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Bulk Product Import (CSV)
Bulk Product Import (CSV)

Smart Product Importing - A smooth, effortless way to onboard and update large quantities of SKUs in one go using CSV

Updated over 3 months ago

Considerations

Item

Details

Maximum rows

2000 rows (SKUs)

Maximum columns

200 columns (attributes)

File types supported

CSV (Comma Separated Values)

Sheets to Process

First Sheet only (1 table)

Properties

Deduplication

  • SKU: Your unique identifier.
    ​Both parent and child products should have SKUs/Article Numbers.
    ​

  • Trustana ID: Trustana's unique identifier.
    ​
    Importing records with Trustana ID or SKU will update existing records if found.
    ​
    Importing records with empty Trustana ID or SKU will always create new products.

Variants

  • Parent SKU: References the parent's unique identifier (SKU) on a variant/child product.
    ​

  • Parent ID: References the parent's Trustana identifier (Trustana) on a variant/child product.
    ​

  • 1 Parent product can have up to 200 variant products.
    ​

  • Variant Attributes: Comma-separated list of up to 3 attributes keyes. Keyes are created based on the attribute's Display Group and Name.
    ​For example, "Color" is in "Marketing" group, the key is marketingColor. This is the value expected on the cell.

Saved Mapping

1 saved mapping from the first external file template used.
Auto-mapping will cross-check column headers (labels) against your account Attributes and Saved Mapping. Unrecognized labels will be sent to Artificial Intelligence for matching assistance.

Product Categories

Category Tree attributes expect either the ID of the leaf node, or the leaf node name.
​
​For Example:
​3906 - Sporting Goods > Athletics > Tennis > Tennis Racquets
User can import either 3906 or Tennis Racquets as value.

  • ❗Mapping the user's category headers to Trustana header "Google Category" will result in values not imported.

  • 🆗 Users can map their category and subcategory headers to custom attributes, importing them as text.

Image Import Support
​

Multiple URLs in a single cell, separated by a break line.

Supported formats: JPEG, JPG, PNG, WEBP

Max file size: 5 MB

Max items on 'Images': 200 images
​

Notes:

  • Images within cells will not be imported.

  • ❗If the product already contains images in the media gallery, importing different URLs under 'Images' header will replace the existing images.

  • If you are using MS Excel to CONCAT() or TEXTJOIN() multiple URLs, using CHAR(10) in between URLs will add a new line for each.

Video Import Support

Not available.

❗Adding a video URL under 'Product Image' header will cause the row to be skipped completely.

Language Support

  • Headers need to be in English for auto-mapping

  • 🆗 Headers in other languages can be mapped manually by the user

  • Cell content can be in any language (UTF-8)

Note: products imported will be saved at main level, not under any locale, nor translated as part of the process.

Preparation

This tool allows you to import product information from a spreadsheet. However, there are multiple spreadsheet formats out there.

The most widely used format on batch import tools is CSV (comma-separated values).

If your spreadsheet format is XLS or XLSX

These are the typical Excel spreadsheet formats, they support multiple sheets per file and media, formulas, and graphs.

To use our tool, you would need to convert this file type to CSV.

  1. Please make sure your product information table is on the first sheet of the file.
    ​

    For Example:

    This screenshot shows multiple sheets on the same file. Only the 'Products' sheet will be imported since it is the first sheet.
    ​

  2. Once the product table is on the first sheet, then you will need to 'Save As' and select 'CSV' which stands for comma-separated values. The file extension will be (your_filename).csv, so in the example below "Sample products.csv"
    ​


    ​
    ​

  3. Save it in a folder of your choice. You may want to have the file browser application open to simply drag and drop the file when ready.
    ​

If your spreadsheet format is Google Sheets


Once you are done editing your product import file in Google Sheets, you need to download it as CSV before proceeding with the import process:

  1. Open your spreadsheet in Google Sheets.
    ​

  2. Make your your product information table is on the first Sheet.
    ​

    For Example:

    This screenshot shows multiple sheets on the same file. Only the 'Products' sheet will be imported since it is the first sheet.

    ​

  3. Click File → Download → Comma Separated Values (.csv)

The file will be downloaded to your Downloads folder (or whichever folder you have configured as the download destination) and will be ready to use.

Importing New Products

Use cases: First import or subsequent import to add new products

Make sure you have your spreadsheet with product information ready on the first Sheet of a CSV file.
​

To start a new Import process, make sure you are first on the AI Product Hub page.

  1. On the top right corner, click on 'Bulk Import'.
    ​

  2. Under 'Upload File' is a file drag-and-drop area. You may:

    1. Drag your ready-to-import CSV file from your system's File Explorer application and drop it onto the light-grey shaded area.

    2. Click on 'Browse file' to open up your system's File Explorer to find and select your ready-to-import CSV file.

    3. If the wrong file was uploaded, you may click 'Delete' and retry.

    4. The system will reject files in a format different from CSV (Comma Separated Values).
      ​

  3. Once the file has been uploaded, click 'Next' in the top right corner.

    1. Trustana smart product importing will attempt to detect the header row on the file. When successful, a tooltip will prompt you to Confirm.
      ​
      You may also manually click on the correct row's Radio Button under column 'A'.
      ​
      ​


      ​

    2. If the suggestion is inaccurate, please select the correct row where your headers are using the matching row's Radio Button under column 'A'.
      You may dismiss the tooltip by clicking 'Choose another row'.
      ​

  4. Once the header row has been selected, click 'Next' in the top right corner.

    1. Trustana smart product importing will attempt to automatically map your header labels to Trustana headers (Attribute names)

      1. Unmatched headers will display a red lining requiring your attention
        ​
        ​


        ​

      2. Refer to Resolving Mapping Issues to learn how to clear the issues.
        ​

  5. Once mapping has been confirmed, click 'Next' in the top right corner.
    ​
    - Once started, this process cannot be stopped and will update existing records or create new ones.
    - The Import process will run in the background, closing the window or refreshing will not affect the import process.
    - It may take from 2 up to 9 minutes for 2000 rows, depending on the number of columns to be imported.
    ​
    ​

  6. A summary will display the import result statistics.
    ​

    1. Wrong Data Format: This is a mismatch between the data on your CSV and the attribute type on Trustana.
      ​For example, a Barcode attribute expects only numbers of 8,11 or 12 digits. If your 'Barcode' values contain text (ie: "BA193912329") it will be flagged as an issue and skipped.
      ​
      This error code comprises:

      1. Text, Long Text, Rich Text: values exceeding character limit.

      2. Numeric: non-numeric values, fractions when not accepted.

        1. Regular expression validation for Barcode (8,11 or 12 digits)

      3. Measure: non-numeric values.

      4. Price: non-numeric values.

      5. Dropdown: value not in the list.

      6. Multi-select: values not in the list. Delimiter not recognized.

      7. Date-Time: Invalid format.

      8. Category Tree: ID/Leaf Node name not in the list

      9. Media Gallery: Invalid URLs.

      10. URL: Invalid URLs.
        ​

    2. Duplicate values: Based on Trustana TRSKU ID, duplicated rows will be highlighted.


      Click 'Done' in the top right corner to navigate back to the AI Product Hub page and review your updated product information.
      ​


​

Importing to Update Existing Products


​Use case: Subsequent import to update all or specific product attributes (headers)


This process follows the same steps as Importing New Products.
​

However, to update existing products, each product (row) within the file needs to contain its system-generated unique Product ID or your SKU, which is a secondary identifier (foreign key).


We strongly recommend downloading your product information as CSV, and updating values directly on this CSV file. If you are using a different file, please make sure the values under Product ID or your SKU values are present for the correct product, so Trustana smart product importing can recognize your existing products.
​

❗IMPORTANT: Not using Product ID or SKU will result in duplicated products on your account. Using the wrong Product ID will update the wrong product, or create a duplicate.



Mapping fields requires attention

  1. Trustana smart product importing will attempt to automatically map your header labels to Trustana headers.

    1. Make sure either Product ID or SKU are mapped with correct values matching your existing product data, so the import process will update the correct products.
      ​


      ​

      1. You may store your external system's product ID as 'SKU' for future deduplication.
        ​

  2. Then, continue mapping with the remaining headers to Trustana headers.

Importing New and Updating Existing Products


​Use case: Subsequent import to update all or specific product attributes (headers), plus adding new products to the account.


This process follows the same steps as Importing New Products.

However:

  • To update existing products, each product (row) needs to contain its system-generated unique Product ID or your SKU, which is a secondary identifier (foreign key).

  • To create and import new products, make sure the header containing Product ID or SKU does not have a value for all the new product (row) you wish to import.

We strongly recommend downloading your product information as CSV, and updating values directly on this CSV file.
​

If you are using a different file, please make sure the values under Product ID or your SKU values are present for the correct product, so Trustana smart product importing can recognize your existing products.
​

❗IMPORTANT: Not using Product ID or SKU will result in duplicated products on your account.


Mapping fields requires attention

  1. Trustana smart product importing will attempt to automatically map your header labels to Trustana headers.

    1. Make sure either Product ID or SKU are mapped with correct values matching your existing product data, so the import process will update the correct products.
      ​


      ​

      1. You may store your external system's product ID as 'SKU' for future deduplication.

    2. Rows with a valid Product ID or SKU will update the existing product.

    3. Rows with Product ID or SKU empty will create a new product on your Trustana account.
      ​

  2. Then, continue mapping with the remaining headers to Trustana headers.

Importing Parent and Child Products (Variants)

Use case: Importing Parent products (Standard Product Unit) with Variants (Stock Keeping Units), usually for channel distribution purposes.


​Mapping fields requires attention

This process follows the same steps as importing any product.
​

❗Attention: Mapping relationship between rows requires:

  • All products/rows must have a value Product ID or SKU value.

  • A parent product needs its own row

  • Children products have individual rows too

  • The relationship between rows needs to be explicit with a Parent ID or Parent SKU column.

  • Parent products must have Parent ID or Parent SKU empty.

  • Children products must have this column with proper value, referring to the parent's Product ID or SKU.

  • Children products cannot refer to other children products.

    • If the reference is incorrect, the product will be created at the parent level.

  • ❗Parent products cannot be converted to variant/children products.

  • VariantAttributes property governs what are the attributes which change from child/variant product to another. Example: Color, Size, Material, Style, etc.

    • The accepted values are comma-separated attributes keys, maximum 3 keyes.

      • For example, an attribute with name 'Color' is under 'Marketing' display Group, then the key will be marketingColor.

    • The attributes will be validated against the existing attribute configuration for your account, these attributes must have the 'Variant-specific' toggle on.

In this example, the parent's SKU is TEST100030. This same value is present on the children's rows under Parent SKU. Each row with this value will be processed as a 'Child of' this SKU.
​

Resolving Mapping Issues

  1. Click on 'Select header', and proceed to find the appropriate match from your Trustana account.
    ​
    ​
    ​Click on the dropdown option that best matches your header.

    • You may type to search for attribute names containing your text.

    • If a suitable Attribute is not found, you may also create a new attribute directly from this screen. 

      • Click on '+ New attribute'
        ​

      • Enter the Attribute Name, the Attribute Type and an internal description (optional), and click 'Save'

        • Make sure the correct Attribute Type is selected, matching the data type on your CSV. If this is not known, selecting 'Text' may be a safe alternative.

    • Once created, find your new attribute using the search function and click on it to select it as a mapped header.
      ​

  2. You may choose to skip a header in case the information in this column is not relevant.
    ​For example, a header with the same value across all rows, or an external system-generated value like 'Update date'.
    ​
    ​IMPORTANT: Skipping a header will remove the checkbox selection on the right, and flag the status icon with a yellow indicator. Any data under this column/header on your file will not be imported.


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