Update 2024.4: Complete Tour and Demos
Hi, everyone and welcome to our 24.4 update or review presentation. I'm Aurélien Schuster, I'm a Senior Program Manager here at Stibo Systems and I'm in charge of our global update communications. Today, I'm really looking forward to walking you through the latest 24.4 customer centric innovations designed to address your needs.
But please note that these enhancements are not just incremental improvements, they reflect our commitment to deliver value to you, our customers, by focusing on adaptability and continuous engagements. Our goal is clear, solving your problems with a solution that you guys love using. A solution which simplifies the way you work with your data while delivering greater value at every touchpoint.
So you know, with every updates, we're looking at enhancing your overall user experience to make it more seamless, productive, and aligned with your evolving needs. So with that said, let's dive right into the details and see how these updates can truly make a difference for you. So let's start this presentation with our new API Extension for User Management. It is designed to automate and reduce the manual effort involved in managing users and groups within STEP. Until now, STEP lacked the ability to modify users and user groups via API. So this led to increased operational overhead as manual processes were required for user management tasks.
So with 24.4 we are addressing this by introducing a series of REST resources for user and group management. These new APIs allow for tasks such as retrieving user information, creating and deleting users, setting user e-mail and attribute values, as well as managing groups and linking unlinking users from groups.
All of these features will reduce the operational overhead by allowing organizations to automate user and group management, improving efficiency and reducing manual work. Let's now talk about an important security enhancements, OAuth Authentication for Mail Relay. Currently, STEP only supports basic authentication for e-mail services, which is increasingly outdated and vulnerable. Furthermore, leading e-mail service providers such as Office 365 are set to discontinue support for Basic authentication in the near future. With 24.4, we are introducing OAuth 2.0 authentication for mail relay configuration.
This upgrade aligns STEP with modern security standards. It supports both client ID and secret based authentication as well as certificate based approaches for enhanced security. By adopting OAuth 2.0, step ensures a more secure e-mail
communication setup. This protects against vulnerabilities, keeps systems future proof, and continues to enable critical functions like workflow notifications and alerts. Next, let's dive into the JavaScript Logging enhancements. These are aimed at improving log management and system performance. Excessive logging from business rules can clutter logs. This makes it hard to identify system errors and it impacts performance.
To address this, we've implemented the following key changes in 24.4. So first of all, dedicated JavaScript logs. Logs from business rules are now stored in a separate JS logs directory. To reduce clutter in system logs.
Unhandled exceptions will be written to both log files. Second, environment specific debugging. Debug logging is disabled by default in production and pre production environments, but enabled in others for better performance.
Third, self-service configuration: for SaaS customers logging levels can be adjusted by self-service making log management more flexible. 4th Workbench Logging: when testing business rules in the workbench, log messages are showed in the dialogue to facilitate debugging and 5th Log traceability. Each log entry now includes the business rule ID, making it easier to trace the source of log entries. These enhancements provide better control over log management, they reduce system clutter and make debugging more efficient while maintaining performance in key environments. Next up, Message Streaming Enhancements. This initiative addresses the need for businesses to handle high volume data exchanges with commonly used technologies in their ecosystem.
Modern businesses require the ability to exchange data quickly and efficiently, especially in environments that support scalable high volume integrations. Previously, data on boarding could be a cumbersome batch orientated process. In 24.2 we introduced a Kafka based streaming component that allows near real time, even based message imports, eliminating the need for background processing and enabling faster data on boarding.
With update 24.4, we are expanding the message streaming solution to support business actions, enabling the handling of custom formats like Jason. This means that businesses can now perform more complex tasks during data imports, such as checking data integrity or modifying object based on the received information. The value this brings is 2 fold. First, faster and more efficient data onboarding, especially for high volume integrations.
And 2nd, greater flexibility in being able to manage complex business requirements by allowing custom data handling during the import process. This will improve data exchange efficiency, it will reduce onboarding times, and it will also offer more control over data management, making it easier for businesses to meet their specific integration needs. Let's now explore the recent enhancements in the Self-Service UI, which allows customers to manage their environments without relying on Stibo Systems' support.
Customers need to manage and update their environments efficiently without external assistance. The self-service UI is designed to facilitate this, and it continues to evolve for better usability and functionality. In previous updates, we have refreshed the Self-Service UI to align with the new STEP interface, and we've introduced features like update schedules and maintenance visibility. Now with 24.4, we've added the ability to manage access control via imports and exports. This streamlines our security.
Configurations are maintained and transferred between environments. This enhancement empowers customers to have more control over their environment. Improving security management and reducing reliance on manual processes ultimately make it easier to stay up to date. Let's now talk about the ETIM Dictionary Data Import initiative, which focuses on addressing the market need of supporting an API based solution to manage ETIM Dictionary data. Manufacturers rely on the European technical information model, ETIM, to ensure accurate standardized product data, especially for electrical products.
However, with ETIM discontinuing translation in IXF files, customers need a new way to retrieve those translations efficiently. In 24.4, we are introducing support for the ETIM Service API, which enables customers to connect to multiple servers for fetching translations. The solution also supports scheduled updates of ETIM Dynamic, ensuring manufacturers continue to receive standardized product information despite these changes.
The update will ensure that manufacturers continue to receive standardized, unambiguous product information despite changes in translation availability. Let's now focus on our Improved Translation Efficiency initiative, designed to meet our customers demand for faster, more flexible product data translation. This initiative aims to reduce costs while accelerating time to market. Currently, the Web UI offers limited translation capabilities, which forces customers to rely on the Workbench for translating product data. This dependency slows down the time to market and increases costs, resulting in an inefficient process. With 24.4, we're introducing a new translation screen in the
Web UI. Translators can now perform translations directly within this interface, and proofreaders can efficiently review and approve them, all without leaving the Web UI. This new screen makes the translation process faster, more flexible, and cost effective. By streamlining translation workflows, businesses can bring products to global markets more efficiently and sharing higher accuracy and quicker turn around times. Let's now take a look at how we've improved the user experience in the 24.4 updates, focusing on providing a more
modern and intuitive interface that helps users complete their tasks more efficiently. Customers are looking for an efficient and seamless experience when managing their data. The challenge has been making the interface easy to use while still maintaining the complexity and power needed for day-to-day operations. With 24.4, we've implemented key enhancements to the UI to
address this need. First, we have optimized workflows so that when users are submitting tasks on screen, updates happen much faster. This leads to a smoother, more responsive experience. 2nd, the note picker has been refined to make it easier and more intuitive to select reference targets. Now it only displays valid target objects based on the selected source objects, reducing confusion and improving efficiency. These improvements enhance the user experience by making the interface more responsive and intuitive, helping users work faster and with fewer errors.
A simplified modern UI means customers can complete tasks with less efforts and greater confidence. Next, let's dive into our AI Machine Learning Address Matcher initiative aimed at simplifying the matching process in CMDM projects. Building an accurate matching algorithm is complex and often underestimated. It requires significant expertise and time to fine tune, which can lead to delays, inaccuracies, and increased manual review efforts. Our vision of matching is underpinned by a mantra of MDM made easy. We want to minimize the burden in defining match rules and we're leveraging AI and ML to automate, enhance and improve the process.
Starting in 24.1, we introduced pre trained AI machine learning models that have captured industry standard and complex matching edge cases such as the person name matcher. We continued refining these models through subsequent updates. Now with 24.4, we're adding AI machine learning address
matchers to the mix, which can be incorporated into your existing matching rules, making it easier to create and fine tune matching algorithm, bolstering matching outcomes by improving the ability to compare common customer data elements as out-of-the-box, reducing the skills and effort required to establish a matching algorithm, ensuring faster ROI, better scalability, and easier future maintainability. Let's now explore the Salesforce MDM Connector initiative, which addresses the growing need for seamless integration between Salesforce and STEP. Salesforce is a widely used CRM serving as a primary source of master data as well as a key consumer of master data from STEP. As interoperability and connectivity between MDM and Salesforce is key, clients require a fast and certified approach for integrating Salesforce with their MDM system, ensuring efficient bi directional data flow to optimize business operations.
With the 24.4 updates we are delivering a Salesforce MDM connector designed to improve connectivity and interoperability between Salesforce and STEP. Key features include: bi directional synchronisation of data between Salesforce and STEP, support for merge and unmerge scenarios to keep customer data consistent, search before create functionality ensuring no duplicate records are created in Salesforce, and the app is optimized for Salesforce Lightning and is forward compatible with future Salesforce updates. The Salesforce Connector will accelerate time to value and deliver an improved implementation experience through a certified Salesforce app coupled with the best practice reference implementation, enhancing the overall integration experience, making it quicker and easier to achieve seamless data flow between Salesforce and their MDM system. Next, let's look at the Language Specific List of Values enhancement.
This initiative is designed to address the complexities global retailers face whenever onboarding product data in multiple languages. For global retailers, managing product data from suppliers in different regions and languages can be challenging. Suppliers often struggle to provide accurate data in their local languages, especially when dealing with list of values for product attributes. Currently, these LOVs are only available in a single language, adding to the confusion and leading to potential data errors. With the 24.4 updates, we're solving this issue by
introducing support for language specific LOVs within onboarding channels. This enhancement allows suppliers to interact with LOVs in their local languages, making the process more intuitive and reducing misunderstandings. The value this brings is clear, suppliers will have a better experience when onboarding data, especially non-english speaking users, leading to fewer data errors, improved data quality and smoother collaboration between global retailers and their suppliers.
Now, let's discuss our Asset Transformations initiative aimed at helping manufacturers and brand owners meet the diverse digital asset requirements of various retailers and marketplaces in a scalable and automated way. Manufacturers and brand owners often struggle with ensuring that their digital assets meet the different specifications required by various retailers and marketplaces. Manually adjusting assets to fit each channel's unique requirements is time consuming. It's inefficient, especially when scaling across multiple markets.
With the 24.4 updates, we're automating the transformation of digital assets. To streamline this process, two key features include: 1) image size conversion, which automatically converts images to the required sizes for each channel. This ensures compliance with channel specific requirements and reduces the need for multiple versions of the same image, saving time and effort.
And 2) image file type conversion, which automatically converts images to different file formats like JPEGs, PNGs, or TIFs as required by various channels. This not only helps meet partner expectations but also optimizes storage and reduces manual efforts. By automating these transformations, businesses can efficiently manage their digital assets at scale, ensuring compliance with channel requirements while reducing upstream manual tasks.
This ultimately saves time, improves operational efficiency, and helps brands focus on driving value. Next, let's talk about AI Attribute Matching. It's an exciting initiative aimed at simplifying the syndication process for manufacturers and brand owners. These manufacturers and these brand owners often face significant challenges in establishing and maintaining mappings between their master data model and the various retailers and e-commerce platform they syndicate to. For those beginning or expanding the syndication journey, mapping data to different channels can take weeks or even months. With the 24.3 updates, we began using AI to enhance this
process, offering automated mapping suggestions to reduce the time and effort required. Now with 24.4, we're taking this a step further. Users will be able to view and apply all AI generated mapping suggestions with just a single click, significantly speeding up the process. At the same time, users will still have the flexibility to override the AI suggestions and apply their own mappings when needed.
This enhancement will drastically reduce the time it takes to set up mappings for new syndication channels, accelerating the time to value for each PDX syndication channel, and simplifies the roll out to vendors for retailers using PDX on boarding. By automating much of the mapping process, businesses can focus on scaling their syndication and onboarding efforts more efficiently while ensuring accuracy. Next is our Channel Management enhancements initiative. It addresses the growing need for manufacturers and for brand owners to efficiently manage their expanding list of marketplaces and retailers. As businesses grow, so does the number of channels that need to manage. Keeping track of these channels and reporting on them can become cumbersome, particularly when trying to ensure that all syndication activities are running smoothly across various platforms.
With the 24.4 updates, we've enhanced the PDX user interface to streamline channel management, making it more efficient and user friendly. Key improvements include 1) channel exports. Users can now easily export their list of syndication channels from PDX, enabling them to create reports for leadership and collaborate with internal teams. This feature helps provide a clearview of active channels and simplifies communication around syndication activities.
And 2) with channel search, we've added a search function within the Channel Management tab, allowing users to quickly locate the specific channel they need to modify. This saves time and it makes the platform easier to navigate. These enhancements provide users with greater visibility into their syndication channels, making it easier to report, manage and modify channels as needed.
This not only accelerates operations but also improves efficiency across teams as they scale their channel footprints. Next, we have the Digital Catalog API Reporting initiative, which focuses on helping manufacturers and brand owners ensure their product contents is not only available, but also effectively consumed by their retail partners. As brands strive to keep their product information current, they need visibility into how their retail partners are accessing this data. Currently, while brands can provide product content through the digital catalog and technically savvy partners can retrieve it via an API, there's no way for catalog owners to track whether their partners have successfully pulled this data. With the 24.4 updates, we're introducing a new reporting
feature for digital catalog owners. This will include, first, an API request overview, which is a dedicated page that shows all digital catalog API requests made within a specified time frame. Second, a product pull tracking, which allows users to be able to see how many products have been pooled by each partner.
And 3rd, an error reporting, which provides insights into any errors that occurred during these requests, enabling proactive troubleshooting and ensuring smooth data access. All of these enhancements empower digital catalog owners with the necessary insights to track partner engagements, identify any access issues and ensure that end customer facing product data is consistently updated and accurate. This leads to improved partner relationships and a better overall customer experience. Our next initiative is the TradeSolution channel, which focuses on enhancing packaging hierarchy support. PDX currently lacks support for complex packaging hierarchies within the TradeSolution channel, which is crucial for customers seeking greater efficiency.
TradeSolution develops Environmental Product Declaration solutions, otherwise known as EPDs. They do it for the Norwegian market, and they collaborate with major players in the grocery industry. The current limitation prevents the creation and maintenance of packaging structures with the same GTINs appearing in multiple hierarchies. With the 24.4 updates, we're addressing this issue by enabling complex packaging hierarchies within the TradeSolution channel. This enhancement allows products to be packaged and reused in various configurations, such as pallets versus half pallets.
Key features include: support for creating and maintaining complex packaging hierarchies, basic and advanced workflows for GTIN reuse, implementation of guardrails to prevent duplicate GTIN creation in the TradeSolution channel. These improvements provide significant value by increasing efficiency and flexibility in packaging configurations. Customers can now manage packaging structures more effectively, allowing for various configurations and ensuring accurate GTIN managements, which prevents duplication and maintains data integrity.
Next, we have the Efficient Attribute Mappings initiative, designed to streamline the process for manufacturers and Consumer Packaged Goods companies who manage extensive product assortments. Manufacturers often struggle with creating and maintaining below the fold content for large product ranges because existing tools are not scalable enough. This inefficiency can slow down the workflow and complicate the management of product data across multiple channels.
With the 24.4 updates, we've introduced a significant enhancement to the template mapping process. Now users can browse available attributes using a type ahead feature directly within the relevant content fields. This approach greatly reduces the number of steps needed to populate product data into all necessary fields.
Given that brands manage templates for hundreds of product categories, this efficiency is crucial to speed up the creation and maintenance of engaging product stories for all retailers and marketplaces supporting it. As we wrap up, I'd like to thank all of you for taking the time to attend this presentation today. A special thanks goes out to all of our partners, all of our customers, your feedback, your collaboration are really what help us shape the future of our solution together. We're looking forward to bring even more exciting updates with version 25.1 coming in spring 2025. But until then, on behalf of Stibo Systems, we want to wish you all a happy holiday season and we look forward to continuing this journey with you into the new year. Thank you very much.
Bye bye.
2024-12-21 02:04
