Importing/updating products - PRODUCTID Field.

[Smurf]

I am trying to figure out how to update products via CSV and Dataport.

Here is my situation.

All my product information is maintained in a database. I am using Excel and querying what I need to creating a CSV file for uploading to AC7. This works fine and a batch of products imports correctly.
The problem comes when I try to update the products through Dataport. Dataport simply imports the products under a new "ProductID", creating duplicates. I assume it is not checking the "SKU" field for duplicates. I need to update our products daily.

How should I go about this?

I tried assigning the SKU to the productID field. This did not work. Our SKUs contain numbers letters and dashes. I am not sure if this was the problem.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[AbleMods]

ProductId is the unique indentifier in the AC7 data class for product records. I believe you have to include the ProductId value in your import file if you want the data client to match the incoming data up to an existing product record. If the value is not included in the incoming data, the data client has no choice but to build a new product record.

SKU is not a unique field so the data client will not test it so far as I know.

[Smurf]

Just when I thought I was making good headway. hehe

Yeah you are right.... I have to have the productID to update. This is making things complicated.

It seems like a major oversight not to reference the SKU on an update. I can't think of any reason to have duplicate SKUs and without updating on SKU, Dataport will not be useful to anyone handling inventory in a separate system (which is a good portion of users). I can't help but wonder if I am missing some obvious solution here

[AbleMods]

You have the correct understanding now.

I've battled it for many months. Eventually I wrote some programming that let me relate to the AC7 data by SKU instead of ProductId. It's not elegant, but it gets the job done for me.

There are several programming design advantages to making the ProductId value a unique identifier. But from a data management standpoint, I think complexity was increased as a result.

[europhile]

This is indeed somewhat frustrating, because otherwise the Dataport is just the ticket! I note there was a Poll on Smurfs similar thread, and folk are saying its critical!

The biggest and most fundamental problem I see is that to avoid duplicating everything on new uploads, you have to keep removing all live categories (and thus their products). Annoying , and this also wipes out the Featured Items, Top Sellers etc, and maybe other things I don't know yet! I can't go on wiping and recreating all this everytime I need to upload a few new/updated products.

If I synchronise the AC ProductID with my Import SKUs (ie. update my import records by adding the live AC ProductId) and then upload with that ProductID, does it handle it without issue, and only add brand new SKUs? Can you leave the ProductID blank on new Import products so that AC will create the new ones with its Autonumber? If that works ok, then it is a workable solution for now (more work, admittedly).

Any answers and experiences (and heads up from dev team) gratefully received to minimise the hassle for us poor data managers. Phil.

[kastnerd]

Can you leave the ProductID blank on new Import products so that AC will create the new ones with its Autonumber? If that works ok, then it is a workable solution for now (more work, admittedly).

Any answers and experiences (and heads up from dev team) gratefully received to minimise the hassle for us poor data managers. Phil.

Yes you can leave it blank and it will autonumber the productid

[europhile]

Thanks kastnerd, yes can also confirm now, new ProductIDs are created (from records without ProductId) in a batch including existing ones. Had a chance to test out more.

The most important thing (to avoid having to delete and recreate all products each time) is: If you do include the ProductID, will changed records be updated? And the answer is... Yes They Do! Note the ProductId is case sensitive on Import, then it works great.

It's a bit of fiddling to synchronise the exported ProductId back to your Import csv file (Access etc is very handy for managing your base product list) but I think it's worth it. Sometimes, the SKUs may change, especially when first creating the store and new batches are added (always best to use your own SKU of course, not the manufacturers, as they might be duplicated by another manufacturer) - and using the ProductId instead of SKU means you can quickly update them. Cheers,