Introduction

Producty® provides a powerful, easy-to-use import wizard which imports CSV, XLS and XLSX file formats. The importer is able to simultaneously import updates for attributes for existing products (e.g. a price update imported from your business/accounting software), add new products, as well as importing new categories into an existing catalog tree structure.

Data sample

For the purposes of this demonstration, we are importing 10 additional products to the sample data which is included as standard for all new organisations using Producty®. In practise, this file may be exported directly from your existing business software, or it may be manually assembled as a spreadsheet (or a combination of both).

Download here

Please download a copy of this spreadsheet prior to beginning the import wizard.

Catalog structure

The spreadsheet contains catalog structure within columns A, B and C:

• Main category
• Sub category
• Product

In practise, different organisations will have different names for these columns, and a different number of columns. The column names aren’t important (as long as they’re unique and non-empty). What is important is that the data is complete within each column.

The first product record within this spreadsheet is contained within the existing Stationery > School supplies > Protractor category. If the import is configured to import catalog structure, then this record will be appended to the existing category below the existing protractor.

Products

The spreadsheet contains 10 product records, numbered sequentially from _PS011 to _PS020. The spreadsheet includes the unique identifier ProductCode which ensures products records will be created as required.

Product attributes

Finally, the spreadsheet contains information for some attributes. If the import is configured to include attributes, then these values will be associated with the 10 new products. (Additional attribute columns not currently included within Producty® may also be created from the source spreadsheet data.)

Import wizard steps

Select file

Choose the file downloaded above. Leave the Sheet and Range dropdowns as-is and click Next. Your spreadsheet has now been uploaded to Producty®.

Initial checks

ProductCode should automatically be selected on the next page. Click Confirm and Producty® will analyze your spreadsheet.

You will see a message returned stating “Your import file contains 10 unique product records and 10 product instance records.”

Map fields

Click the Map Fields tab at the top-center of the screen. You will be presented with a list of all column names from the spreadsheet and be able to choose what happens with each column.

For this spreadsheet we are importing the following data. Select the dropdown list values as shown:

Confirm setup

Click the Confirm Setup tab next to the Map Fields tab at the top of the screen. Your catalog structure, unique product identifier and product attributes will be shown, with data merged from the first product record within the spreadsheet.

Result

After clicking the Import button you will be taken to the final step in the import wizard. You should receive an email from Producty® within 1-2 minutes advising you of your import success. (If you don’t receive the email, please try looking in your junk/spam folder as sometimes your first few emails from Producty® might end up there.

If you receive a message stating that your import has failed, we suggest you try the import again. Be sure to follow the steps shown above. If you’re unable to complete your import, please send an email to Producty® support.

Import results

Catalog

The new protractor product (_PS011) has been imported into the existing Protractor collection:

A new category Office supplies has been created under Stationery. New collections have been created for Exercise books, Clipboards and Fountain pens. These collections include the required products and product attribute values (where they existed in the spreadsheet).

Products

The product list now contains 20 products instead of the original 10.