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Inventory: data load best practices

The following best practices are recommended when using the data load utility to load inventory data.

ATP inventory

• 
  Load RA and RADETAIL data

  There are two options to initially load the RA and RADETAIL data:

  • Load the RA and RADETAIL data together in a single CSV file.

  • Load the RA and RADETAIL data separately. After loading the RA data, you then load the RADETAIL data.

  The first option might cause the RA data to be loaded multiple times, slowing down performance. Here are some guidelines to assist you in making a choice:

  • If the data to be loaded is large, and there are many RADETAIL records under a RA record, it is better to use the second option. Using the second option avoids the RA data being loaded multiple times.

  • Otherwise, use the first option for better manageability.

• 
  Load the data store by store

  To load inventory data for multiple stores, it is better to load it per store.

• 
  Fulfillment center unique ID

  If you know the fulfillment center unique ID, use it instead of the fulfillment center name. Performance is improved when the fulfillment center unique ID is used instead.

• 
  RA and receipt data creation time

  IBM recommends to specify the creation time in the CSV file during the initial load of the RA data and receipt data. If you do not specify the creation time the current system time is used.

  
  Adoption of the FulfillmentPropertiesMediator

  FulfillmentPropertiesMediator is designed to populate an ATP inventory related to the configuration data separately (without the catalog entry data). So, it is recommended to use this mediator if you only want to update inventory-related configuration.

• 
  RA.CREATETIME/RECEIPT.CREATETIME/RADETAIL.EXPECTEDDATE

  When you update the RA.CREATETIME, RECEIPT.CREATETIME, or RADETAIL.EXPECTEDDATE data, delete the record in the target first and then insert a new record with the desired date. For example, to update RA.CREATETIME, two rows of data are needed in the CSV file.

  Example: Updating RA.CREATETIME

  VendorName	CreateTime	OrderDate	ClosedDate	OpenIndicator	ExternalId	LastUpdate	Delete
  J and J Company	2008-05-15 00:00:00.0	2008-04-15 00:00:00.0	2008-12-24 00:00:00.0	False	ATP-1301 Record 1	2009-01-12 00:00:00	1
  J and J Company	2008-06-16 00:00:00.0	2008-04-15 00:00:00.0	2008-12-24 00:00:00.0	False	ATP-1301 Record 1	2009-01-12 00:00:00	0

Related tasks

Examples: Mapping pricing data

Examples: Mapping inventory data

Related reference

Catalog: data load best practices

Price: data load best practices

Examples: Mapping catalog data

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