The B2B e-commerce solution in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central uses the master data hierarchy to generate the menu structure for your webshop. Before you can build the menu, you have to define how the menu levels relate to each other.
You set this up by creating master data groups. A group ties together the levels in your hierarchy: a root, a top menu, a main menu, and a sub menu. Because you can run several webshops on the same company data, each webshop gets its own master data group.
After you create a group, you run the function to refresh the logical hierarchy. This makes the root available in the list, so you can confirm the structure is in place before you add the actual levels.
How the master data hierarchy controls the webshop menu
The B2B e-commerce solution builds its menu structure from the master data hierarchy. The hierarchy decides which levels exist and how they connect, which is what defines the menu the customer sees on the website.
The first time you open the master data hierarchy, it is empty. You start by defining your master data groups, which establish how the levels are related. Once the groups are in place, the information values below them become the options you can choose from when building the hierarchy on the website.
Creating a master data group for a B2B webshop
Because you can have multiple webshops based on the same company information, each webshop needs its own master data group. In this example, the group is set up for a B2B webshop with the group code “shapes”.
Below the root, the group defines the menu levels in order:
- Root – the top of the hierarchy for the webshop
- Top menu – sits directly below the root
- Main menu – sits below the top menu
- Sub menu – sits below the main menu
By defining the master data groups this way, you set both the levels and the values available below them, which is what you use to build the structure on the website.
Refreshing the logical hierarchy and verifying the root
After you have created the group, click Refresh only logical hierarchy. This lets you check whether the root is present. When you later add the actual levels, you will see them listed here as well. At this stage, the goal is simply to make sure the B2B root is available in the list before you continue.
Q&A
What does the master data hierarchy do in the B2B e-commerce solution?
It defines the menu structure for the webshop. The hierarchy sets which levels exist and how they relate to each other, and the e-commerce solution uses this to build the menu the customer sees on the website.
Why do you need a separate master data group for each webshop?
Because you can run multiple webshops on the same company information. Giving each webshop its own master data group keeps their menu structures separate while sharing the underlying company data.
What are the menu levels in a master data group?
The levels run from the root down: root, top menu, main menu, and sub menu. Each level sits directly below the one above it.
How do you confirm the structure is set up correctly?
After creating the group, click “Refresh only logical hierarchy” and check that the root is present in the list. Once the root is available, you can go on to add the actual levels.