Importing a spreadsheet

Hi -

I have a question regarding importing an excel spreadsheet (or would CSV be better?) to the products database. Is there a way?

And I know it will require images (small and large) - so how would I get those added to the products once it's imported? Will I need to upload the images via ftp before hand and then input the full URL to where they are -in the spreadsheet?

If any of this is possible (I'd imagine it has to be to allow for people with huge product lists) - where would I import it - the MySql database? Would I need specific headers or places where the data would need to be?

I'm guessing I could use phpAdmin and export the database once I add one product and then it might give me a reference to know where to put the data? Would that work? Is there an easier way?

Thanks!

phpAdmin should have a way of importing data from a spreadsheet. You could set a default "no image specified" image for everything, then use the update page to associate images from the admin back end.

How do you handle products that are the same product but a diff. color scheme and you want them to choose a color? How would I add those types of products? (products with options) -- and can there be images associated to those other "options" ? Meaning I'd like to show the product image that is of the other color.

Originally Said By: Ray Borduin

  phpAdmin should have a way of importing data from a spreadsheet. You could set a default "no image specified" image for everything, then use the update page to associate images from the admin back end.  

The current version of powerstore does not support options in that way. You would have to insert them as separate products.

Wow... That's going to add a ton more work.

There's no way to implement this type of item?

Originally Said By: Ray Borduin

  The current version of powerstore does not support options in that way. You would have to insert them as separate products.  

On the contrary there are many ways to implement this type of item.

Inserting as individual items is the easiest way. Any other way would be a ton more work and more technical work.

Okay so I add them all as individual items... I assume it's possible to somehow group them though, right? At the very least - do you think it would be easy when showing one of the colors, to have links to the other color options?

Originally Said By: Ray Borduin

  On the contrary there are many ways to implement this type of item.

Inserting as individual items is the easiest way. Any other way would be a ton more work and more technical work.  

Also - I did find out that PhpAdmin does allow you to export/import via CSV and this is the output in CSV format:

"ProductID";"ProductSKU";"ProductName";"ProductPrice";"ProductWeight";"ProductCartDesc";"ProductShortDesc";"ProductLongDesc";"ProductThumb";"ProductImage";"ProductCategoryID";"ProductUpdateDate";"ProductStock";"ProductLive";"ProductUnlimited"

I understand most of it, but what about "ProductUpdateDate" and the three that are listed after that (stock,live,unlimited).

Do you know what would go there?

ProductUpdate date is to keep track of the last time the product was updated so that stock can be adjusted based on the inventory at that time.

Stock is the number of items in stock at the last update date.

Product live is a true false field that allows you to quickly add or remove a product or stage it on the back end before making it live for users to purchase.

Product unlimited is a true false boolean field that can be used to mark an item exempt from inventory concerns so that it will be available in stock regardless of inventory.

Is it necessary to have data in these fields? Ie - what if I don't know the stock level and the update date - since this is my first time adding these products, should I leave blank? Or put todays date? Product live I would enter "true" then and unlimited would be false? Or if I don't know the inventory level, would I make it unlimited?

Thanks Ray!

Originally Said By: Ray Borduin

  ProductUpdate date is to keep track of the last time the product was updated so that stock can be adjusted based on the inventory at that time.

Stock is the number of items in stock at the last update date.

Product live is a true false field that allows you to quickly add or remove a product or stage it on the back end before making it live for users to purchase.

Product unlimited is a true false boolean field that can be used to mark an item exempt from inventory concerns so that it will be available in stock regardless of inventory.