Can SDM be used for a one-time project?

SDM is built to handle recurring data flows, such as suppliers regularly providing product updates. While it can assist with initial data preparation and cleanup during a project’s setup, its main purpose is to manage ongoing data processes beyond a single load.

Can SDM integrate with my other systems?

Yes! SDM can connect to any system that uses structured and complete product information. As of today, SDM has built-in connectors for Akeneo and Mirakl.

If you’re using another platform, a custom integration would need to be developed by your IT team or implementation partner. A great use case is connecting both your PIM and ERP to sync prices and stock from supplier files directly into your ERP. That said, connecting SDM only to an ERP is less common since ERPs typically act as data repositories rather than operational systems for product workflows.

Does SDM support Single Sign-On (SSO)?

Not at this time. SDM does not currently have SSO capabilities.

Should I create one workflow per supplier?

Most customers create a small number of workflows, typically one for each data destination (e.g., one for the PIM and another for the ERP). Having a workflow for each supplier is not recommended, as it:

• Makes workflows harder to manage.
• Prevents AI training from being shared across suppliers, limiting automation benefits.
• Undermines the efficiency of the Supplier Access feature.

What is the difference between a workflow and a job?

A workflow is a collection of modules designed to accomplish specific tasks that meet the customer's needs. Customers can view multiple workflows. A job refers to an individual task within the workflow, such as loading and using a file in one of the customer's projects.

What if I need to proceed with valid products but still have items under review?

It is possible to remove products requiring further review at the normalization step, or via extra configuration in your SDM at any step of the workflow and proceed with the rest. At the end of the workflow, SDM generates a downloadable file listing all deleted products. This file can be sent back to the supplier for corrections or handled separately.

Can SDM allow only data enrichment and block new product creation?

Yes, SDM can be configured to filter incoming products based on existing product data. With extra configuration, a whitelist or blacklist can be generated using global identifiers such as EAN, SKU, Supplier name, and Supplier reference to either accept data for existing products or reject new product creation. These lists are used at the Match History step.

Can SDM onboard media URLs in addition to product data?

Currently, SDM can pass asset URLs from supplier files to the PIM, but it cannot onboard media URLs directly.

Can SDM automatically guess and create associations?

This functionality is not yet available in SDM.

How can I inform my suppliers of mandatory attributes?

Yes, there are several ways to inform suppliers about mandatory attributes:

• Normalization Step: Via a configuration of required, important, or optional validation rules on your attributes, Suppliers can receive "warning" in-app messages to proceed with correction if needed. SDM also retrieves "required" attributes from Akeneo's connector.
• Mapping Step: Descriptions of attributes can be added via extra configuration to guide suppliers on what is needed. Also, attributes are organized based on their status (required or optional).
• SDM Configuration Tab: Users can upload guidelines or documents (e.g., templates) to explain supplier requirements.

Additionally, SDM’s extraction capabilities allow you to fill in missing attributes using available data, such as extracting size information from a description.

Inputs

What happens if a supplier drops a file with only two columns of updated information?

Required fields will continue to be required. If the file arrives with only two columns, and the required fields are missing, then at one point during the workflow there will be blockages (mapping, classification, normalisation…)

Can I compare data quality between Supplier A and Supplier B?

Not yet, but this is a feature we plan to work on. We’d love to gather feedback on your specific needs to help prioritize this functionality.

Output

Can SDM outputs be sent to our data hub instead of Akeneo?

Yes, the push outputs to Akeneo can be deactivated. Alternatively, we can expose a file and/or API that lets you fetch the data to integrate into your own data hub before transferring it to Akeneo. However, SDM does not push data directly into the hub