Build Business Manager extension cartridges with custom admin tools, menu items, and dialog actions. Use this skill whenever the user needs to create bm_* cartridges, add menu actions or dialog buttons in BM, configure bm_extensions.xml, or extend admin pages with form overlays. Also use when customizing the BM interface for back-office workflows -- even if they just say 'add a button to BM' or 'custom admin page'.
This skill guides you through creating Business Manager (BM) extension cartridges to customize the admin interface.
BM extensions allow you to add custom functionality to Business Manager:
| Extension Type | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Menu Items | Add top-level menu sections |
| Menu Actions | Add functional links under menus |
| Dialog Actions | Add buttons to existing BM pages |
| Form Extensions | Add fields to existing forms |
/bm_my_extension
/cartridge
bm_extensions.xml # Extension definitions (required)
/controllers
MyExtension.js # Controller for menu actions
/templates
/default
/extensions
mypage.isml # Custom BM pages
/static
/default
/icons
my-icon.gif # Menu icons
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<extensions xmlns="http://www.demandware.com/xml/extensibility/2013-04-24">
<!-- Menu Item: Creates section in navigation -->
<menuitem id="my-tools" name="label.menu.mytools"
site="false" position="10">
<icon path="icons/my-icon.gif"/>
</menuitem>
<!-- Menu Action: Creates link under menu item -->
<menuaction id="my-dashboard" menupath="my-tools"
name="label.action.dashboard">
<exec pipeline="MyExtension" node="Dashboard"/>
<sub-pipelines>
<pipeline name="MyExtension"/>
</sub-pipelines>
</menuaction>
</extensions>
Create top-level navigation sections:
<menuitem id="custom-tools"
name="label.menu.customtools"
site="false"
position="10">
<description>Custom administration tools</description>
<icon path="icons/tools-icon.gif"/>
</menuitem>
| Attribute | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
id | Yes | Unique identifier |
name | Yes | Resource key for display name |
site | No | true = Site menu, false = Admin menu (default: true) |
position | No | Sort order (higher = higher in list) |
Add functional pages under menu items:
<menuaction id="product-export"
menupath="custom-tools"
name="label.action.productexport">
<description>Export products to CSV</description>
<exec pipeline="ProductExport" node="Start"/>
<sub-pipelines>
<pipeline name="ProductExport"/>
</sub-pipelines>
<icon path="icons/export-icon.gif"/>
</menuaction>
| Attribute | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
id | Yes | Unique identifier |
menupath | No | Parent menu item ID |
name | Yes | Resource key for display name |
Note: For controllers, use pipeline="ControllerName" and node="ActionName".
Add buttons to existing BM pages:
<dialogaction id="order-export-btn"
menuaction-ref="order-search"
xp-ref="OrderPage-OrderDetails">
<exec pipeline="OrderExport" node="Export"/>
<icon path="icons/export.gif"/>
<parameters>
<parameter name="OrderNo"/>
</parameters>
</dialogaction>
| Attribute | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
id | Yes | Unique identifier |
menuaction-ref | Yes | Parent menu action ID |
xp-ref | Yes | Extension point ID |
Common extension points: OrderPage-OrderDetails, ProductPage-Details, CustomerPage-Profile
Add fields to existing BM forms:
<formextension id="order-search-extension">
<valueinput type="string" name="customOrderField">
<label xml:lang="x-default">Custom Field</label>
<label xml:lang="de">Benutzerdefiniertes Feld</label>
</valueinput>
<valueinput type="string" name="exportStatus">
<label xml:lang="x-default">Export Status</label>
<option>Pending</option>
<option>Exported</option>
<option>Failed</option>
</valueinput>
</formextension>
'use strict';
var ISML = require('dw/template/ISML');
var URLUtils = require('dw/web/URLUtils');
exports.Dashboard = function () {
ISML.renderTemplate('extensions/dashboard', {
title: 'My Dashboard',
data: getReportData()
});
};
exports.Dashboard.public = true;
exports.ProcessAction = function () {
var params = request.httpParameterMap;
var itemId = params.itemId.stringValue;
// Process the action
var result = processItem(itemId);
// Redirect back or show result
response.redirect(URLUtils.url('MyExtension-Dashboard', 'result', result));
};
exports.ProcessAction.public = true;
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>${pdict.title}</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="${URLUtils.staticURL('/css/bm-custom.css')}"/>
</head>
<body>
<div class="bm-content">
<h1>${pdict.title}</h1>
<table class="bm-table">
<thead>
<tr>
<th>ID</th>
<th>Name</th>
<th>Actions</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<isloop items="${pdict.data}" var="item">
<tr>
<td>${item.id}</td>
<td>${item.name}</td>
<td>
<a href="${URLUtils.url('MyExtension-ProcessAction', 'itemId', item.id)}">
Process
</a>
</td>
</tr>
</isloop>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</body>
</html>
Add resource bundles for labels:
templates/resources/bm_extensions.properties:
label.menu.customtools=Custom Tools
label.action.dashboard=Dashboard
label.action.productexport=Product Export
templates/resources/bm_extensions_de.properties:
label.menu.customtools=Benutzerdefinierte Werkzeuge
label.action.dashboard=Instrumententafel
label.action.productexport=Produktexport
Add cartridge to Business Manager site's cartridge path:
Grant permissions to roles: