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TAM templates
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Organizing your TAM items into templates may be one
of the most powerful tools of the TAM system. The TAM
templating system may branch to five levels deep allowing
you to have master templates that contain settings common
to all your listings, and then sub templates that control
values for separate product lines.
Using templates to break descriptions up into sections
is a feature that makes administration of complicated
description data and updating large numbers of listings
a relatively simple task.
How to create TAM templates
In your TAM activities page you may create a new template
either from a blank form, or as a child template from
an existing template. The only required field when creating
a template is the template name, all other fields may
be completed as required. On the left of every TAM item
setting, including eBay site settings, is the template
checkbox which you turn on when you want that variable
to be controlled by the current template.
When a template controls a field that field will not
be available to child TAM items and templates, and will
filed with the data set in the controlling template,
when you change the variable in the parent template
it will also be altered in all child items and templates.
If you enable an eBay site in a parent template it will
be enabled for all child TAM items and templates.
TAM template descriptions
Templates control descriptions by offering sections
to child TAM items and templates, this allows you to
create a description framework with editable sections
that get passed down to lower levels.
To offer sections to child items and templates go to
the templates description page and choose to add a new
section, you may select from four different types of
sections:
Multiple Line Text:
Suitable for large areas of text or html code. New lines (returns) are available in these
segments. A default value may be entered that will be given to new items and templates that are created
from this template.
Single Line Text:
Suitable for small
text strings such as measurements or attributes of your
product. You may enter a maximum length to restrict
possible values entered. A default value may be entered
that will be given to new items and templates that are
created from this template.
Multiple Select:
Offers a selection
of configurable data values that can be chosen from
to fill the section. After you add this type of section
you may enter, add, and remove the values that can be
chosen from.
On/Off Select:
Suitable where only
one of two values will be chosen from to complete the
section. After you add this type of section you may
enter the two values that can be chosen from.
When you are working on a blank template that does not
derive from another template you will have available a
multiple line section where you can enter the description
framework you wish to pass down to child items. After
you have added sections that you want to offer to child
items you may locate them in your current framework by
typing the string [section1], [section2] and so on for
each offered section, or the section name enclosed in
square brackets. Once a child item or template has data
saved into its available sections, this data will be injected
into the description at any point where [section1], [section2]
etc are found in the controlling parent template.
By default templates do not control descriptions, you
must check the "child items descriptions are controlled
by this template" box in the parent templates description
page for any templates you want to use to build on the
existing description framework.
Template management
You may change an existing TAM item or TAM templates
parent template at any time, but be aware that existing
values will be removed if they are controlled by the
new parent template.
If you wish to remove the control of a field from a
parent template turn off the check box next to that
field in parent templates details, the children will
then be able to change that field, with the value initially
set to the parent templates last value.
When deleting an existing template that has children
items or templates, the children will be set to the
deleted templates parent template if it had one, otherwise
set to no template.
Replacement strings
Replacement strings are not part of the templating system,
but work in a similar manner to allow easy updating of
large number of items, and depending on your requirements
they may be a valuable tool.
To adjust your replacement strings click on the manage
replacement strings link on your tam activities page,
here you may create new strings and adjust existing replacement
strings. Each replacement string has a name and a content
value, to use replacement strings insert the name enclosed
by square brackets (eg [name]) inside your item description,
template description sections, or any tam item text field
such as your title, location, or eBay attributes code,
when you export the item to free2auction, eBay,
Yahoo, or CSV export, the replacement string will be substituted
where ever the [name] is found.
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