Start to edit products via CSV

Our app empowers you to efficiently manage your Shopify products through a powerful CSV import feature. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the entire process, from preparing your file to understanding advanced capabilities like reverting changes.

How to Use CSV Import

The Import Process: A 5-Step Flow

Upload Your CSV: Begin by uploading your CSV file through the import interface. The app supports multiple upload methods:
- File Upload: Drag and drop or select a CSV file from your computer
- URL: Import the CSV file from a URL (Upcoming)
- FTP: Import directly from FTP servers (Upcoming)
  Automatic Field Matching: The app intelligently analyzes your CSV structure and automatically matches your CSV columns to the corresponding Shopify product fields based on header names.
  Preview and Validate: Review the first few rows of your data to ensure the import will work as expected. The system will show you exactly how your data will be processed.
  Customize Your Mappings: You have full control over field mappings. Review the automatic mappings and adjust them as needed:
- Map CSV columns to specific product or variant fields
- Configure inventory location settings
- Set up search criteria for finding existing products
Execute the Import Task: Once you're confident with the mappings, start the import task. The app will process your updates in the background with real-time progress tracking.
Monitor and Review: Track the import progress and review results. The system provides detailed reports on successful updates, failed rows, and any errors encountered.
Revert if Needed: Made a mistake? No problem. You can easily revert an entire import task, restoring your products to their previous state.

CSV File Format and Supported Fields

Your CSV file is the heart of the import process. The first row should be a header row that clearly names the data in each column. For best results, use our recommended field names.

Product Identification (Mandatory)

To update products, you must include one of the following identifiers in your CSV so we can match the rows to your existing products:

product_id : The unique ID of the product in Shopify. (Recommended for accuracy)
product_handle : The product's handle.

Product Fields

Here are the product-level fields you can update:

product_title : The name of your product.
product_handle : The URL handle of your product (used in the product URL).
product_vendor : The name of the product's vendor or brand.
product_type : The category or type of the product.

Variant Identification (Mandatory for Variant Updates)

If you're updating specific variants, you must include one of these identifiers:

variant_id : The unique ID of the variant. (Recommended)
sku : The Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) of the variant.

Variant Fields

These fields allow you to modify individual product variants:

Pricing Fields:

price : The selling price of the variant (decimal format, e.g., 19.99 ).
compare_at_price : The original price of a variant on sale (decimal format).
cost : The cost of the variant (decimal format).

Inventory Management:

inventory_policy : Determines whether customers can purchase the variant when it's out of stock. Use deny or continue .
requires_shipping : Whether the variant requires shipping. Use true or false .
tracked_inventory : Whether Shopify tracks inventory for this variant. Use true or false .

Product Information:

sku : The Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) of the variant.

Shipping and Customs:

country_code_of_origin : The two-letter country code (e.g., US , CA , CN ).
harmonized_system_code : The HS code for customs and international shipping.

Inventory Fields

To update stock levels, you'll need to specify the location where inventory is managed:

inventory_quantity : The stock quantity for a variant at a specific location. During the mapping process, you can configure which location to update.

Important Considerations and Best Practices

Data Preparation

File Format: Ensure your file is saved as a proper CSV format with UTF-8 encoding.
Header Row: The first row must contain column headers that clearly identify the data type.
Data Consistency: Ensure all data in each column follows the same format (e.g., all prices as decimals, all booleans as true /false ).
File Size: Large files (>5000 rows) may take longer to process. Consider breaking them into smaller batches.

Required Identifiers

Product Updates: Must include either product_id or product_handle to identify which product to update.
Variant Updates: Must include either variant_id or sku to identify which variant to update.
Accuracy: Use product_id and variant_id when possible for the most accurate matching.

Data Validation

Pricing: All price fields (price , compare_at_price , cost ) must be valid decimal numbers.
Boolean Fields: Use exactly true or false for boolean fields (requires_shipping , tracked_inventory ).
Inventory Policy: Only deny or continue are accepted values.
Country Codes: Must be valid two-letter ISO country codes.
SKUs: Must be unique across your store if you're updating or creating new variants.

Safety Measures

Backup First: Always export your products before a major import to have a backup.
Start Small: Test your CSV with a few products first to ensure the import works as expected.
Preview Data: Always review the preview section to verify your data will be imported correctly.
Validate Mappings: Double-check field mappings before starting the import.
Monitor Progress: Watch the import progress and check for any failed rows.

Performance Tips

Batch Processing: For large imports, consider splitting your file into smaller batches of 1000-2000 rows.
Off-Peak Hours: Run large imports during off-peak hours to minimize impact on your store.
Network Stability: Ensure stable internet connection for large file uploads.

Troubleshooting and Error Resolution

Common Import Issues

File Upload Problems:

Invalid CSV file: Ensure your file is properly formatted CSV with UTF-8 encoding. Check for missing quotes, extra commas, or corrupted data.
File too large: Break large files into smaller batches of 1000-2000 rows each.
Upload failed: Check your internet connection and try uploading again.

Field Mapping Issues:

Fields not matching: Ensure your CSV headers are clear and descriptive. You can manually assign headers to the correct product fields during the mapping step.
Required fields missing: Make sure you have either product_id /product_handle for product updates or variant_id /sku for variant updates.
Duplicate field mappings: Each CSV column can only be mapped to one product field.

Data Validation Errors:

Invalid price format: Prices must be decimal numbers (e.g., 19.99 , not $19.99 or 19,99 ).
Invalid boolean value: Use exactly true or false (case-sensitive) for boolean fields.
Invalid inventory policy: Only deny or continue are accepted values.
Invalid country code: Use two-letter ISO country codes (e.g., US , CA , GB ).
SKU already exists: SKUs must be unique. Check for duplicate SKUs in your CSV or existing products.

Product/Variant Not Found:

Product not found: Verify that the product_id or product_handle exists in your store.
Variant not found: Verify that the variant_id or sku exists and belongs to the correct product.
Multiple matches found: This can happen with duplicate handles or SKUs. Use IDs for more precise matching.

Import Status Meanings

Success: Row was imported successfully with all changes applied.
Failed: Row failed to import due to validation errors or missing data.
Partial Failed: Some fields were updated successfully, but others failed.
No Operation: No changes were made (usually because values were identical to existing data).
Reverted: Changes from this row have been reverted to previous state.

Getting Help

Error Reports:

When imports fail, the system generates detailed error reports showing:

Which rows failed and why
Specific validation errors for each field
Suggestions for fixing common issues

Best Practices for Support:

Include the campaign ID when contacting support
Provide a sample of your CSV file (with sensitive data removed)
Describe the specific error messages you're seeing
Mention which step in the process is failing

For additional help, please contact our support team with the above information.

Advanced Features

Import Scheduling (Upcoming)

You can schedule imports to run at specific times, useful for:

Regular price updates
Inventory synchronization
Off-peak processing of large files

Recurring Imports

Set up recurring imports for regular data synchronization:

Daily inventory updates
Weekly price adjustments
Monthly product information updates

Import Reversion

If something goes wrong, you can revert an entire import:

All changes made by the import will be undone
Products return to their state before the import
Reversion is available for 30 days after import
Individual row reversion is not supported - only full import reversion

Monitoring and Analytics

Track your import performance:

Success/failure rates
Processing time statistics
Most common error types
Historical import data

CSV Template Examples

Basic Product Update Template

product_id,product_title,product_vendor,product_type,price
123456,"Sample Product","My Brand","Electronics",29.99
123457,"Another Product","My Brand","Clothing",19.99

Variant Update Template

variant_id,sku,price,compare_at_price,inventory_policy,requires_shipping
789012,"SKU-001",25.99,35.99,"deny",true
789013,"SKU-002",15.99,,"continue",false

Inventory Update Template

variant_id,sku,inventory_level,tracked_inventory
789012,"SKU-001",100,true
789013,"SKU-002",50,true

Mixed Product and Variant Update Template

product_handle,variant_id,product_title,product_vendor,sku,price,inventory_level
"sample-product",789012,"Updated Product Title","New Vendor","NEW-SKU-001",29.99,75
"another-product",789013,"Another Updated Title","New Vendor","NEW-SKU-002",19.99,25

Tips for CSV Preparation

Use quotes around text values that contain commas, quotes, or line breaks
Leave cells empty for fields you don't want to update (don't use "NULL" or "N/A")
Use consistent formatting for similar data types across all rows
Test with a small sample before importing large files
Save as UTF-8 CSV to ensure proper character encoding

This guide covers the essential aspects of CSV importing. For specific technical questions or advanced use cases, please contact our support team.