In this article, you will learn
- what an Amazon Transparency Code is,
- where the codes can be created in Workflow, and
- how the codes can be used in the VDP Editor.
1. Introduction
The Amazon Transparency Codes functionality enables print shops to add variable data (Amazon Transparency Codes) to print jobs using consecutive numbering. To do this, the Amazon Transparency Codes can be queried via the Amazon Transparency Server in the Workflow and used directly in the VDP Editor. To query the codes, the print shop must be provided with the corresponding authorizations by their client, i.e. the Client ID, Client Secret and GTIN.
Obtain all the necessary information about the other requirements for Amazon Transparency Codes via the link https://brandservices.amazon.de/transparency or from your client.
Availability
The Workflow package that includes the Amazon Transparency Code functionality is offered as an add-on and is only available to VDP Plus customers.
In order to create and print Amazon Transparency Codes for your customers, the following requirements must be met. Answer these questions to ensure a smooth production process:
- Is the VDP-Plus package licensed in the Workflow license? This add-on is required to query Amazon Transparency Codes.
- Has your client provided you with the required permissions – Client ID, Client Secret, and GTIN ? These permissions are necessary to request Amazon Transparency Codes from the Amazon Transparency Server.
- Does Workflow have access to the internet? The Amazon Transparency Server must be accessible!
- Are there enough Amazon Transparency Codes available? Amazon Transparency Codes can be added to the license in packages of 100,000 codes.
Once these requirements have been met, you can start producing. In only four steps generate larger quantities of Amazon Transparency Codes on labels. To do this, proceed as follows:
- Order the Amazon Transparency Codes in the Workflow via Administration > Amazon Transparency Codes.
- Upload the desired Print Item into Workflow or select the desired Print Item for an Article or Order. Then import the ordered codes in the Variable Data tab for the Print Item.
- Open the VDP Editor and create the QR Code in the design's layout based on the imported codes.
- Create the desired Step & Repeat in the Impose Editor and determine the sequence in the Settings area for the repeat.
2. Query Amazon Transparency Codes
The first step is to retrieve the Amazon Transparency Codes online from the Amazon Transparency Server. To do this, select the menu item Administration > Amazon Transparency Codes.
2.1. User Interface
Before showing you how to query the codes, we will provide a description of the user interface and the options of the menu entry. The Amazon Transparency Codes menu area consists of three sections. These are:
- Filter and search bar [1] – Enables you to filter, search, and sort the list of Amazon Transparency Codes orders.
- Action bar [2] – Enables you to perform a process on selected Amazon Transparency Codes orders, place a new order, and customize the list view to suit your needs.
- List of Amazon Transparency Codes orders [3] – List of currently filtered Amazon Transparency Codes orders.
Figure 1: The Amazon Transparency Codes menu item in detail
Filter and Search Bar
Use the filter and search bar to filter, search, and sort the list of Amazon Transparency Code orders.
The following options are available:
Set Filter [4] – Click the Set Filter button to select various filters and filter the list of Amazon Transparency Code orders. The following filters are available:
- Created by – Filter the list for orders that were placed by the selected Workflow users.
- Modified by – Filter the list for orders modified by the selected Workflow users.
- GTIN Global Trade Item Number – Filter the list for orders that have been ordered for the specific GTIN.
- Brand Identifier – Filter the list for orders that have been received from the Amazon Transparency Server for the specific brand identifier.
- Name – Filter the list by the order designation.
- SKU - Stock keeping Unit – Filter the list for orders that were received for the specific SKU from the Amazon Transparency Server.
Clear Filter [6] – Remove all active filters pressing the button. Remove a single filter criterion by clicking on the X [5] in the respective filter criterion.
Order [7] – Select an entry from the list and choose the desired field for sorting the list. Click the button [8] to sort the list in ascending or descending order. The following sorting criteria are available:
- Created
- Created by
- Modified
- Modified by
- GTIN - Global Trade Item Number
- In Use
- Brand Identifier
- Name
- Production ready
- SKU - Stock keeping Unit
Full-text search [9] – Use the full-text search to filter the list. Determine the definition for the searched fields in the Settings Search Function [10].
Figure 2: The filter and search bar of the Amazon Transparency Codes tab in the Administration > Amazon Transparency Codes menu
Settings Search Function [10] – Use these settings to parameterize the full-text search. In doing so, further restrict the search function. The following options are available.
- Standard: The entered characters are searched, regardless of whether there is another character before or after the entered characters.
- Exact: The exact text characters are searched. In addition, characters such as % and _ can be used to make the search more specific.
- Properties: Select or deselect the properties in or for which the search should be conducted.
Figure 3: The Settings Search Function dialog
Action Bar
The action bar contains the actions that can be applied to selected list entries, as well as to create a new list entry. Some of them can also be applied to multiple selected entries. The following actions are available:
Figure 4: The header and action bar of the Amazon Transparency Codes menu area
The following processes can be carried out on the action bar:
-
Quick Filter [11] – Filter the list of Amazon Transparency Codes orders by usage status.
- All – Display all orders.
- Not Used – Display orders that have not yet been used in a VDP Job.
- In Use – Display orders that have already been used in a VDP Job.
- Add [12] – Place a new order for Amazon Transparency Codes.
- Edit [13] – Edit the name and comment for the order.
- Delete [14] – Delete the order for Amazon Transparency Codes. Please note that the deletion cannot be undone!
- Refresh display [15] – Refresh the list display.
- Additional functions [16] – Determine the appearance of the list view.
- Select all / deselect all [17] – Select all entries in the list or deselect all entries.
List of Amazon Transparency Codes Orders
For each order of Amazon Transparency Codes, an entry is created in the list. The entries can be filtered, sorted, and searched as described above. Which entries are displayed in the list thus always depends on the settings in the filter and search bar.
Figure 5: The list view of the filtered Amazon Transparency Code orders in Workflow
The following information can be displayed in the list:
- Comment [18] – Shows the optional comment that was entered when the order was created.
- Requested / Received [19] – Shows the number of codes requested and received for the order. Note that you should only proceed with using the codes once the requested codes have been received by the Amazon Transparency Server.
- Code Classification [20] – Shows the code classification. This classification is carried out and adopted by the Amazon Transparency Code Server.
- Transfer Status [21] – Shows the current transfer status of the order.
- Brand Identifier [24] – Shows the brand labeling for the codes. The brand identifier is adopted from the Amazon Transparency Code Server.
- GTIN - Global Trade Item Number [23] – This is the GTIN number that you entered to request the codes.
- SKU - Stock keeping Unit [22] – This is the unique code assigned to this order.
- Created [27] – Shows when and by whom the code bundle was created.
- Modified [26] – Shows when and by whom the code bundle was modified.
-
Production ready [25] – This shows whether the codes can be used for production.
-
√
– the codes can be used for production -
X
– the codes cannot yet be used for production
-
- Edit [28] – Use this symbol to edit the respective entry in the list.
- Delete [29] – Use this symbol to delete the respective entry in the list.
2.2. Order Amazon Transparency Codes
The following description shows how to place an order for codes in the Workflow by entering authorization keys. After entering the required information, the Workflow will connect to the Amazon Transparency Server and transfer the requested codes to the Workflow.
To request codes from Amazon Transparency, proceed as follows:
- Navigate to Administration > Amazon Transparency Codes.
- Click the Add [12] button (Figure 4).
- In the now open Request Amazon Transparency Codes dialog, enter the provided customer ID [30] and the key [31]. Note the information [32] in the dialog, which tells you how many codes can still be ordered from the Workflow.
- If you have enough codes, click Next to access the request dialog.
Figure 6: The Request Amazon Transparency Codes dialog with the Authenticate with Amazon tab
- Enter further information in the Request Codes tab.
- Enter a Name [33] for the order.
- Optionally, add a Comment [34].
- Enter the GTIN Global Trade Item Number [35] this will be provided by the customer or client.
- Enter the Number of Codes to be ordered [36]. Your client will let you know how many codes are needed.
- Click on Request Codes [37].
- Workflow connects to the Amazon Transparency Server and submits the order. After Amazon has successfully processed the order, the codes you ordered are sent to Workflow.
- The Amazon Transparency Code order is now displayed in the list.
3. Select Print Item and Import Amazon Transparency Codes
To add the Amazon Transparency Codes to an Order with variable data, proceed as follows:
- Navigate to the desired Article or Print Item of a Production Job or Order.
- Open the Variable Data [39] tab.
- Click on Add CSV File [38].
- In the Add CSV File dialog that opens, select the Import Amazon Transparency Codes [40] checkbox.
- Select the previously ordered codes from the Amazon Transparency Codes [41] drop-down list.
- Click Save [42].
Figure 7: The Variable Data tab with the option to import Amazon Transparency Codes for a CSV file
4. Attach Amazon Transparency Codes to Print Items
To apply the QR codes with the content of a code, you now have to open the VDP Editor to create the desired variable job with the Amazon Transparency Codes. Please refer to the Article Variable Barcodes or QR-Codes for further information on how to proceed.
Further information
Find further information about the requirements for creation via the following link https://brandservices.amazon.de/transparency.
Article update: Version 1.18.2 – 11/2024