Release Summary - Feb 08, 2024 (24.03)

ENG-25190

Data Engineering: Checkpointing for Social Proof jobs

We have enhanced Social Proof jobs with checkpointing to safeguard job states during automatic restarts. This ensures that in the event of an exception, jobs can recover from their last checkpointed state, allowing product metrics to continue seamlessly without restarting from scratch. The implementation effectively prevents data loss, maintaining the integrity of ongoing processes.

ENG-26238

Data Engineering, Social Message:

Automate Flink Cluster Installation Process

We have streamlined the Flink Cluster setup, crucial for running Social Proof jobs, by automating the installation process. This enhancement eliminates the need for manual steps previously required in the container setup by operations teams.

The process now includes a new Docker build from the base Flink docker, featuring a startup script. This script automatically handles tasks such as exporting environment variables, copying configuration files, updating the flink-conf file, copying the Hadoop dependency jar, and executing the yarn-session script to start the cluster.

ENG-27267

Enterprise Dashboard, Find:

Date time support in visual merchandising

Visual merchandising now includes support for start and end times, allowing clients to set these based on their timezone. The addition of an optional end time provides flexibility, with rules set to run indefinitely if an end time is not specified.

ENG-27560

Enterprise Dashboard:

Add region column to Strategy Rules list page

Following feedback, we have reintroduced the 'Regions' column to the Strategy Rules list page, acknowledging its importance for facilitating better oversight and management. This column will be displayed exclusively for sites with 'regional product info' enabled, aligning with specific user needs.

PLAT-3718

Feed Processing:

Create a SQL Function to load Enrichment Data into Catalog Manually for a site

We have developed a solution to support enrichment for sites that rely on XML Catalog files, which previously lacked enrichment capabilities. A new SQL function has been created, allowing the manual loading of enrichment data into the catalog. This function is designed to be triggered periodically via a cron job, ensuring up-to-date data enrichment for enhanced site functionality. The implementation is complete and functioning as expected, bridging the gap for sites using XML catalogs.

ENG-26317

Data Engineering, Social Message:

Update Social Proof API to enable multiple metrics for multiple products

We have updated the Social Proof API to cater to the needs of Digital Optimization Managers, enabling the display of multiple messages for Add-to-Cart, Category, and Item pages. This enhancement allows for the presentation of several messages that meet the threshold as part of social proof messaging, overcoming the previous limitation where the API could only show one time window for multiple products.

The API now supports multiple products for multiple intervals and event types, aligning with the functionality available for Item pages. It is capable of handling up to 100 products on Category and Search pages, and less than 15-20 products on Cart pages, addressing the diverse needs of digital storefronts.

ENG-26846

Data Engineering:

Track Social Proof Messages through Experience API Call (Actual Messages)

We have updated the Experience API to enable detailed tracking of social proof messages displayed to shoppers, allowing for a precise analysis of their effectiveness. Instead of merely indicating if a social proof message was shown, the API now specifies the exact message, whether it is a single message, the first in a multiple message scenario, or indicates no message when thresholds are not met.

ENG-27297

Data Engineering:

Sessions Report - Add counts of other user Ids for each User Id report

We have enhanced the Sessions Report to include counts of other user IDs for each User ID report, addressing Digital Optimization Managers' need to diagnose potential instrumentation issues. This update allows for an in-depth analysis of relationships between different identifiers, such as the number of external session IDs and external user IDs associated with each RRUserGuid. By identifying discrepancies, like an unusually high number of RRUserGuids for a single session ID, managers can pinpoint and address configuration errors.

ENG-27321

Data Engineering:

Adjustments to user attributes and user segments data pipeline

We have made strategic adjustments to the data pipeline for User Attributes and User Segments, enhancing its efficiency and relevance. These adjustments include excluding Custom segments and adding a configuration to omit certain sites from the pipeline. Additionally, only values that appear two or more times within view data from the last 24 hours are included.

ENG-27436

Enterprise Dashboard:

UI Update / content api calls to use the new filter options

We have made strategic adjustments to the data pipeline for User Attributes and User Segments, enhancing its efficiency and relevance. These adjustments include excluding Custom segments and adding a configuration to omit certain sites from the pipeline. Additionally, only values that appear two or more times within view data from the last 24 hours are included.

ENG-27601

Science:

Adding Image Tagging Job to generate and store output to HDFS

We have enhanced the image tagging job to store its output directly to HDFS, bypassing the database for improved efficiency and scalability. This update specifically supports sites enabled for composite outfits, ensuring their image tagging processes are streamlined and more effectively managed.

ENG-26849

Social Proof:

Track Social Proof Messages through Experience API Call (Actual Messages)

We have enhanced the Experience API to track the specific social proof messages displayed to shoppers, allowing for detailed analysis of message performance. This upgrade moves beyond the previous binary indicator of social proof presence, enabling Digital Optimization Managers to see exactly which messages are shown and assess their impact on engagement and conversion metrics.

The API now distinguishes between various scenarios, such as single messages, multiple messages, and situations where no message is displayed or an error occurs.

ENG-27588

Find:

WOC streaming eq field mapping changes

We've updated the search service to handle field mapping changes, transitioning from "woc_" to "wocprod_" to align with the new "wocprod" calculation. This adjustment ensures that "woc_" fields from rrserver are correctly mapped to enrichment calculation name fields in the search service.

ENG-27556

Find:

Create querytag collection alias in SFI

We've improved the Streaming Find Index (SFI) by automating the update of the catalogtagger alias to match the catalog whenever a product snapshot is activated. This change ensures alignment between the querytag collection alias and the catalog, enhancing data consistency.

ENG-27192

Find:

Add querytag schema for batch

We've streamlined the integration of the querytag schema within the Streaming Find Indexer (SFI) and Batch processes. The Index Builder now includes the querytag schema in batch indexing, while the Deployer Service ensures it's saved to Consul for easy access. This allows the Search Service to uniformly apply the schema across both streaming and batch indexing, enhancing consistency in data management.

ENG-27498

Enterprise Dashboard, MVT:

MVT - Reports should show default currency by default

We've updated the MVT Reporting to automatically default to the default currency for sites with multiple currencies, preventing reports from showing blank by default. Now, the system selects the default currency or the first in sort order when multiple options exist, applying this logic across all reporting and filtering features.

ENG-27539

Enterprise Dashboard, product badging:

Social Proof Badging - Duplicate Badge is showing on selected location when a location selector is changed

We have addressed an issue in Social Proof Badging where changing the location selector in preview mode caused badges to duplicate at the selected location. Previously, upon selecting a different location, badges would appear multiple times either at the top or bottom of the page. This has been corrected to ensure that badges display correctly in their designated location without duplication, enhancing the accuracy and visual consistency of social proof badges across various page locations.

ENG-27283

Recommend:

Strategy with seed product: do not return strategy if seed is not recommendable

We have resolved an issue affecting strategies designed to return the seed product. Previously, these strategies would still return recommendations even if the seed product was not recommendable. Now, if the seed product is not suitable for recommendation, the strategy will not return any recommendations. This applies to both configurable strategies that include the seed product option and advanced merchandising rules that place the seed product in the first slot.

ENG-27581

Enterprise Dashboard, Social Message:

Social Proof Product Badging- Create Variation is not working

We have fixed a critical bug in the Social Proof - Badging feature where creating variations was not functioning correctly. Users encountered a TypeError in the console, preventing the creation of new variations. This issue has been addressed, and variations can now be created without errors.

ENG-27598

Enterprise Dashboard:

Catalog Enrichment -  Getting Syntax error because of URI is too large

We have resolved an issue in Catalog Enrichment, where selecting all attributes and applying filters led to a syntax error due to an excessively large URI. The solution was to remove the "Select all" option from the UI.

ENG-27689

Enterprise Dashboard:

Hiding Product Placement Report

The Product Placement Report in the Merchandising Report section has been hidden due to data discrepancies, resolving the issue by making it inaccessible from the UI.

ENG-26884

Recommend:

Seed is not returned in first slot with "Include seed" Config strategies

We have corrected an issue where the seed product was not always appearing in the first slot, despite the "Include seed" configuration in strategies. This was notably observed with productId 869164, where the seed product appeared in the second slot regardless of user and session ID presence. The problem, initially suspected to be related to affinity or site-wide boost rules, has been resolved, ensuring the seed product now correctly appears in the first slot as expected.

ENG-27194

Enterprise Dashboard, Find:

Search Test Drive - Minimum Match percentage

We have fixed a bug in the Search Test Drive concerning the Minimum Should Match parameter, where the UI mistakenly displayed a default value of 100% instead of reflecting the backend JSON configuration (e.g., "mm":"3<90%"). This correction ensures the UI now accurately represents the configured expression.

ENG-27582

Enterprise Dashboard, product badging, Social Message:

Social Proof Product Badging  -  Create/Edit Variation labels are not correct

We have addressed a labeling issue in the Social Proof Product Badging process, ensuring that the steps for creating or editing variations are now accurately labeled as "Badge Type" for Step 1 and "Display Configuration" for Step 2. This correction aligns with the badge campaign creation workflow.

ENG-27656

Product Placement Report is not at all loading after 15minutes also

We have fixed a problem where the Product Placement Report within the Merchandising Report section was not loading, regardless of the date metrics selected. Users can now access the report promptly without the extended wait times previously experienced.

PLAT-3716

Streaming-Recommend:

Unable to add region data in streaming item consumer

We have resolved the problem where adding region data to a place snapshot caused the streaming item consumer to fail. Users can now include region data without encountering the previous disruptions.

ENG-27313

Data Engineering, Recommend:

autocomplete_terms_datasync inefficient DB queries

We've fixed a performance issue in the autocomplete_terms_datasync job that caused high CPU usage on the production database. Optimizations include limiting job concurrency, batching updates, and excluding large URL string terms.

ENG-27248

Discover, UPS:

Product Sorting cached on PLP

We have resolved the issue that led to inconsistent product sorting on Product Listing Pages. Users will now experience a stable and predictable order of products when navigating back to a Product Listing Pages.

ENG-27545

Advanced Merchandising, Enterprise Dashboard:

Advanced Merchandising Rules sorting by dates not working as expected.

We have resolved an issue with the sorting of Advanced Merchandising Rules by dates - Last Updated, Start Date, and End Date - which previously did not function correctly. Sorting now accurately reflects the date format, rather than treating dates as numerical values, ensuring that users can efficiently organize and review merchandising rules based on their temporal parameters.