Exporting & Importing Product info

[Onestopfoodsuk]

I am setting up my website and have most of my products now set up, but some products still need information updating like Prices and Product weights.
I dont want to have to go into each product to do this.
I want to do this in an Excel sheet to make the changes easier and quicker.
I have exported my file from atinic into Excel, then as a test changed some prices and weights then imported the file back into actinic. But the changes do not take affect and i get a list of errors.
Im not sure what im doing with this and dont understand the steps i need to take to change the spread sheet then re-import the file in cvs file format back into my site.
This is my first time setting up a website so no expert...
Please can anyone help me and tell me what i need to do to do this. I would be most greatful

[leehack]

What are the errors reported? Is it concerning the correct amount of columns to import? If so add a dummy column on the end with just zeros in it and try again. There is a bug if the last column has no data in it, that line of data gets missed off the import file.

[Onestopfoodsuk]

Importing changed products from Excel

I first Select Inport Hierarchical inport
i then select, to Update in test-comma delimited
then Awsi (windows)
then i click throgh the mapping that all have a green tick next to them.
then it imorts.
After the import i get this message>
At least one error occured during import. would you like to view error file.

In the error file there is a long list of errors like this>
line 19. wrong number of fields. expected 18 but got 16
Line 29........
Line 31.......
and so on.
What am i doing wrong? am i savinging the excel sheet incorrectly.
This even happens if i just export the file to excel, and with out doing any changes inport it back. There is something i am not doing properly.
HElp PLease!!!!!!

[leehack]

Sounds like what I have already mentioned is the problem, have you tried adding the extra column as suggested?

[Goz]

There have been plenty of posts about this.

In Excel, you will need to add a column at the right hand side of your data and fill it with spurious data e.g. "1". This forces Excel to save all the columns. You do not map this new column during import - it is simply there to ensure you have the correct number of fields for rows where there is no data.

Hope that makes sense.

[Onestopfoodsuk]

Ok so im going to try a flat file imort.
if i export my cataloge, then delete all the rows and columns i dont require to create a flat file list of just my products,leaving just the product header, product price and the unit weight so i can just update these 2 feilds.
Are you saying to the right of say the Prices column, insert a new colomn and put in it "1" down the entire list?

[leehack]

No Simon, if you continue on the hierarchical you have to do that, if you do the flat file import (i'd recommend this for you at the moment), then all columns should have something in them, so no problem should be found.

[Onestopfoodsuk]

Ok i have a spread sheet now listing all my products, deleted all the rows and columns. All i have now is
Header Product on the top,
the first colomn that has in it (Product) and the list at the Bottom i have (Section)
Then product code
product description
Price
Shipping Data

I did import flatfile.
In the mapping section all feild have a tick but i have a ? on Header Product.
Im not sure what to put in the map impot section for this or shold i delete this row on the spread sheet?

[Duncan Rounding]

Flat File imports do not require Headers, but they will need a field heading at the top of each column that you can map to the fields that you want.

[Onestopfoodsuk]

getting there

ok getting there, i have got rid of the errors i was getting.
I have changed 1 price in the list, saved it then inported the flat file.
But on the message it says
Number of lines updated 0

When i look at the product price i changed, it has not been updated.
Am i missing something?

[pinbrook]

Number of lines updated 0

When i look at the product price i changed, it has not been updated.

well that seems correct to me..

what does the error log file say

[leehack]

Am i missing something?

I expect not enough fields, show a screenprint of your spreadsheet with all fields on show in the image. You may have also ignored the mapping.

[Onestopfoodsuk]

well that seems correct to me..

what does the error log file say

error log is clean now, no errors

[Onestopfoodsuk]

I expect not enough fields, show a screenprint of your spreadsheet with all fields on show in the image. You may have also ignored the mapping.

header Product Reference Short Description Price Shipping Data
product 1272 1001 Carpet Shampoo 450ml 267 0.531
product 1527 1001 Spruce & Clean Floor Cleaner 2000
product 1265 1001 Laminate/Wood Cleaner 500ml 343 0.57
product 1266 1001 Trouble Shooter 500ml 332 0.574
product 1258 Vanish Carpet Shampoo 365
product 1247 Vanish Oxi Act Carpet & Uphol Cleaner 453 0.574
product 1528 Febreze Classic Fabric Refresher 0
product 1271 Jeyes Fluid 300ml 404 0.396
product 1270 Goddards Brass & Copper 125ml 303 0.166
product 1269 Goddards Silver Polish Cloth 355 0.29

This is a short part of the spread sheet i am trying to import.

[Onestopfoodsuk]

do i have to enter section details, as i have a complex tree for products. It is a food website so is in catagories and sections.
Or will actinic know were to update these products.
90% of my products i have inputed manualy after 2 months of hard work. This last 10% of Missing prices and shipping info i would like to just import to save alot of time.