Guys a question for all.

I get a csv file everyday with updates on it but it also contains new products. How is anyone dealing with this as if I do an update it doesnt insert the new products. If I do an insert I screw up all the existing products.

Paul

Hi Paul
How does it screw up the existing products on an insert? Shouldn't it insert the new products and fail on existing, but if you set to not stop on errors it should just keep on going? What I would normally do in a case like this is first an insert and then an update with the same data. For testing it's often handy to set up a CSV with just a couple of test products.

Vince

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Thanks Vince.
The file we get provided has to be heavily manipulated to fit the csv import criteria and as its a daily thing it is something we are trying to automate via SSIS.

Things like the category is obviously numerical in the ECT system where as the feed come with names. Also in the category column of the feed is multiple categories the product can be in. I have a feeling its an opencart feed from the supplier. So the category column is quite complex.

Then the pricing has to be managed prior to insert etc etc and with over 12000 products it would be a big task manually redoing everything each day

So was just trying to understand how others are doing this. Especially Dave as he seems to have a large system :-) Trying to see the light through the code :-)

Paul

Hi, since you mentioned me, I thought I might chime in.
It does sound quite complex what you are doing.
I have most all of Mike's csv utilities ( www.dlss.ca ) and I have written some simple ones for some data.
We regularly compile and manipulate data via csv files.
However, it's nothing like you are doing with this daily task.

If this were my store, and needed to be done regularly, the questions I would ask myself is - does the data actually need to be updated daily. Would we survive if we did it every other day, or even weekly. (Of course I do not know your system).
If this is something that must be done, and the store is generating enough revenue to warrant the efforts, I would seek some software development to handle the task.
And that's exactly what we have done to accomplish our mission.

Last year alone, I spent over $5,000 in software development and I have been teaching myself some new tricks (lookout - we have a computer coder over here )

I think with some clever programming you can map those fields and translate that data.
Of course that's about the time your vendor will change their format...

Anyway, I think you get the idea. If it's worthwhile, throw some $$$ at it and take a vacation with all the time you will save.

Do you have a csv util for uploading customer orders? Or maybe the new "Coder" could write one :)

Mark
Responsive Design Deals Ecomm Plus - ASP 6.8
www.paradiseclothingco.com

This is what I do...

For exisiting products:

If I am only updating stock levels- I delete all the coloums except for the sku (product ID) and the quantity. Save it as a cvs file and then upload.

If I am updating stock levels and pricing, then I delete all the columns except for the sku (product ID), quantity and cost. I then copy and paste the cost column, select the new cost column and then "paste special, multiply" my mark-up. Save it as a cvs file and then upload.

Both take a few minutes to do each day (I ususally do a stock update every other day and then do the pricing updates once a month).

For new products:

Maybe you could ask your suppliers/distributor if they could add a date column such as "date added"? That is what I did. Then you could sort by date, copy the new products to a seperate sheet and then work with that data and then upload those.

Julie
Owned & loved by 7 German Shepherds

Hey guys thanks for everyone's input. Dave you are on the nail as always . And yes have already spent heavily on getting the cart to perform in the way required, The csv import has been a big issue for as long as I can remember. The manipulation required and the fact categories are numbers rather than names. Never really did find a great solution to that one. But hey still love the cart. Its in my view still one of the best for ease of modification and the support is one of the best in these days of the supplier is right :-) Yes that was a big pat on the back to all the guys here.

Anyways back to the next issue

Paul