importing catalog

[hale-pope]

We are running V8 (I know, upgrade should be soon.....!). We have got a hefty number of new products to upload. Is there any way of importing in bulk rather than adding new products one by one, even if we add the images at a later date?

[NormanRouxel]

See the built-in Help regarding "importing".

[hale-pope]

Thanks Norman. I have found out the answer is yes but this throws up a couple immediate queries namely a)where do I find any spreadsheet templates to add my product too and b) how can i be sure that my products are uploaded so as to mirror the existing products layouts/conditions?

[Duncan Rounding]

Export your catalog and then open the file in Excel and will see the structure. Add more sections and products in the same format. The format may look complicated at first before after understanding it you should be able to import efficiently. Backup first and compact after importing.

[hale-pope]

Thank you. I have imported and am working on it. One major headache is being able to out all the info in as I will need to set up excel formulas within the sheet or I'll be copying and pasting from here til next Christmas! Might you or anyone know how to copy text from, for example, Column B Row 1 and paste it in Column C row 2, then Colomn A Row 4 to Column B row 5 and so on, keeping the gaps of colomns/rows the same all the way down. I know I can CTRL and select non excective ones but when theyare pasted they all paste together and I do not really want to have to do each one individually if i can help it.

[Duncan Rounding]

This is what I do.
Add a new temporary column on the very left and fill it with a running number. Sort to filter the products or/and sections depending on what you want to work on. Then cut the filtered rows and paste into another worksheet.

You can now do what you want with the rearranging etc. When finished copy and paste back into the original worksheet, reorder using the left column and delete the temporary column.

[hale-pope]

Thanks. All going well until i tested an import. I get the error message of 'no fields were found in first line of file'. I can see from forums this is not unheard of. I have opened the csv product import list, added the new products to the bottom of the csv, saved as csv and then tried to import it so I have no clue where the issue is occurring which is not helpful. I have tried to reimport the csv product list prior to making changes and this works. Might you have any insight? Thanks again.

[Duncan Rounding]

Open the file in Notepad and check for a line aty the top just under the headers full of commas - if so delete it and save.

[hale-pope]

Yey! Sorted. Very many thanks. I have now been taken to the mapping tables and granted it may depend on the website but as this is an update of product only would the most likely scenario be either load mapping, save, delete or auto? Thanks,

[Duncan Rounding]

Can't answer that without knowing your data headers. I would suggest you retain the existing headers and then it will auto map.

[hale-pope]

I thought that might be the case but you have given helped me a lot and i am most grateful. The import has said there are a host of errors so I just imported my original non updated csv back in ...... but that said there errors too. Seems like the site is a real mish mash and I shall have to revert to doing it all product by product on line. Ho hum ..... it has been an experience! Many thanks again, Ben,.