Understanding the Product Export Excel file
The product export excel .xlsx file is used by Product Managers to easily view and manage all of their product catalog information (from a global or sales scope) in one place using Microsoft Excel.
The export process creates a compressed (Zipped) file in the following format: ExportProducts_20160502_135431 that contains Microsoft Excel Workbook .xlsx Excel files.
The Excel file(s) contain Products
Note: The maximum number of products that can be supported for each product definition is 65,000.
All of the product information (default and custom attributes
Note: Product prices, merchandising relationships and images are not exported in the Product Export Excel file.
Products
The Product data contained in the Excel file is an export of products
Note: The .xlsx Excel file contains published products only. This includes Published products in the catalog that do not have a published date.
Product Definition Tabs
Product Definition tabs are found at the bottom of the Excel workbook.
| • | Each tab in the Excel file is a Product Definition. |
Excel Workbook Headings
| • | The first Excel heading line of the Product Definition tab displays the Attribute Group Name in the default language for the selected catalog and scope. For example, Default, Format, General Tags Properties, SEO, and so on. |
| • | The second Excel heading line of the Product Definition tab displays the Attribute Display Name in the default language for the selected catalog and scope. For example, Description. |
| • | The third Excel heading line of the product tab displays the Attribute Name. For example, Description_en-CA. |
In the situation where the Attribute Display Name is not defined (null) in the default language for the selected catalog and scope, then nothing is displayed.
Product Data
The first line of data below the headings in the .xlsx Excel file contains Product information. This Includes Default
If applicable, Product Variants will be displayed immediately below the Product that they are related to.
Lookups
Lookup data contained in the Excel file is an export of lookup attributes only. The list of Lookups is displayed in alphabetical order.
Lookup Definition tabs are found at the bottom of the Excel workbook after all the Product Definition tabs.
| • | Each Lookup - Lookup Name tab in the Excel file is a Lookup Definition. |
Lookup data
The first line of data below the headings in the .xlsx Excel file contains Lookup information. Depending on the attributes defined some Lookup fields contain drop-down menus with additional options.
Validation
When you export Product Catalog information, whatever validation exists in the Orchestration Console is exported in the .xlsx Excel file. This means that each Product or Lookup attribute field will have the same format and data validation applied to cells in the Excel file based on the attribute type in the Orchestration Console as follows:
| • | For required attribute fields no validation is performed. |
| • | Default values are not supported by the Excel file. |
If you enter an incorrect value, a warning icon or validation error message is displayed in the Excel file.
Clicking the warning icon in a cell displays a drop-down menu with additional validation options for that cell.
Attribute type: Number
Excel Cell Format: Number
Excel Cell Data Validation: Set minimum and maximum values if defined in Product Management
Attribute type: Decimal
Excel Cell Format: Decimal
Excel Cell Data Validation: set minimum and maximum values if defined in Product Management
Attribute type: Currency
Excel Cell Format: Currency, the number of decimals set at the scope level. For example, the scope settings Currency Decimal value
Excel Cell Data Validation: Set minimum and maximum values if defined in Product Management
Attribute type: Boolean
Excel Cell Format: Text
Excel Cell Data Validation: List with Values - TRUE / FALSE in corresponding language
Attribute type: DateTime
Excel Cell Format: DateTime
Excel Cell Data Validation: Set minimum and maximum values if defined in Product
Attribute type: Lookup - single selection
Excel Cell Format: Text
Excel Cell Data Validation: List with Values from the related Lookup values
Attribute type: Lookup - multiple selection
Excel Cell Format: Text
Excel Cell Data Validation: Text only validation without List validation. List validation is not supported
Managing the Product Catalog in AN Excel File
You can view and manage the Product Catalog in the .xlsx Excel file using standard excel functions.
This is particularly useful when doing batch updates for Products
You can perform the following tasks in the Excel file:
| • | Create or modify a Product |
| • | Batch update multiple Product |
| • | Create or modify a Lookup Definition |
| • | Batch update multiple Lookup Attributes |
| • | Delete a Product Variant |
| • | Search the list of Products or Lookups displayed using the drop-down heading menus |
| • | Filter the list of Products or Lookups displayed using the drop-down heading menus |
| • | Change the sort order of Products or Lookups displayed using the drop-down heading menus |
Depending on your role and your workflow, you can delete any product tabs in the .xlsx Excel file that you do not use. This has no effect on the import process later on because the import relies on finding and replacing new or updated information. Deleted tabs are ignored.
You cannot delete a Product.
Worksheet Controls
Use the tabs at the bottom of the worksheet to select and view a Product or Lookup Definition.
Use the left and right scroll button controls at the bottom left of the worksheet to navigate through the Product Definition and Lookup Definition Tabs.
Use the left and right scroll button controls at the bottom right of the worksheet to move across Product or Lookup data in the worksheet.
Use the up and down scroll button controls in the right margin of the worksheet to scroll down through long lists of Product Definitions.
When you are finished manipulating the Product Catalog information in the Excel file, you can import the modified data back into your environment.
Importing Product Catalog information from an .xlsx Excel file can only be done from the API.
For more information, see the Data Exchange chapter in the Orckestra Commerce Cloud Developer's Guide documentation.
REFERENCES
| • | Exporting product data |
| • | Importing data |