Working with Product CSV Files
A comma-separated value file is a text data file with each field separated by a comma. Magento Go uses the CSV file format to import and export product and customer information. The basic steps include:
- Step 1: Optimize Your Attributes
- Step 2: Export and Edit
- Step 3: Import and Refresh Index
Step 1: Optimize Your Attributes
To optimize the selection of attributes, include only those which contain data that you need to import or export.
System Attributes
System attributes are product attributes that are required by Magento Go for functionality and product management. These attributes cannot be deleted. They include the following:
General Attributes
| Attribute Code | Description | Value | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| name | The name of the product. This name is visible on your product description page as well as anywhere this product is listed. It is used by customers to identify the product. | text | Yes |
| description | Description of the product. This is an important field, especially as a selling tool, because it is the main way customers learn about the product. | String | Yes |
| short_description | A shorter description of the product that customers will immediately see when viewing the product description page. | text | Yes |
| sku |
The Stock-Keeping Unit. This is the unique alphanumeric identifier that you use to track this product and its quantity in your inventory system. Note: SKU supports up to 64 alphanumeric characters. Import will fail if it encounters SKU values that are more than 64 characters. |
Alphanumeric (A-Z,0-9) | Yes |
| _type |
Specifies the type of product. This field indicates whether this product is a simple or complex product—complex products being those that require additional configuration. Product types include:
|
simple grouped configurable virtual bundle giftcard |
Yes |
| weight | The product weight in determined by the shipping provider selected. | Numeric value | Yes |
| news_from_date | This field specifies the “from” date that the product is considered new, and would be featured in your “new products” listings. | Date and Time | No |
| news_to_date | This field specifies the “to” date that the product is considered new, and would be featured in your “new products” listings. | Date and Time | No |
| _product_websites | Refers to the Main Website in the Manage Stores section. | base | Yes |
| status | If set to “enabled (1),” the product will be available for sale in your store. If set to “disabled (2),” the product will not appear in your catalog. | 1, 2 | Yes |
| url_key | The URL key (or the product identifying portion) of the product’s web address. For example, if the URL key is “my-sample-product,“ then the address might be: “example.gostorego.com/category/my-sample-product.html” | text | No |
| visibility | Specify whether this product is visible from the catalog, search, both, or neither. |
1 = Not visible individually 2 = Catalog 3 = Search 4 = Catalog, Search |
Yes |
| gift_message_available | This field specifies if a message can be included with this product purchase. If left blank, will use the default configuration. Options include 0=Yes / 1=No. (See: System > Configuration > Sales > Gift Option ) |
Yes/No (0,1) [blank]= (uses default) |
No |
| is_imported | Determines if this product can be included in RSS feeds. Options include 0=Yes / 1=No. |
Yes/No (0,1) |
No |
Price Attributes
| Attribute Code | Description | Value | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| price | The price that the product is offered for sale. | Numeric value | Yes |
| special_price | The special sale price for the product during the special sale period. | Numeric value | No |
| special_from_date |
Specifies the beginning date that the product is available at the special sale price. The date can be entered in either a 12- or 24-hour format, and can optionally include the time. Click the calendar button to select the date, or enter the date and time using one of the available formats. |
Date and Time formats: MM/DD/YYYY hour:minute:seconds AM or PM Examples: 8/21/2012 12:00:00 AM (midnight) 8/21/2012 24:00:00 (midnight) 8/21/2012 12:00:00 PM (noon) |
No |
| special_to_date |
Specifies the ending date that the product is available at the special sale price. The date can be entered in either a 12- or 24-hour format, and can optionally include the time. Click the calendar button to select the date, or enter the date and time using one of the available formats. |
Date and Time formats: MM/DD/YYYY hour:minute:seconds AM or PM Examples: 8/21/2012 12:00:00 AM (midnight) 8/21/2012 24:00:00 (midnight) 8/21/2012 12:00:00 PM (noon) |
No |
| tax_class_id | Specify the tax class ID, which will determine which tax rules to apply to the product. | integer based on id # next to each product tax class. (Admin > Sales > Tax > Product Tax Class) | Yes |
| enable_googlecheckout | Determines whether the product can be purchased using Google Checkout. Options include 0=Yes / 1=No |
0=Yes / 1=No (0,1) |
No |
Meta Information Attributes
| Attribute Code | Description | Value | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| meta_title | The meta title of the product. This meta title is not visible on your web store, only to search engines. | text | No |
| meta_keyword | The meta keywords of the product. These keywords are not visible on your web store, only to search engines. | text | No |
| meta_description | The meta description of the product . This description is not visible on your web store, only to search engines. | text | No |
Images Attributes
| Attribute Code | Description | Value | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| image | The URL (address) of the base image, or the main image of the product that is displayed when customer clicks the image in the description page. | url | No |
| thumbnail | The URL (address) of the thumbnail image, or the product image that is shown in product listings. | url | No |
| small_image | The URL (address) of the small image, or the image that will be displayed in the product description page. | url | No |
Design Attributes
| Attribute Code | Description | Value | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| custom_design | If you want to use a custom design for the product description page, specify it in this field. | No | No |
| custom_design_from | The date to begin using the custom design for the product description page. | Date and Time | No |
| custom_design_to | The date to stop using the custom design for the product description page. | Date and Time | No |
| custom_layout_update | Use custom XML to modify the product description page layout. | XML | No |
| page_layout | Specify the layout of the product description page using a predefined layout. |
No layout updates Empty 1 column 2 columns with left bar 2 columns with right bar 3 columns |
No |
| options_container | If this product has options, this field specifies whether these options will be displayed in the product information column or in the block below the price. | Product Info Column, Block After Info Column | No |
Gift Card Specific Attributes
| Attribute Code | Description | Value | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| allow_open_amount | Specify whether the dollar vale of the gift card can be specified by the customer. | text | Yes |
| open_amount_min | The minimum gift card amount if the gift card allows open amounts. | Numeric value | No |
| open_amount_max | The maximum gift card amount if the gift card allows open amounts. | Numeric value | No |
Preloaded Attributes
Preloaded attributes are product attributes that are not required by Magento Go, but are included by default. These attributes can be deleted. They include the following:
| Attribute Code | Description | Value | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| color | The color of the product. This is especially useful for identification and description when you have multiple colors of the same product. | Text | No |
| cost | The cost of the product. For internal purposes only. | Numeric value | No |
| manufacturer | The name of the manufacturer of the product. This field can be used by customers to narrow search results to specific manufacturers. | Text | No |
Custom Attributes
Custom attributes are any attributes that you create yourself. Attributes can be created for organization and product management, as well as to be used for comparing certain types of products. For example, a store carrying electronics, including hard drives, would certainly want to create a disk space attribute that would be used to define and compare hard drive storage sizes.
To learn more about creating attributes, read Defining Attributes.
Step 2: Export and Edit
After you have optimized your attributes, export your product information. Directions for how to do this can be found by reading Exporting Product or Customer Information. Once exported, open this file in a Microsoft Excel or a simple text editor.
If you’re editing the in a text editor, you must include each new product on a new line. The attributes that you define must be separated with commas, and must be in the same order as the first row.
If you’re editing in Excel, each product will be on a new line. The attributes that you define will fall into the column of the attribute that is listed in the first row. When saving changes to the CSV file that you edit in Excel, it is absolutely critical that when Excel asks you what format you wish to save, select Yes to leave out incompatible features.
Step 3: Import and Refresh Index
Finally, after you have defined and saved your products in the CSV file, import them back into your Magento Go store. To learn how to do this step-by-step, read Importing Product or Customer Information.
After you have imported your new products, it will be queued to import. This may take a little while, so be patient. You can check the status of this by refreshing the page. Once the Import products task has finished, you must refresh the search index. To do this, go to Catalog > Search Indexing and clickRefresh Index.
Common Issues
- Missing or Incorrect Values
During the import process, Magento Go checks your data to ensure that it’s correct. It will report which rows and items are missing or incorrect. Be sure to fix any issues found, and try again. - Duplicate Products
If you import a product that already exists in your catalog, it will create a duplicate product record. To avoid this, you can either import to an empty catalog, or make sure that you aren’t re-importing products which already exist in the catalog.
See also:
Exporting Product or Customer Information
Importing Product or Customer Information
From: http://go.magento.com/support/kb/entry/name/working-with-product-csv-files/
