Introduction
Custom export templates in Trustana allow you to create tailored exports of your product information to match the requirements of external systems such as ERPs, POS, e-commerce storefronts, or other systems consuming your product information. This guide will walk you through creating and using custom export templates.
Why Use Custom Export Templates?
Transfer finalized product information after AI enrichment to external systems
Comply with specific template requirements of different platforms
Ensure data is exported in the correct format and order
Creating a Custom Export Template
On the left navigation panel, click on Exports for the section to expand
Then click on Custom Templates to open up the list of existing templates
On the top right, click on "Create Export"
1. General Configuration
Fill in the basic information:
Template Name: Use a descriptive name (e.g., "Template for Shoes" or "Wine Export")
Description: Provide details about the template's purpose
File Extensions: Select the required file format (CSV, XLSX, etc.)
For CSV, defining the Delimiter and Container is mandatory. These settings will depend on how your external system is configured.
Date and Time Format: Choose the appropriate format for your external system
Once done with these details, click on 'Mapping' to start the template configuration.
NOTE:
Beyond this point, make sure you have your external system's import template open on another window.
With Custom Templates you are configuring an export aiming to replicate your template column by column.
Copy-pasting header names can speed up the process!
2. Column Configuration
Understanding Column Layout
The system builds the template vertically top-down, but when exported, these become columns left to right headers in your spreadsheet.
Each row you add in the template configuration represents a column in your exported spreadsheet (A, B, C, D, etc.)
When creating, the first row is defaulted to SKU since it is mandatory. However, you can rearrange the order.
Rows can be re-ordered by simply dragging and dropping, to match your template's column sorting order.
There are 4 sections on the interface for each row, left to right:
Trustana Attributes: Here is where you select what attribute, property or operation you need in this row (to match the column(s) on your file).
Type: This tells you what attribute type you have selected.
Output Configuration: Here you will see options depending on the attribute type or operation you have selected. Some will be mandatory, some optional.
Export Headers: You can name or rename the file columns based on your external system's template. These are mandatory for every row with an attribute, property or operation selected.
Most attribute types correspond to a single column, but some can split and output to multiple columns based on your configuration.
For example, Measure (Weight, Length), Price and Images.
Adding and Configuring Columns
For each column in your template you need a row on this table:
Click "Add Row"
Choose the attribute, property or operation you need.
Configure the specific settings for each attribute type
Set the header name to match your external system's template.
Go to the next Row
Configuration Options per Attribute Type
Configuration Options per Attribute Type
Text and Long_Text
Character length: Set a maximum character limit. If left empty, no limit is applied.
Dropdown
Character length: Set a maximum character limit for the selected option.
Multiselect
Delimiter: Choose a character to separate multiple selected values (e.g., vertical bar |, comma ,).
Images
Choose to merge or split in multiple columns:
Single column: All image URLs in one cell, separated by a delimiter.
Multiple columns: Each image URL in a separate column.
If multiple columns, specify the total number of image columns (e.g., 10 for up to 10 images).
Price
Include unit: Choose whether to include the currency unit.
Unit placement: Decide if the unit should be in the same column as the price or in a separate column.
Number formatting:
Decimal places: Set the number of decimal places.
Thousand separator: Choose whether to use a thousand separator and which character to use.
Measure (Length, Weight, Volume)
Include unit: Choose whether to include the unit of measurement.
Unit placement: Decide if the unit should be in the same column as the value or in a separate column.
Output unit: Choose the unit of measure for output, allowing for automatic conversion (e.g., kg to g).
Number formatting:
Decimal places: Set the number of decimal places.
Thousand separator: Choose whether to use a thousand separator and which character to use.
Number
Number formatting:
Decimal places: Set the number of decimal places.
Thousand separator: Choose whether to use a thousand separator and which character to use.
Rich Text Format
Character length: Set a maximum character limit. If left empty, no limit is applied.
Output format: Choose between:
Plain text: Strips all HTML formatting, preserving only line breaks.
As is (HTML): Retains all HTML formatting.
Date Time
No additional options. Format is governed by the global template settings.
Set the header name to match your external system's template.
URL
No additional options.
Set the header name to match your external system's template.
Category Tree
Output format: Choose between:
Category ID: Outputs only the ID of the category.
Leaf node name: Outputs the name of the lowest-level category.
Full path: Outputs the entire category path.
If Full path is selected, choose a delimiter (recommended: ">").
Set the header name to match your external system's template.
Special Operations
Set Constant
Use this to add a column with a fixed value for all products (e.g., "Publish Online: Yes")
Value: Set the contact 'value' you want to be repeated across every row/record on export. For the example above, "Yes"
Set the header name to match your external system's template. For the example above, "Publish Online"
Use Cases
Use Cases
The Set Constant operation is particularly useful for matching external templates where there might not be corresponding product data in your Trustana products. You can leave the value blank if the external system allows empty values, or enter the required default value or one of the accepted options for that field. It allows you to:
Add a column that doesn't exist in your product data but is required by the external system.
Set a fixed value for all products in the export.
Use cases:
Adding any required column in the external template that doesn't have a direct mapping to your product data.
Adding a "Publish Online" column with a value of "Yes" for all products.
Including a "Track Inventory" column with a default value.
Adding a column you need but is optional, so the value can be empty on export.
Merge Multiple
Use this to combine multiple attributes into one column (useful for platforms like Magento)
Search, find and select the attributes to merge. Maximum of 25 allowed.
Choose a delimiter
Set the header name to match your external system's template (e.g., "Additional Attributes").
3. Save and Finalize
After configuring all necessary columns, click "Create" to save your template.
Using Custom Export Templates
Go to the AI Product Hub to visualize your products. You may use the search box and filters to find the products you need to work with.
Select the products you want to export
Click on the Export button
In the export dialog, select your custom template from the dropdown
Review the template information and output file name
Click "Generate" to create your export file
The export will be processed, and you'll receive an email notification when it's ready for download, or it may be available for immediate download, depending on the size of the export.
Tips and Best Practices
For category-specific templates, use the "Duplicate" function to create variations quickly
Pay attention to character length limits to avoid data truncation
Use the "Set Constant" operation for fields that are the same for all products but not stored at the product level
Regularly review and update your templates to ensure they match any changes in your external systems' requirements
When adding image URL columns to your exports, consider the maximum number of images your external system can handle
For measures and prices, ensure the output format (including unit placement and number formatting) matches your external system's requirements exactly
When using the Category Tree attribute, choose the output format that best suits your external system's categorization structure
Export templates can only be used for products of the same 'locale' list. So a "main product" and their localized versions will need to exported separately. You may need to have a template for each locale depending on the complexity of your template requirements.
Some marketplace channels control their templates.
This tool can help you fill their templates, but a direct import may now work.This tool will output Headers on Row 1 and the first product data on row 2. Some channels have Headers on row 3 and the first product on row 7, for example.
They may have hidden rows with tracking metadata.
They may have hidden columns.
They may have more sheets with configurations to be used on dropdowns for the product sheet.
They may have unique parent-child product grouping rules (eg. all child rows must have 'Product Name' empty, not repeated)
By following this guide, you should be able to create and use custom export templates effectively in the Trustana platform, ensuring your product data is exported in the exact format required by your various external systems.