If you have the Access Product Imports permission, you can create new products or update existing product details in Entries either via manual CSV or XLSX import or scheduled FTP import. Asset and text attribute types, as well as featured images, can be imported. With a manual import, you’ll upload a formatted CSV or XLSX file to create new or update existing products via a one-time import. To create or update products with a scheduled import, you’ll configure FTP credentials, then select how often the import should run.

Use the Imports page to upload manual imports or configure scheduled imports.
 

 

After an import is complete, if a SKU for a product isn’t found in Entries, a new product will be added. If a SKU is found, the existing product details will be updated. If you’d like to see the products that were created and updated, view them on the Products page.

Learn more in the Import Products video in Acquia Academy.

Manual imports¶

When you need to import product details without having the import reoccur, use the manual import. Export a file from your organization’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) or product lifecycle management (PLM) system, then format it following the guidelines listed below and import it to Entries. Details - typically owned and set by product management or engineering teams - include things like product sizes, weights, colors, and more. Other specifications, like features, descriptions, and marketing information, can be added to product pages.

For manual imports, only product information for assets the import uploader has permission to see in Acquia DAM will be created or updated.

Format the CSV or XLSX file¶

To get started, format the CSV or XLSX file by including a header row with SKU in the first column, product name in the second column, and any additional attributes or product types in the header columns that follow. In rows underneath, list values associated with the headers.

Note that any attributes included in the file will replace existing product attributes, not be added to them. If more than one value must be assigned to an attribute, enter all values in one cell using the comma to separate each value. If cells are empty, attributes will not be updated.

Products in Entries are matched by SKU. A maximum of 128 characters can be used for SKUs. If a row in your spreadsheet is missing the SKU value or it's a duplicate of another SKU, that row will be skipped during import.

The product name can have a maximum of 512 characters. If the row is missing a value for product name, that row will be skipped during import.

If you are importing featured images, the column header must be “Featured image” and the value is the filename or share link formatted the same way that your asset attributes are formatted in exports through Channels. For example, your asset attributes might be formatted as share links with "download=true," which can be created with the Create Your Own feature in the Assets app. 

For asset attributes, the column header must match the attribute name, such as “Product photography,” and the value is the asset filename or embed link. For asset attributes, you can list multiple values separate by commas. Note that a product can have up to 50 assets total. 

A few more details about information in CSV and XLSX files:

• Rich text values can be included with HTML markup providing the formatting.
• Products cannot be deleted and existing details cannot be cleared using the importer.

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Import¶

After the CSV or XLSX file is formatted, select the Manual import tab, then upload it either by dropping in the formatted file or browsing for it. When upload is complete, click Run product import.

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You’ll receive an email when the manual import is complete. The email lists the number of products that were created, updated, and skipped.

Import history and skipped rows

A history of imports that have been previously completed are listed on the Manual import tab. The filename, import date, number of imported and skipped rows, and the person who uploaded the import are listed. All imports, including those by other users, are listed on the page. You can download the original import file by clicking the download icon. 

 

 

To investigate errors that caused rows to be skipped, click the expand arrow next to a file and you’ll see a Skipped rows summary that lists the errors found in the spreadsheet. To see which rows have errors, select Download file with error notes. 
 

 

Open the CSV or XLSX file and look at the last two columns in the spreadsheet, labeled Error and Warnings. Errors caused the row to be skipped during the import, while warnings caused single or multiple values to be skipped in that row.

 

Next, you can work in the spreadsheet to correct the errors and warnings listed, such as entering a product name in the Product name column for that row. Know that correcting warnings is optional – the row will still import if you don’t fix those. Once you’re finished editing the spreadsheet, reimport your file. 

Scheduled imports¶

If you find yourself regularly updating product details in Entries and would like to automate the process, you can configure and schedule automatic FTP imports. Doing so saves time and ensures your product data is up-to-date by regularly syncing it from your PLM or ERP. If changes are needed to how often an import is run, edit the frequency to ensure that product information is updated on time.

For scheduled imports, product information for all assets in the import will update regardless of user permissions in the DAM.
 

Configure and schedule an import¶

Configure and schedule a new FTP import from the Scheduled import tab. Select Configure import to set up a configuration and select a frequency for importing. Setting up a configuration involves entering FTP credentials and testing the connection, while the frequency allows you to choose if you want to automate recurring FTP imports or run an import when needed (i.e., run it on demand).

Up to five connections can be configured. To set up an additional configuration, delete an existing scheduled import.
 

FTP credentials¶

Get started with scheduled imports by setting up FTP credentials. Credentials include:

• FTP name: The name of the saved configuration, which will display on the Scheduled import tab.
• FTP URL: The path on the FTP server to the CSV or XLSX file. Note that only secure FTP (SFTP) connections are supported.
• FTP filename: The filename of the FTP, which must include a .csv or .xlsx extension. Note that the filename and URL cannot already be in use for an existing scheduled import.
• FTP user and password: The credentials that allow access to the FTP server.

 

After credentials are entered, test to ensure that the connection between the FTP server and the Entries app is successful. A failed connection could not connect to the FTP server, so we recommend checking the information entered for the configuration and testing the connection again.
 

Schedule¶

Next, set up recurring FTP imports or choose to run a configuration for an import on demand. Recurring imports can run daily at a certain time or weekly on a certain day of the week and at a certain time.

Running on demand means that an import will run when needed (i.e., when you select Run import now from the menu) and will not reoccur.

 

Edit a configuration¶

You may need to make updates to the FTP credentials or schedule of an import that’s been configured. To do that, select Edit configuration from the menu on the Imports page, make any changes, then save the new configuration.

 

Run a scheduled import now¶

If you need to import product information sooner than expected, select Run import now from the menu. You’ll receive an email when the import is complete.

 

See scheduled import history¶

A history of imports that have been previously scheduled are listed on the Scheduled import tab. The frequency of the import and the next and last import dates and times are also listed. All imports, including those created by other users, are listed on the page.

Select an import name to see a history for a scheduled import. Details, including the schedule and the next time it will run, and additional actions, like editing, running the import now, or deleting it, are available on the page.

Import dates, connection status, and the number of imported and skipped rows are also displayed. For troubleshooting purposes, download the imported file to see the CSV or XLSX that was originally imported.

 

Delete a scheduled import¶

No longer need a scheduled import to run? You can select to delete it from the menu.