Customization Extensibility

Custom Properties

• Before using a custom property, consider if the data needs to be managed in Configured Commerce, displayed in the Storefront, or only managed in the ERP or PIM.
• If the data doesn't meet these criteria, consider keeping it in an external system and not storing it in the platform.
• Check if Configured Commerce provides a standard property to store the required data - many standard properties are hidden by default. Enable Master Edit Mode from the Debug Tools menu to view them all.
• If no standard property exists, explore if a currently unused standard property can be repurposed, even if its name doesn't match the data.
• Performance benefits might outweigh naming inconsistencies.

Custom Endpoint

• If custom properties are the best solution, consider creating a custom endpoint to retrieve only necessary custom properties for performance optimization.
• This can be used for specific pages like product detail pages, separating custom property requests from main product API requests.

Custom Database Table

• If a custom endpoint isn't sufficient, create a custom database table specifically for custom properties. This offers a more organized solution than storing custom properties in a generic string value table.

Database Schema

• The Configured Commerce Application Dictionary (AppDict) manages the database schema for custom properties and security.

AppDict.PropertyConfiguration

• Stores custom property definitions.
• Each record is associated with the AppDict.EntityConfiguration table.
• Key columns:
  • Id: Unique identifier.
  • EntityConfigurationID: Unique identifier of the entity the property is associated with.
  • Name: Unique name of the property used in code.
  • Label: Descriptive text for the property.
  • ControlType: Specifies the UI control representing the property.
  • IsRequired: Indicates if the property is required.
  • IsTranslatable: Indicates if the property is part of translation services.
  • HintText: Contextual help text for the property.
  • PropertyType: Underlying datatype used to store the property value.
  • IsCustomProperty: Marks the property as a custom property.
  • CanView: Determines if the property can be viewed when editing or viewing the entity details.
  • CanEdit: Determines if the property can be edited when editing or viewing the entity details.

AppDict.EntityConfiguration

• Stores information about entities and their extendability within the platform.
• Key columns:
  • CanCreate: Indicates if an object from the entity can be created.
  • CanDelete: Indicates if an object from the entity can be deleted.

AppDict.PropertyPermission

• Stores permissions related to custom properties.

• The following roles are automatically assigned by default:

  • ISC_System
  • ISC_Integration
  • ISC_Admin
  • ISC_ContentAdmin
  • ISC_User
  • ISC_ContentApprover
  • ISC_ContentEditor

• Key columns:

  • Id: Unique identifier.
  • PropertyConfigurationId: Unique identifier of the property configuration.
  • RoleName: The name of the role allowed to interact with the property.

AppDict.PropertyExtension

• Key columns:
  • Id: Unique identifier.
  • ParentID: The unique ID of the extended record.
  • Name: The name of the custom property.
  • Value: The value of the object's custom property.
  • CreatedOn: The date and time the property was created.
  • CreatedBy: The username who created the property.
  • ModifiedOn: The date and time the property was modified.
  • ModifiedBy: The username who modified the property.
  • ParentTable: The SQL table name of the entity that was extended.

This quiz focuses on the management of custom properties and the creation of custom endpoints within Configured Commerce. You will learn when to use custom properties, explore performance optimization techniques, and understand the role of standard properties. Perfect for anyone working with eCommerce platforms.