Imported Fields Format

An imported CSV file with product information can contain the columns described below. We have an example of the CSV file that you can check; you can also make an example yourself by exporting products.

Important

CS-Cart and Multi-Vendor can import only the files that use the UTF-8 character set. If some values aren’t imported properly (or at all), please try saving your file with the UTF-8 encoding and importing it again.

Product code

This field is mandatory, and its value must be unique for each product. It can contain numbers, letters, or their combinations (up to 32 symbols). If you plan to export product data to a CSV file, make sure that the CODE for each product is specified.

Important

EXAMPLE: B0002OG6NY

Warning

If the value of the field is equal to any existing product code, the imported data will replace the data of that product.

Language

A two-letter lowercase language code. This field is mandatory.

To find out a language code:

  1. In the Administration panel, go to Administration → Languages.
  2. Switch to the Available tab.
  3. Find the desired language and see it language code in the Language code row.

Important

EXAMPLE: en

Product id

The numeric ID of the product from the store’s database. If Product code is empty, then Product id will be used to identify the product instead.

Important

EXAMPLE: 130

Product type

Note

This is a part of the Product Variations add-on.

The type of the product:

  • P—simple product.
  • C—configurable product.
  • V—a variation of a configurable product.

Important

EXAMPLE: C

Category

The full path to the main category of the product. Parent and child categories in the path must be separated from each other with the Category delimiter that you specify when you import a CSV file with product data.

Important

EXAMPLE (the delimiter is ///): Computers///Desktops

Note

If the specified categories and subcategories don’t exist in the database, they will be created.

If the name of your category contains a colon (:), for example Promotions///Discount: 10%, then you need to escape it like this in the imported file: |Promotions///Discount: 10%|. Otherwise the category won’t be imported correctly.

Price

The price of the product in your store. It must be in 0.00 format.

Important

EXAMPLE: 1600.00

List price

The recommended price of the product. It is used to display a discount label on the storefront: Discount = List price - Price. The list price must be in 0.00 format.

Important

EXAMPLE: 1750.00

Status

The status of the product:

  • Aactive—the product appears on the storefront.
  • Hhidden—the product doesn’t appear on the storefront. Customers can view it via direct link.
  • Ddisabled—the product appears only in the Administration panel.

Important

EXAMPLE: A

Quantity

The amount of this product that you have in stock.

Important

EXAMPLE: 50

Weight

The weight of the product. You can configure the units of weight measurement under Settings → General. By default, it is lbs.

Important

EXAMPLE: 20.25

Note

The weight must be an integral number or a decimal fraction with no more than two decimal places. The fractional part is separated by a full point (.).

Min quantity

The minimum amount of this product that can be purchased in one order.

Important

EXAMPLE: 1

Max quantity

The maximum amount of this product that can be purchased in one order.

Important

EXAMPLE: 10

Quantity step

The number of items of this product by which a customer can increase or decrease the number of this product in cart. For example:

  • Min quantity is 2.
  • Max quantity is 10.
  • Quantity step is 2.

Then customers will be able to buy 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10 items of this product in one order.

Important

EXAMPLE: 1

List qty count

The maximum number of choices in the drop-down list that allows you to select the number of product items in cart. For example:

  • Min quantity is 2.
  • Max quantity is 10.
  • Quantity step is 2.
  • List qty count is 3.

Then customers will be able to choose between 2, 4, or 6 items of this product.

Important

EXAMPLE: 10

Note

Using List qty count will turn the Quantity input field on the product page into a select box.

Shipping freight

The additional shipping cost for this particular product, which is specified in the primary currency of the store. The shipping freight is added to the shipping charges calculated at checkout; it can be used as packaging cost.

Important

EXAMPLE: 2.00

Note

Assuming that the calculated shipping charges are $50, and the shipping freight of a product is $5, then having 3 items in the cart would make the total shipping cost $65.

Date added

The date when the product was added. It uses the following format:

dd mmm yyyy 00:00:00

Important

EXAMPLE: 25 Dec 2011 14:05:00

Note

If this field is not filled in, the date and time when the product was imported will be used instead.

Downloadable

  • Y—the product is downloadable.
  • N—the product is not downloadable.

Important

EXAMPLE: Y

Note

To allow the creation of downloadable products in your store, go to Settings → General and tick the Enable selling downloadable products checkbox.

Files

The full path to the files of the downloadable product.

Important

EXAMPLE: /home/client/public_html/cscart-4.4.1/var/files/exim/backup/downloads/filename.pdf

The file can be specified without a path (just its name) if you specify Files directory when you import a CSV file with product data. Several files must be delimited with a comma.

Important

EXAMPLE: file1.pdf, file2.jpg

Ship downloadable

  • Y—calculate the shipping cost for the downloadable product just like for a tangible one.
  • N—don’t calculate shipping cost for a downloadable product.

Important

EXAMPLE: Y

Inventory tracking

  • D—do not track the number of products in stock.
  • B—track without options.
  • O—track with options.

Important

EXAMPLE: D

Out of stock actions

This field determines what customers can do on the product page when the product is out of stock:

  • B—buy the product in advance.
  • S—sign up to receive an email notification when the product is available.
  • N—nothing.

Important

EXAMPLE: B

Free shipping

  • Y—the product is shipped for free and won’t be taken into account for shipping cost calculation, if the shipping method can be used for free shipping.
  • N—the product isn’t shipped for free and will always be taken into account for shipping cost calculation.

Important

EXAMPLE: Y

Feature comparison

  • Y—the product can be added to the comparison list.
  • N—the product can’t be added to the comparison list.

Important

EXAMPLE: Y

Note

This field existed until version 4.3.5. Starting with CS-Cart and Multi-Vendor 4.3.6, any product can be added to the comparison list.

Zero price action

This field describes the action when the product price is zero:

  • R—do not allow to add the product to cart.
  • P—allow to add the product to cart.
  • A—ask customer to enter the price.

Important

EXAMPLE: A

Advanced Import: Images

Note

This field is available only with the Advanced Products Import [Beta] add-on.

The path (or paths) to product images. Multiple images can be specified by using the image delimiter in the additional settings on the File tab of an import preset.

Important

EXAMPLE: exim/backup/images/main_image.jpg///exim/backup/images/additional_image.jpg

The image file can be specified without a path (just its name) if you specify Images directory when you import a CSV file with product data.

You can specify alternative text for images by adding it after the path.

Important

EXAMPLE: exim/backup/images/main_image.jpg#{[ar]:Arabic alt text;[en]:English alt text;}///exim/backup/images/Nadditional_image.jpg#{[ar]:Arabic alt text;[en]:English alt text;}

If each product image has its own column (in a CSV file) or node (in an XML file), you can map all of them to Advanced Import: Images. Then these fields will be combined properly, and multiple images will be imported for a product.

Detailed image

The full path to the detailed product image.

Important

EXAMPLE: /home/client/public_html/cscart/var/files/exim/backup/images/detailed_image.jpg

The image file can be specified without a path (just its name) if you specify Images directory when you import a CSV file with product data.

You can specify alternative text for images by adding it after the path. For example, to specify ALT TEXT as an alternative text for image in English and German, import the image as follows:

Important

EXAMPLE: /home/client/public_html/cscart/var/files/exim/backup/images/detailed_image.jpg#{[de]:ALT TEXT;[en]:ALT TEXT;}

Thumbnail

The full path to the product thumbnail image. Thumbnails are generated from detailed images automatically, so you need to use this field only if you want a thumbnail that is different from the detailed image of the product.

Important

EXAMPLE: /home/client/public_html/cscart/var/files/exim/backup/images/thumbnail_image.jpg

Note

Specifying the paths and alternative text of the thumbnail works the same way as for the detailed image.

Product name

The name of the product, which can contain up to 255 symbols.

Important

EXAMPLE: Adidas Men’s ClimaCool Short Sleeve Mock

Description

The full description of the product, which can contain up to 16 777 215 symbols.

Important

EXAMPLE: ClimaCool is softer than cotton and resists pilling better than other natural and synthetic fibers. The shape and placement of ClimaCool fibers help move moisture quickly to the outer surface, where it evaporates away from the body.

An imported file may contain HTML markup that affects the look of the text. It often occurs in the description, for example:

<p><i>ClimaCool</i> is softer than cotton and resists pilling better than other natural and synthetic fibers.</p>

For CSV files it doesn’t matter, but when you import an XML file, a problem occurs: XML and HTML tags both look like <...>, and CS-Cart can’t distinguish what is what. That’s why HTML tags (a part of the description) must be separated from the XML tags (a part of the file structure). A text with HTML markup must be imported as follows:

<![CDATA[<p><i>ClimaCool</i> is softer than cotton and resists pilling better than other natural and synthetic fibers.</p>]]>

Short description

The short description of the product, which can contain up to 16 777 215 symbols.

Important

EXAMPLE: 100% circular rib Coolmax« Extreme 1x1 mini-rib solid pique mock with UV and anti-microbial finish.

Meta keywords

The meta keywords of the product, which can contain up to 255 symbols; used for SEO purposes.

Important

EXAMPLE: adidas, climacool, clima cool, mock turtleneck, golf shirts, uv protection, sun

Meta description

The meta description of the product, which can contain up to 255 symbols; used for SEO purposes.

Important

EXAMPLE: Adidas Men’s ClimaCool Short Sleeve Mock

Search words

The list of search words for the product, which can contain up to 65 535 symbols. A product with search words can be found by entering these search words in the CS-Cart’s built-in search bar.

Important

EXAMPLE: adidas, climacool, men

Note

CS-Cart & Multi-Vendor search is not case-sensitive.

Page title

The name of the page as displayed in a browser, which can contain up to 255 symbols.

Important

EXAMPLE: Adidas Men’s ClimaCool Short Sleeve Mock

Promo text

A short promo text displayed on the product page, which can contain up to 16 777 215 symbols.

Important

EXAMPLE: FREE US shipping over $100! Orders within next 2 days will be shipped on Monday

Taxes

The names of the taxes which will be applied to the product. Several taxes must be delimited with a comma.

Important

EXAMPLE: VAT, test

Warning

Create taxes before you import products with those taxes.

Features

All features that you import must follow this format:

{Feature ID} (Group name) Feature name: Feature type[Feature value]
  • Feature ID—the ID of the feature.
  • Group name—the name of the group to which the feature belongs.
  • Feature name—the name of the feature.
  • Feature type—one of the following types:
    • C—checkbox.
    • M—multiple checkboxes.
    • S—text select box.
    • N—number select box.
    • E—extended select box (Brand/Manufacturer).
    • T—simple text.
    • O—number.
    • D—date.
  • Feature value—the value of the feature.

Several features must be delimited with a semicolon.

Important

EXAMPLE: T[1233423423]; Release date: D[05/05/07]; Color: S[Red]

Note

If a feature or its variant doesn’t exist in the database, it will be created automatically. You can also create features manually or import them before you import products with those features.

Options

All product options that you import must follow this format:

(Storefront) Option name: Option type[Variant 1///variant_property=value///variant_property=value, ..., Variant N///variant_property=value///variant_property=value]///setting=value///setting=value

Note

Several options must be delimited with a semicolon (;).

  • (Storefront)—the name of the storefront.

    Warning

    If you don’t specify the storefront, you won’t be able to edit the options.

  • Option name—the name of the option.

  • Option type—one of the following option types:

    • I—text.
    • T—text area.
    • S—select box.
    • R—radio group.
    • C—checkbox.

Important

EXAMPLE (text options): (Simtech) Your age: I; (Simtech) Date of birth: I; (Simtech) Notes: T

Option Variants

Variants can be specified for select box (S) and radio group (R) options right after the option type:

(Storefront) Option name: Option type[Variant 1///variant_property=value///variant_property=value, ..., Variant N///variant_property=value///variant_property=value]
  • Variant 1, ..., Variant N—the names of the variants.

    Important

    EXAMPLE: (Simtech) Color: S[Red, Green, Blue]; (Simtech) Size: R[S, M, L, XL, XXL]

  • ///—the feature values delimiter that you specify when you import a CSV file with product data.

  • variant_property=value///variant_property=value—the properties of an option variant:

    • modifier—a positive or negative value that is added to or subtracted from the product price when this option variant is selected.
    • modifier_type—the type of the price modifier:
      • P—a percentage.
      • A—a fixed value in the primary currency of the store.
    • weight_modifier—a positive or negative value that is added to or subtracted from the product weight when this option variant is selected.
    • weight_modifier_type—the type of the weight modifier:
      • P—a percentage.
      • A—a fixed value in the weight measurement unit of the store.
    • image—an image of an option variant. This field works the same way as the detailed image.

Important

EXAMPLE: (Simtech) Size: S[Normal,Large///modifier=10.000///modifier_type=P///weight_modifier=20.000///weight_modifier_type=A]; Color: S[Grey///image=exim/backup/images/variant_image/grey_example.jpg,Black///modifier=50.000///modifier_type=A///image=exim/backup/images/variant_image/black_example.jpg]

Option Settings

Settings can be specified after the option variants. Here are the settings that you may specify:

  • inventory—determines if this option can be a part of an option combination and has to be tracked separately:

    • Y—yes.
    • N—no.
  • missing_variants_handling—determines what happens when all the variants of the option are disabled or not specified at all:

    • M—display message.
    • H—hide option completely.
  • required—if an option is required, customers will have to select/enter the variant of this option:

    • Y—the option is required.
    • N—the option isn’t required.
  • status—the status of the option:

    • A—active.
    • D—disabled.

    Important

    EXAMPLE: (Simtech) Color: S[Red///modifier=5///modifier_type=A,Green///modifier=10///modifier_type=P]///inventory=Y///missing_variants_handling=M///required=Y///status=A

  • multiupload (for options with the File (F) type)—determines if customers can upload several files for one option:

    • Y—yes.
    • N—no.
  • allowed_extensions (for options with the File (F) type)—the extensions of the files that the customers are allowed to upload:

  • max_file_size (for options with the File (F) type)—the maximum size of an uploaded file in KBs.

    Important

    EXAMPLE: (Simtech) Custom image: F///required=Y///multiupload=N///allowed_extensions=jpg,bmp,gif///max_file_size=1000

Variation options

The variants of options that comprise a product variation. For example, if you sell a T-shirt with options like Size and Color, then a medium white T-shirt would be a product variation. We have a separate article on how to import product variations.

Important

EXAMPLE: Size:Medium|Color:White

Secondary categories

The full path to additional categories to which the product is assigned. Parent and child categories must be separated with the Category delimiter that you specify when you import a CSV file with product data. If a product is assigned to several secondary categories, the paths to each category must be delimited with a semicolon (;).

Important

EXAMPLE (the delimiter is ///): Computers///New products; Computers///Desktops

If the name of your category contains a colon (:), for example Promotions///Discount: 10%, then you need to escape it like this in the imported file: |Promotions///Discount: 10%|. Otherwise the category won’t be imported correctly.

When you have multiple secondary categories, it can look like this: Best Products;|Promotions///Discount: 10%|.

Items in box

The minimum and maximum number of product items to be shipped in a separate box. This field is used for automatic calculation of the shipping cost. The format of data in this field is as follows: min:[number];max:[number].

Important

EXAMPLE: min:1;max:5

Box size

Dimensions of a box. This field is used for automatic calculation of the shipping cost. The format of data in this field is as follows:

length:[number];width:[number];height:[number]

Important

EXAMPLE: length:10;width:15;height:15

Usergroup IDs

Numeric IDs of the user groups will be able to see the product. Here are the IDs that CS-Cart and Multi-Vendor have by default:

  • 0—all users
  • 1—guests
  • 2—registered users

Important

EXAMPLE: 0,1,2,3

Available since

The date when the product becomes available for sale. It is used when the out-of-stock action is set to Buy in advance. It must use the following format:

dd mmm yyyy 00:00:00

Important

EXAMPLE: 25 Dec 2015 14:05:00

Exceptions type

The type of the product option exceptions:

  • F—all option exceptions are forbidden: the customer cannot add the product with such option combination to the cart. All other option combinations are allowed.
  • A—only option exceptions are allowed: the customer can add a product with such option combinations to the cart. However, other option combinations are forbidden.

Important

EXAMPLE: F

Options type

The order in which option variants are selected by a customer on the product page:

  • P—simultaneous: customers can select variants for options in any order; each option has some variant selected by default.
  • S—sequential: customer must select a variant for the first option, then for the second option, and so on; by default, no variant is selected.

Important

EXAMPLE: S

Store

The store that the item belongs to. This field is mandatory in CS-Cart.

Important

EXAMPLE: Sample Store

Note

Multi-Vendor has the Vendor field instead.

SEO name

The SEO name of the product.

Important

EXAMPLE: my-product

Pay by points

Important

EXAMPLE: Y

Override points

  • Y—override the amount points awarded for buying the product.
  • N—don’t override the amount of points awarded for buying the product.

Important

EXAMPLE: Y

Override exchange rate

  • Y—override the price in points for this product.
  • N—use global point exchange rate for this product’s price in points.

Important

EXAMPLE: Y

Popularity

The popularity of the product. It is an integer that changes depending on the activity around the product (when the product is viewed, added to cart, removed from cart, or purchased). The higher it is, the more popular the product is.

Important

EXAMPLE: 8