Brightpearl

To create brands in Brightpearl:

1. Go to Setup > Products / Inventory > Brands.
2. Click the Add a new brand button.
3. Enter the name and save.

...in Magento

To create brands in Magento:

1. Go to Catalogue > Attributes > Manage Attributes.
2. Search for the Attribute "Manufacturer" using the search, click on it to open.
3. Ensure the "Catalog Input Type for Store Owner" field has Dropdown selected.
4. Click the Manage Label / Options menu on the left.
5. Enter each of your Brightpearl Brands as an Attribute Value.
6. Save the Attribute.

Next, the "Manufacturer" Attribute needs to be assigned to each one of your Attribute Sets, and any you create in the future. Until you have done this you will not be able to synchronise your Brands. When you can create new Sets you can base it on an existing one, in which case it will automatically be assigned.

1. Go to Catalogue > Attributes > Manage Attribute Sets.
2. Click on the first Attribute Set to open the setup screen.
   Note: If you are new to Magento you will only have the "Default" set.
3. The Manufacturer Attribute should be listed on the far right as an "Unassigned Attrbute". Assign it to a Group by clicking and dragging it into one of the listed Groups in the centre section. You can place it in the General folder, or create a new folder (each folder represents a menu on a Magento product record). In the screen shot below a new folder called "Brand" has been added.
4. Save the Attribute Set.

...Link Brightpearl Brands to Magento Brands ("Manufacturer" attribute values)

1. Go to Setup > Channels > Magento dashboard.
2. In the Brands information box click the Connect Brands link.
3. Click the Download data now button to open the connection between Brightpearl and Magento. This may take a few minutes. Click the refresh link to check if the process has completed. When it is completed the download button will re-appear and a timestamp will indicate the connection was made.
   Note: This download will read all your existing Magento data so you will not need to do this again for the following reference data unless you make new items or make changes.
4. Click the Connect link next to the first brand name.
5. In the pop-up window click the Connect to Magento link to search for matching brands in Magento.
6. The brands from Magento will be listed. Click the Connect link next to the result you want to connect to.
7. Continue to connect all your brands this way.

Product Types

Product Types are used to categorise your products and define which options are applicable when creating variants of this type. Only options that are assigned to a product type can be used, for example:

• The product type of "Ladies' Clothes" uses options "Dress Size" and "Colour"
• The product type of "Children's Clothes" uses "Kids Size" and "Colour"
• The product type of "Men's Clothes" uses "Mens Size" and "Colour"

Notice how the same option can apply to more than one product type. 

Each product in Brightpearl requires a Product Type; you may only be using the "Default" type across all your products but you will still need to connect it to the equivalent Magento Attribute Set.

...in Brightpearl

To add new Product Type in Brightpearl:

1. Go to Setup > Products / Inventory > Product types.
2. Click the Add product type button.
3. Enter the name, select the options applicable to this type and save.
   Note: These Options must be pre-defined. You can edit later if you need to add more.

...in Magento

To add a new Attribute Set in Magento:

1. Go to Catalogue > Attributes > Manage Attribute Sets.
2. Any existing Attribute Sets will be listed. Click the Add New Set button.
3. Enter a name for the Set, and select which Set it should be based on. This will copy the all the settings, including any assigned Attributes.
4. Click the Save Attribute Set button.
5. You will need to assign the Attributes applicable to this Attribute Set, including the Manufacturer Attribute! Any unassigned attributes will be listed on the far right.
   Note: This Set will be a copy of the one it was based on, so some attribites may already be assigned.
   Assign more Attributes to the Set by clicking and dragging unassigned attributes into one of the listed Groups in the centre section. You can place it in the General folder, or create a new folder (each folder represents a menu on a Magento product record). In the screen shot below a new folder called "Variants" has been added.
   Remember: The "Manufacturer" Attribute must be assigned to ALL Attribute Sets, so make sure you drag that one across too. 
6. Save the Attribute Set.

...Link Brightpearl Product Types to Magento Attribute Sets

1. Go to Setup > Channels > Magento dashboard.
2. In the Product types information box click the Connect Product types link.
3. Click the Download data now button to open the connection between Brightpearl and Magento. This may take a few minutes. Click the refresh link to check if the process has completed. When it is completed the download button will re-appear and a timestamp will indicate the connection was made.
   Note: You will not need to do this if you have just downloaded for other reference data, such as Brands, and haven't created any new data since.
4. Click the Connect link next to the first product type name.
5. In the pop-up window click the Connect to Magento link to search for matching brands in Magento.
6. The Attribute Sets from Magento will be listed. Click the Connect link next to the result you want to connect to.
7. Continue to connect all your product types this way.

Options and Option Values

...in Brightpearl

To add new Options and Option Values in Brightpearl:

1. Go to Setup > Products / Inventory > Options.
2. Enter the Option name and click the Add new button.
3. You will need to define the Option Values too. Go to Setup > Products / Inventory > Option Values.
4. In the top-right, select the Option type from the drop-down menu and enter the first Option Value, click the Add new button.
5. Continue to add values in the way as required.

...in Magento

To add a new Attribute and Attribute Values in Magento:

1. Go to Catalogue > Attributes > Manage Attributes.
2. Any existing Attribute Sets will be listed. Click the Add New Set button.
3. Enter the Name, and if you want to copy the settings of another existing Set, select it from the drop-down.
4. Click the Save Attribute Set button.
5. Next, you will need to assign the Attributes applicable to this Attribute Set. Click on the The Manufacturer Attribute should be listed on the far right as an "Unassigned Attrbute". Assign it to a Group by clicking and dragging it into one of the listed Groups in the centre section. You can place it in the General folder, or create a new folder (each folder represents a menu on a Magento product record). In the screen shot below a new folder called "Brand" has been added.Drag the relevant Attributes on the right-hand side into a Group within the Attribute Set in the centre column, and save.
6. Remember: The "Manufacturer" Attribute must be assigned to ALL Attribute Sets, so make sure you drag that one across too.
7. Save the Attribute Set.

...Link Brightpearl Options & Values to Magento Attributes & Attribute Values

1. Go to Setup > Channels > Magento dashboard.
2. In the Product types information box click the Connect Options link.
3. Connect your Options in the same way as Brands and Product Types, above.
4. Do the same for your Option Values.

Tax Codes

...in Brightpearl

To prepare Tax Codes in Brightpearl you should read the detailed tax guides.

...in Magento

To prepare Tax Classes in Magento you will need to add Tax Classes, Tax Rates and Tax Rules. By default Magento is set up for USA sales tax:

1. Go to Sales > Tax > Product Tax Classes to view/add you different tax classes, e.g. taxable, non-taxable.
2. Go to Sales > Tax > Manage Tax Zones & Rates to view/add different rates of tax.
3. Go to Sales > Tax > Manage Tax Rules to view/add rules for when each tax rate is applied.

...Link Brightpearl Tax Codes to Magento Tax Classes

1. Go to Setup > Channels > Magento dashboard.
2. In the Tax codes information box click the Connect Tax codes link.
3. Connect your Tax Codes in the same way as Brands and Product Types, above.

You are now ready to begin synchronising your products...