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Importing specific columns into product catalog

studio-umbrella
Shopify Partner
55 0 14

He everyone!

I'm planning to update a website of a current Shopify user. I've been working on a separate dev site to set everything up. 

I know of the frustrating part of needing to manually update navigation and collection pages, but I'm curious to know how I import only certain data of the products. 

Since I exported the original list from the live site and imported into my dev account, I know that if I import the updated products back they will overwrite the current ones. This is fine and basically what I want, but I wonder if I only add certain columns in the CSV. Will missing columns be erased from the products? (example: I want to only update the images and tags, so if I remove the "inventory" column, will the inventory be blank in the overwritten product?)

 

Thank you in advance! 

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Accepted Solution (1)

Tejas_Nadpara
Shopify Partner
1118 222 552

This is an accepted solution.

Hello there,

 

Yes, you can add only certain columns in CSV and import in Shopify. No need to include all the columns and it will affect only those columns which are in your CSV, don't worry about the other data and content.

but, please make sure you will take a backup by export CSV for your all products. In can if you miss something then you can import your backup CSV.

 

Thank you,

Tejas

Shopify Expert | Skype: tejas.nadpara
- Like and Mark as an Accepted Solution if reply helpful
- Feel free to contact me on tejas.nadpara@gmail.com regarding any help

View solution in original post

Replies 8 (8)

Tejas_Nadpara
Shopify Partner
1118 222 552

This is an accepted solution.

Hello there,

 

Yes, you can add only certain columns in CSV and import in Shopify. No need to include all the columns and it will affect only those columns which are in your CSV, don't worry about the other data and content.

but, please make sure you will take a backup by export CSV for your all products. In can if you miss something then you can import your backup CSV.

 

Thank you,

Tejas

Shopify Expert | Skype: tejas.nadpara
- Like and Mark as an Accepted Solution if reply helpful
- Feel free to contact me on tejas.nadpara@gmail.com regarding any help
studio-umbrella
Shopify Partner
55 0 14

Thanks Tejas! 

Need Shopify design and development? Need a Shopify section? We'd love to hear from you!
teleprogramador
Shopify Partner
1 0 0

I am sharing my notes on import product data to Shopify stores on this entrance of my blog

I hope they will be useful to everyone, thank you

Regards

JHS
Excursionist
31 0 16

To clarify. Empty ( non relevent ) columns can be deleted from the csv prior to import ?

studio-umbrella
Shopify Partner
55 0 14

Yes, if you delete those columns, they won't be imported and the data that exists in the product won't change.

Need Shopify design and development? Need a Shopify section? We'd love to hear from you!
amanda-91
Shopify Partner
80 0 44
Hi
The help page at https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/products/import-export/import-products#import-products-after-maki...
Should be updated to include which columns are mandatory. I am unable to use a csv I spent 6 hours with today because I’ve deleted columns that are preventing product matches. This is cumbersome and not enough info is provided about the minimal requirements of the csv to successfully import. I have left handle, title, sku, price. It is unable to match to products
KennyR
Excursionist
14 0 8

Hi, Amanada.  

Obviously I'm about 3 years late for this info to help you... but I thought I would put this info here all the same, as it might help someone else.

 

I just got off the phone with support about the exact issue.  Here is what I learned:

 

--It appears that the only absolute required columns are the "Handle" and the "Title" columns, along with whichever columns you wish to update.  Leaving columns/cells blank will overwrite existing data fields with blank data, so it's good to only keep the columns you want to overwrite your existing data.

 

--If you have variants, then the "Option1 Name", "Option1 Value" Columns are also required, (As well as "Option2 Name", "Option2 Value, and "Option3 Name", "Option3 Value" columns, if they are used/applicable.)  Without these columns (if variants are present), the data will not be updated, as Shopify cannot make a match of existing products.

 

--The final column, "Status" is not required, but if it is not included, then Shopify defaults products imported to "Active".  Therefore, if you want products coming in as drafted, you must include this column as well, with the "draft" value.

 

--Regarding the "Variant SKU" column, if used...   Shopify will allow you to import duplicate Variant SKUs, however they will be flagged as duplicate within Shopify.  The same as if you had manually entered a duplicate Variant SKU.

 

Hope this helps someone!

Derek_Morin
Shopify Expert
216 1 34

Yes, you can add only certain columns in CSV and import in Shopify. No need to include all the columns and it will affect only those columns which are in your CSV, don't worry about the other data and content.

If you wish to automatically update only some columns (eg. pricing, inventory), you can achieve that using the Moose Sync app.