Batch (or bulk) product handling processes can significantly reduce product setup time. These batch processes enable you to:
● Create/update products (upload assets and CSV in a zip file)
Note: You can add products of the following types: ad hoc, digital download, non-printed products, and static.
● Update product pricing
1. Go to Administration > Export / Import.
2. Open the Import tab.
STEP 1: Download the template for the product data you are importing:
1. In the Import section, select Products-Add or Update
Tip:
The Download Template link will
provide an example of the fields available for the category; however,
there is no sample data that suggests how your system is currently configured
except for the Users template (e.g., company name, Print Shop name, required
fields, etc.). Therefore, for best results follow these steps to format
your data for upload:
(1) In MarketDirect StoreFront,
manually enter at least one record for the category of data you want to
export/import so you will have a sample of the Print Shop name, company
name, etc. that you will be required to enter in the template and to determine
what fields will be required.
(2) Follow Step 2 and following below to export the manually-created file
for the category of data you want to import.
Note: You will then have an accurate
template tailored to your MarketDirect StoreFront
configuration to use for importing your data in that category.
2. Click Download Template and save the file.
3. Open the downloaded template file in an application that can read .csv files (e.g., a text editor such as Notepad) and enter or import data in the proper format.
Note: Because some CSV files saved from Microsoft Excel have problems importing, it is recommended that all CSV files be opened and saved from Notepad before importing.
STEP 2: Upload the product data you are importing:
1. Type your data into the columns in the template:
Note: |
The
first row of the table is reserved for column headings, so begin
your data on row two of the table.
|
● Name: Specify any name for the product. (Limit: 50 characters)
● DisplayName: Specify any display name for the product. (Limit: 2,000 characters)
● Type: Specify one of the 4 supported import product types: Ad Hoc, Document, NonPrintedProduct, Digital Download.
Note: Use "Document" for Static products.
● ProductId: Specify any ID for the product. (Limit: 50 characters)
● BriefDescription: Specify any brief description for the product. (Limit: 2,000 characters)
Note: You can format the text here using standard HTML format tags (e.g., <B> ... </B> or <U> ... </U> ).
● Icon: Specify the name of the image file to use for the product icon.
Note:
Supported image file types:
bmp, gif, jpeg, jpg, pjpeg, png.
To have MarketDirect StoreFront
create an automatic thumbnail image for the product icon, enter AutoThumbnail in the Icon
column.
● LongDescription: Specify any long description for the product. (Limit: 4,000 characters)
You can format the text here using standard HTML format tags (e.g., <B> ... </B> or <U> ... </U> ).
● DetailImage: Specify the name of the image file to use for the detailed image of the product.
Note:
Supported image file types:
bmp, gif, jpeg, jpg, pjpeg, png.
To have MarketDirect StoreFront
create an automatic thumbnail image for the product icon, enter AutoThumbnail in the DetailImage
column.
● Active: Specify TRUE or FALSE to indicate whether or not the product will be active or inactive.
● TurnAroundTime: Specify a turnaround time for the product using any numeric value between 0 and 9999.
● TurnAroundTimeUnit: Specify one of the 4 supported turnaround time units: Hour, Day, Week, Month.
● QuantityType: Specify one of the 4 supported quantity types: Any, Multiple, Fixed, NA.
● MaxOrderQuantityPermitted: Specify a maximum order quantity using any numeric value between 0 and 100000.
● Quantities: Specify any quantity/quantities for the product separated by a hyphen.
Note: For example, if you want to allow buyers to order quantities of 10, 20, or 50, type 10-20-50 in the Quantities column. Leave the field blank if you want to allow buyers to order any quantity.
● AllowBuyerToEditMultipleQuantity: Specify TRUE or FALSE to indicate whether or not buyers will be able to edit multiple quantity values for the product.
● EnforceMaxQuantityPermittedInCart: Specify TRUE or FALSE if you whether or not you want the shopping cart to enforce the maximum quantity (i.e., permit passing orders with quantities that exceed the specified maximum).
● ProductNotes: Specify any notes for the product. (Limit: 4,000 characters)
● KeyWords: Specify any descriptive keywords that will help buyers searching for the product.
Note: Separate keywords with a comma ( , ), spaces are not necessary, and note that your total character count for keywords cannot exceed 500.
● BuyerDeliverableType: Specify one of the 3 supported deliverable types: Print, PrintAndDownload, Download.
● WeightValue: Specify the product's weight using any numeric value.
● WeightUnit: Specify one of the 4 supported weight units: oz, lb, g, kg.
● ContentFile: Specify the name of the content file for the product (e.g., for digital download and static, or "Document," product types).
Note: Leave this column empty for products with no content file.
● TicketTemplate: Specify the ticket template associated with the product.
Note: The ticket template name must match an existing ticket template in MarketDirect StoreFront.
● ProductNameToCopySecuritySettings: If you want to apply an existing product's security settings to the imported product, specify the name of the existing product (must match the Name not the Display Name).
Note: This will cause MarketDirect StoreFront to apply the security settings (purchase, manage permissions) for an existing product to the product you are importing.
2. Save the file with a new descriptive name.
● Product icon images: Type the name of the image file to use for the product icon in the F column - Icon.
Note: To have MarketDirect StoreFront create an automatic thumbnail image for the product icon, enter AutoThumbnail in the Icon column.
● Product images: Type the name of the image file to use for the product in the H column - Detail Image.
Note: To have MarketDirect StoreFront create an automatic thumbnail image for the product, enter AutoThumbnail in the Detail Image column.
● Content file: Type the name of the content file for the product (e.g., for digital download and static products) in the V - Content File column.
3. Place all the assets associated with the products you are creating (e.g., the icon and product images and content files) in a folder along with the template CSV file with all the product details.
Note: Images and files are always required, even when you are simply updating an existing product (i.e., you cannot simply update the product in MS Excel only).
4. Create a zip file of the folder (i.e., that contains all the items in the folder).
5. On the Import tab, click Browse..., select the zip file you have created, then click Open.
6. Leave the default Unicode (UTF-8) format in the Type field and comma ( , ) as the Field Delimiter (e.g., , for CSV files).
7. Click Import Template.
8. Verify the outcome of the import. The Records Updated, Records Imported, and Unprocessed Records fields display the number of records in each state. If there is an error processing the records, an Error File link will display.
Note: Each record that cannot be added or updated to the system database will be output to an error file marked with a reserved delimiter such as ]]]]]]]]]]ERROR. Click the Error Link to open the file, which will indicate why the record was not processed. You can make necessary changes to the error file then reprocess it. You do not have to delete the ]]]]]]]]]]ERROR for each record.
To add product prices by batch import:
STEP 1: Download the template for the product prices you are importing:
1. On the Import tab, in the Import section, select Products-Pricing.
2. Click Download Template and save the file.
3. Open the downloaded template file in an application that can read .csv files (e.g., a text editor such as Notepad) and enter or import data in the proper format.
Note: Because some CSV files saved from Microsoft Excel have problems importing, it is recommended that all CSV files be opened and saved from Notepad before importing.
STEP 2: Upload the pricing data you are importing:
1. Type your data into the template.
Note: |
The
first row of the table is reserved for column headings, so begin
your data on row two of the table.
|
● PriceItemType: Type Catalog, which is the only supported type at this time.
● PriceItemName: Specify any alpha-numeric value for the price name.
Note: The specified value must contain the exact Name (not Display Name) of an existing product in MarketDirect StoreFront.
● PriceSheetName: Specify any alpha-numeric value for the price sheet name.
Note: The specified value must contain the exact Name (not Display Name) of an existing price sheet in MarketDirect StoreFront.
● RangeStart: Specify any numeric value for the start of the range.
Note
on Setting Up Volume Pricing: The Range Start and Range End columns
can be used to set up volume price breaks.
Volume price breaks: For example,
in the example above, rows 3 - 5 all refer to the same product "Diary."
Quantities of 1-10 units are priced at $25 (or specified currency); 11-20
units are priced at $20; 21 or more units are priced at $25.
Flat pricing (non-quantity-based):
Rows 2 and 6 in the example show how to set up flat pricing and specify
that each unit (1 or more) of the product is priced the same with no volume
breakpoints.
Note: You can leave this column empty if there is no range start.
● RangeEnd: Specify any numeric value for the end of the range.
Note: You can leave this column empty if there is no range end.
● RegularPrice: Specify any numeric value between 0 and 9999999999 for the regular price.
● SetupPrice: Specify any numeric value between 0 and 9999999999 for the setup price.
● DigitalDownloadPrice: Specify any numeric value between 0 and 9999999999 for the digital Download price.
2. Save the file with a new descriptive naem in CSV format.
3. On the Import tab, click Browse..., select the template file you have created, then click Open.
4. Leave the default Unicode (UTF-8) format in the Type field and comma ( , ) as the Field Delimiter (e.g., , for CSV files).
5. Click Import Template.
6. Verify the outcome of the import. The Records Updated, Records Imported, and Unprocessed Records fields display the number of records in each state. If there is an error processing the records, an Error File link will display.
Note: Each record that cannot be added or updated to the system database will be output to an error file marked with a reserved delimiter such as ]]]]]]]]]]ERROR. Click the Error Link to open the file, which will indicate why the record was not processed. You can make necessary changes to the error file then reprocess it. You do not have to delete the ]]]]]]]]]]ERROR for each record.
