Overview
The extent of data to be output by exports and the API is identical for each combination of data format and output format. This means that no matter which output format is selected, the content of the data in the data format is always identical.
However, there is a contract-dependent limit per export for all combinations of data format and output format.
The following formatting types are permitted and use the specified format identifiers. The xsd scheme of the available output formats can be retrieved via the info method.
| Data format / output format | CSV | JSON | XML | Application |
| standard* | x | x | x | Products and product search |
| standardUpdate | x | x | x | Products and product search |
| developer** | x | x | x | Products and product search |
| developerUpdate | x | x | x | Products and product search |
| deal | x | x | Orders | |
| quote | x | x | Quotes | |
| company | x | x | Manufacturers and suppliers | |
| producttype | x | x | categories | |
| ORDER, ORDERRESPONSE, DISPATCHNOTIFICATION, INVOICE | x | OpenTrans 2.1 Order documents | ||
| QUOTE | x | OpenTrans 2.1 Offer documents |
* Recommended by ITscope, covering almost all applications.
** Only for professionals who are familiar with the ITscope data structure. It is only recommended with a technical consultation through ITscope.
Data formats for adding items
This profile is recommended and covers almost all ITscope connections. This type contains only selected data that is designed to be sufficient for most purposes without generating too much data volume. The data in the profile is aggregated, i.e. everything is already pre-filled for immediate use: IDs, pictures, texts, keys, prices, technical features.
This profile provides the data in simply usable form – as flat CSV files, or in XML, or in JSON format with product, vendor, features and cross-selling data.
This profile is recommended for daily matching.
All data available on the ITscope platform for a product are output, including complete content. This profile is only for professionals, users who are familiar with the complete structure of ITscope data and are willing to learn it.
We always recommend that you consult ITscope for technical advice. Through an appropriate introduction to the data structure and the meaning of the respective data objects tailored to your needs, unnecessary effort is saved.
Formats in table form are available as a single table for this data type. For relevant 1:1 relationships, the referenced record was included in the table. For each 1:n relationship, a number of the references that are to be included are defined. The same number of fields are always used in the whole table. If there are only three sets for four configured references, the field entries are generated for all four, but remain empty for the missing fourth set. For repetitive fields, the field names are numbered with a counter.
This profile is recommended for daily matching.
Data formats for item updates
The update profile always matches the corresponding main profile and only provides dynamic data for updating, such as prices, stocks and delivery dates. The data volume is less than the main profile and is mostly used to keep the target system’s dynamic data up to date.
This profile can be used for an efficient hourly comparison of prices and availabilities.
The update profile always matches the corresponding main profile and only provides dynamic data for updating, such as prices, stocks and delivery dates. The data volume is less than the main profile and is mostly used to keep the target system’s dynamic data up to date.
This profile can be used for an efficient hourly comparison of prices and availabilities.
Output format properties
The data output from exports and the API can be written in the following formats:
- Table format: CSV
- Hierarchical format: XML, JSON
General properties for all output formats:
- No carriage returns (CR) or linefeeds (LF) within columns or elements
- All data is encoded in UTF-8
The contents of all formats (CSV, JSON, XML) are grouped in the following categories:
- Identifiers & IDs, eg PUID, EAN, icecatID
- Product description and name
- References
- Categorisation and attributes
- Dimensions
- Links and images
- Prices and stock levels
- HTML datasheet data and marketing texts
Output format CSV
This data type means that tabular formats contain more than one table, because objects reference each other. These formats always have a unique identifier for each set and reference these identifiers from sets linked to them.
The CSV format is a tabular format written by ITscope in the following way:
- Data is always compressed and is provided as a ZIP package.
- Data sets are separated by line breaks (CRLF).
- Fields are separated by tab (\t).
- The first line consists of the field names, also separated by tab (\t).
- Character strings have no quoting, i.e. no quoting of the individual columns with quotation marks (“).
- Tabulators and line breaks do not appear within character strings.
- Floating point numbers contain a decimal point and no separator for thousands.
- Date values are in the form of ‘dd.MM.yyyy hh: mm’, for example ‘12.05.2020 08:02’.
- CSV files are encoded in UTF-8.
CSV downloads are delivered as a compressed ZIP file. Multi-file CSV formats contain several CSV files that reference each other in the ZIP archive. Even in cases where only a single file is delivered as a result, the ZIP archive may contain several files.
- log.csv: contains a list of the products that have been filtered out and the reason for this filtering – this information is intended for ITscope support in order to be able to better research problems.
- ERROR.txt: exists if errors have occurred. The file is not included in an error-free export. The file is present but empty, the reason could not be determined.
Output format XML
Hierarchical formats contain all information, but the corresponding objects are subordinate to the referencing object embedded in the parent.
XML is a hierarchical format in which a parent object embeds subordinate objects.
The field names are used as names for the XML elements. Referenced objects have already been resolved and are directly integrated into the parent element.
XML files are transferred directly, without additional files, and are only compressed to HTTP gzip if the Accept-Encoding header has been set. More information about compressed API responses can be found here. They can be viewed directly in the browser if they are retrieved via the browser. The log information on filtered products are attached as <log> elements at the end.
Output format JSON
JSON, like XML, is a hierarchical format that uses a more space-saving syntax. The two formats are very similar in structure.
JSON is a hierarchical format in which a parent object embeds subordinate objects.
The field names are used as names for the JSON elements. Referenced objects have already been resolved and are directly integrated into the parent element.
JSON files are transferred directly, without additional files, and are only compressed to HTTP gzip if the Accept-Encoding header has been set. More information about compressed API responses can be found here. They can be viewed directly in the browser if they are retrieved via the browser. The log information on filtered products are attached as <log> elements at the end.