How can I effectively use FTPs for inventory updates?

[latburn]

Hi all,

I need some help with FTP's please in terms of how to use them and how they could save me time. I've learned a lot recently but I don't think my brain can handle what is probably a really straight forward concept. Below is a list of things I have access to, and if someone could tell me where to start with the tasks underneath, I would be really grateful! So I have the following:

Apps:

Excelify (matrixify)

Stock Sync - Inventory Update

Dropbox

Tasks:

Daily update of inventory from suppliers live CSV files.

Daily update of inventory from supplier's CSV file published daily.

I've been given the following from 2 of my suppliers but have no clue how to use this!

FTP server: ftp.suppliername.com

FTP username: mywebsite@suppliername.com

Password: genericpassword

FTP & explicit FTPS port : 21

The Stock Sync app seems to make it easy and I get that it needs to map the supplier's file to a format Shopify understands. However, I was expecting to be able to log on somewhere with my details to see what file I would be downloading and the Stock Sync app actually requires a file path.

In short, I'm really stuck with this. Sorry for the needy post!

[Renars · Accepted solution]

Hi @latburn 

Renars here from Matrixify (Excelify).

With our app, you sure can import data from the FTP server to Shopify.
At the moment app does not map custom files to a template that is recognized so using Matrixify (Excelify) you would first need to make sure that your file is in the correct template.
For that maybe you can reach out to your supplier and they can provide a file on your FTP server to be already in Matrixify or Shopify template.

For the import itself - you would first need to go into the Matrixify (Excelify) app settings and in section "Servers" you can set up the FTP server in the app with details you listed previously.
Then head back to the apps Home page and in the "Import" section you have a dropdown selection where you can select your server. Then in the text field next to it you need to enter the path to the file.

Here we also do have a great tutorial on how to import data from the FTP server to Shopify.

We suggest first set it all up using the app's Demo plan to be sure that everything is set up correctly. The demo plan will allow you to import or export up to 10 items at a time, so your imports would get limited until you upgrade the app, but those 10 items should be updated in the store so you can verify that it is working.

If you have any more questions or issues on how to set it up with Matrixify (Excelify), please reach out to our support directly.

[Eze_Paul]

Thanks for this explanation. I have similar issue on this topic. How ever, I find it hard to understand the meaning of “path to a file or directory”. How do I write that?

[ElijahStownton]

Another option to connect Shopify via FTP is to use Skyvia. It is a no code SaaS.