After launch Magento website you almost need to import products, but how we can do it? I think that the most optimal way of import products in Magento is using import/export profiles, but firstly we have to prepare import profile. By default in Magento we can import products data in two formats: CSV, ExcelXml.
Preparing file for import products in Magento
We are creating import files in two formats CSV (.csv) и Excel XML (.xml). For editing you can use any spreadsheets editors like: Microsoft Excel, OpenOffice and LibreOffice. I am using LibreOffice on my Mac, it’s free and fast enough unlike OpenOffice.
Required product attributes for import in Magento
Below you can see a list with required product attributes that should be filled for each product in import file.
| Field name | Available values | Description |
|---|---|---|
| store | admin (for default values) | Store View code |
| websites | base (for main website) | Website code |
| attribute_set | String value | Attribute set value |
| type | simple, configurable, bundle, downloadable, virtual | Type of importing product, usually it “simple” product. You can import in Magento all listed types, but import wouldn’t be full for bundle and configurable products. The main reason is that we can’t link simple products with bundles or configurable due Magento limitations. |
| sku | String value | Unique product key |
| name | String value | Product name |
| description | String value | Product description |
| short_description | String value | Product short description |
| is_in_stock | 0,1 | Stock status 0 – out of stock, 1 – in stock |
| qty | Number from 0 – N | Product stock amount |
| price | Float value | Product price |
| weight | Float value | Weight product value |
| status | Enabled, Disabled | Product short description |
| tax_class_id | None, Taxable Goods, Shipping | Tax attribute |
| visibility | Nowhere, Search, Catalog, “Catalog, Search” | Nowhere – Not Visible Individually product usually used for configurable products, Search – available in search, Catalog – visible in Magento catalog, “Catalog, Search” – both in catalog and search |
Additional product fields
Here we can list with non required product attributes, but I think we should fill it while first product import in Magento.
| Field name | Available values | Description |
|---|---|---|
| meta_title | String value | Html title value |
| meta_keyword | String value | Html keywords value |
| meta_description | String value | Html description value |
| image | String value | Base image path in ./media/import folder. Example: /base_image.jpg |
| small_image | String value | Small image path in ./media/import folder. Example: /small_image.jpg |
| thumbnail | String value | Thumbnail image path in ./media/import folder. Example: /thumbnail_image.jpg |
Note! If you set the same value for base, small and thumbnail then only singe image would be uploaded.
Besides, it’s not good to add system attributes which values you don’t understand. For example, when export of products with different attribute has been executed, import of certain system attributes can cause problems during importing, but you can easily add your own custom attributes.
Example of import product files
Download XLS file
Download CSV file
Setting up Magento import profiles
For importing we need to login in Magento admin panel and move to System -> Import/Export -> Dataflow – Profiles. Next let’s add import profile and press button “Add New Profile”.
Menu Profile Information
Change profile setting as described in table.
| Field name | Available values | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Name | String value | Input profile name |
| Entity type | Products/Customers | For current purpose we need to set “Products” |
| Direction | Import/Export | We are importing let’s set “Import” |
| Store | Available store | We are importing let’s set “Import” |
| Number of records | Number | Amount of import products per request |
| Decimal separator | Number separator character | Let it be “.” |
Menu File Information
Change profile settings as described in table.
| Field name | Available values | Description |
|---|---|---|
| File Information | Interactive | Loading file in admin panel. |
| Local or Remote server | File could be uploaded from local or remove server by FTP. Need to provide required data like: filename, path, host, username, password e.t.c. |
Menu Data Format
Change profile settings as described in table.
| Field name | Available values | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Type | MS ExcelXML | Provided file is in XLS format |
| Spreadsheet Name | Name for sheet in XLS file. Leave blank to use first spreadsheet. | |
| Type | CSV | Provided file is in CSV format |
| Value Delimiter | Value line separator, leave by-default. | |
| Enclose Values In | Values will be wrapped with quote by-default, leave it as is. | |
| Original Magento attribute names in first row | Yes/No | I suggest to use first row in files as attribute names, so let’s set “Yes” here |
Run products import in Magento
- Login in admin panel.
- Move to System -> Import/Export -> Dataflow – Profiles.
- Open created import profile.
- If you choose interactive way of uploading, then move to the tab “Upload file” and upload it.
- Move to the tab “Run profile” and press the button “Run profile in popup”.
- Wait for the end of loading and indexing.
That’s all I hope it’s everything worked out. You can check catalog in admin. Below there is a short video with the repetition of the setting up profile and importing products.
Magento does let you import configurable, bundle, group, downloadable products, you can check our paid extension for that purpose. Please click here to open the product page.