Product CSV file import | How to deal with "Variant Inventory Qty" and "Status"?

[MonchiChi]

Hi guys!

I am trying to update multiple products using the CSV file. Everything is working smoothly so far. I exported all products in Shopify as a CSV file, made changes in Google Sheets, and exported as a CSV file again. However, when I try to import the CSV file in Shopify and check the columns, there are some things I don't really understand. 

1. Variant Inventory Qty is part of the CSV file and matched with barcode by default. I understand from Shopify's help articles that inventory should be managed via a separate inventory CSV file. Should I just uncheck the box and thereby ignore the column?

2. The Status column is also matched with barcode. The dropdown does not have any option, that fits to "status". In Shopify's help article it says: "If the column is missing, then all products upload as active.". I have several products in the CSV file that should upload as draft. So not all products should become active. 

How do I proceed?

Thanks for your help!

Hendrik

[islandlife]

Absolutely infuriating! Dealing with the same problem. I need my products to be set to draft!. The Shopify help pages are useless as they who a column for stratus!!! its been a week and no reply?

[conticreative]

I know this is an old post, but today is January 2023 and I am staring at the very same issue.

For the record, I solved (sort of) another 3 or 4 of these sync issues, but this one is killing me and the result is that the test products I am uploading end up active on the shop.

For the record, I built my own upload spreadsheet by taking the actual headers as they present in the Shopify bulk Upload screen (presented with a blue checkbox in the screenshots above) instead of the spreadsheet they tell you to use.

That solved several sync issues I had, but this one I haven't found a solution yet. 

I have worked with a lot of E-commerce carts and they all have some funky stuff you have to deal with, but Shopify is amongst the worse. It's like the engineers that write the code are unaware there are people that have to write help pages or that what's offered to users is almost completely detached from reality.

Take a look at this "Category" and "collection" mess down here:

We have a "Product Category" column in my homemade import spreadsheet. However, the only field I can sync is called "Collections". 

When uploaded, "Product Category" is automatically generated because there isn't a column on the spreadsheet (the one I made or the one I downloaded) and while they use similar terminology they are not the same fields.

I don't even know how to explain it, but it's like having the worst bureaucracy you know of writing code. Byzantine is a compliment for these guys. I feel like I am tracking a serial killer instead of trying to upload products to a store. 

Do they even read this forum? Because I know how this happened and someone needs to take charge of this and rewrite the help files *AND* the sample spreadsheet. If someone with my experience has to spend 2 days chasing an import that not only shows no error codes but makes the products completely disappear, I don't what people that don't have my experience are going to do. Hire someone?

That's great because that's the kind of work I often do, but  I'd feel like I am stealing money and all because different departments don't talk to each other at shopify.

[MonchiChi]

Yeah, it's crazy that the CSV import gets no attention from Shopify at all. Let's hope for the best.