Introduction

This guide explains how to install and use a new component called Product Lifecycle Management (PLM). The component is included in the standard distribution of CloudBlue Commerce but is not installed by default. PLM brings three UX1 menu items: Products, Import from Connect, and Order Fulfillment.

PLM streamlines the portfolio management process, including:

• Creation of products and plans

• Sharing plans with the distribution chain participants

• Managing the lifecycle of products and plans.

Note: In PLM you cannot set up product prices. To do this, use Product Inventory or update service plans manually.

PLM supports integration with external fulfillment systems that act as a source of product information for initial portfolio configuration and further updates. CloudBlue Connect is supported out of the box. Alternatively, PLM itself may act as a fulfillment system. This can be useful for distribution of a provider's own products or products from vendors that do not provide integration API with their fulfillment systems.

With PLM, the following scenarios are supported:

• Product creation

• Plan creation

• Sharing a portfolio with operating units and resellers

• Managing availability of plans for distribution

• Managing fulfillment parameters for products fulfilled internally

• Fulfilment of orders placed for products fulfilled internally.

Note: To get familiar with PLM terminology, refer to the Glossary.

Known Limitations

• Orders in the Provider and Reseller classic panels are not supported. Orders can be placed through UX1 control panels and API. For placing orders through API:

  • Providers who already integrated with CloudBlue Commerce and place orders through APS API may use the same API calls. However, the request payload must be adjusted according to a service-specific list of parameters.

  • For providers who consider integrating with CloudBlue Commerce, we recommend using Simple API 1.6 or later.

• For orders to be supported in UX1 for Customers, you must install the UX1 Marketplace component and allow your customers to use only UX1 Marketplace to buy PLM products to avoid parameter validation failing. To learn more about UX1 Marketplace, please refer to this guide.

• Import of product information from CloudBlue Connect is possible only at L0 (provider) level.

• A plan can be shared only with a reseller group (RESELLERGATE service template). It cannot be shared with an individual reseller.

• Operating units and resellers configured under these operating units do not see a plan in PLM and, consequently, cannot customize the plan. Resellers can see plans directly in UX1 Marketplace. To hide menu items, use these instructions.

• If a subscription expiration template is defined, subscription expiration notifications are sent only on the expiration day and for every subscription that expires. It does not matter whether a renewal order is placed, or a customer account is active.

• A plan must include only products that belong to the same product line. Bundling products from different product lines in one plan is not supported.

• The CloudBlue Connect fulfillment system supports two types of products: reservation-based and PAYG. PLM supports only reservation-based products.

• Parameters to be filled by resellers are not supported for internal products.