Growcer has a built- in import and export functionality to update/add/delete hundreds of entities into your store with a single .CSV. This module is aimed to benefit both:

• First-time store owners get started more quickly by exporting and importing entities catered to setting up of stores such as catalogs, seller products, options and so forth.
• Existing store owners can update tens or hundreds of products with new information or setting storefronts in multiple languages.

To set up data, the following is the list of import and export entities available with Growcer:

1. General Instructions

The ‘Instructions’ page is where you can get acquainted with several common scenarios that can occur anytime you upload, manage, delete or check the status of uploaded data. Some of the most common instructions are as follows:

1. Multilingual: Multilingual functionality ensures that data can be managed and viewed in different languages. Specify a language, other than the default, to be used while importing or exporting.
2. Import/Export process: It is always recommended to export the CSV first, make changes to it and then import it back into the system. However, you can also create your own file, copy or type the column headers from the exported file. The former method ensures accuracy and minimizes chances of errors during the import process.
3. Images/Media Files: Any type of images/media can only be imported into the system if the file is located at a public URL. For example, the file should be hosted either on a server that is accessible publically or on online tools such as Dropbox/Google Drive etc. Please note that images saved on devices and desktops cannot be imported through the CSV. Once the media CSV is imported into the system, a cron job is executed by the system to import and save the images on the server. This cron job is an automated script that the system runs after a set interval on its own and no intervention is required from the user's end. The media/images imported into the system will not display immediately.
4. Deleting Items: Within Growcer when an item is deleted, the system does not delete the item from the database rather it just hides the item from the display. With the import functionality, a user can restore a previously deleted item by changing the value of the deleted column from 'Yes' to 'No'.
5. Import Log File: Growcer will generate a CSV log file for every import action where it will log the column and row for the errors encountered during the import. If the import was successful then no log file will be generated. The system will only allow importing the CSV if no errors are encountered.
6. CSV: To avoid errors it is recommended to not alter columns or their names/headers in the CSV. Also to import bulk entries it is recommended to keep maximum entries to a count of 20,000 per sheet. It is recommended to make multiple sheets for data above 20,000.
7. Import Export Growcer Settings: Only turn on/off settings from the settings console if you are familiar with boolean concepts and understand how ids will work in a CSV. Also turning on settings from the import-export settings tab may alter or add columns to the CSV. These columns are not defined in the instructions tab.

2. Settings

The Seller has the provision to configure import/export related settings. By default ‘Identifiers’ are used instead of ‘Id’. However, the following settings box can be used to ‘select’ and uncheck to ‘deselect’ the settings:

• Use Brand Id Instead Of Brand Identifier : Enabling given setting will populate ‘Brand Ids’ data in place of ‘brand identifiers’. To restore default settings, uncheck  by clicking inside the checkbox.
• Use Category Id Instead Of Category Identifier: When this setting is enabled, import/export data will use ‘Category ID’ in place of ‘category identifier’.
• Use Catalog Product Id Instead Of Catalog Product Identifier: Choose whether you want to import/export worksheet data as ‘Catalog Product Id’ in spite of ‘catalog product identifier’. Disable to continue using catalog product Id.
• Use Option Id Instead Of Option Identifier: Enabling a given setting will populate ‘Option Ids’ data in place of ‘option identifiers’’. To restore default settings, uncheck  by clicking inside the checkbox.
• Use Option Value Id Instead Of Option Identifier: When this setting is enabled, import/export data will populate ‘Option Value ID’ in place of ‘option identifier’.
• Use Tag Id Instead Of Tag Identifier: Export/import ‘Tag Id’ in place of ‘tag identifier’ into worksheet. To disable, uncheck or deselect the setting.
• Use Tax Id Instead Of Tax Identifier: Choose whether you want to import/export worksheet data as ‘Tax Id’ in place of ‘tax identifier’. Disable to continue using Tax Id.
• Use Product Type Id Instead Of Product Type Identifier: This setting enables using ‘Product Type Id’ in place of product type identifier.
• Use Dimension Unit Id Instead Of Dimension Unit Identifier: Choose whether you want to import/export worksheet data as ‘Dimension Unit Id’ in place of ‘dimension unit Identifier’. Disable to continue using Tax Id.
• Use Weight Unit Id Instead Of Weight Unit Identifier: Enabling a given setting will populate ‘Weight Unit Ids’ data in place of ‘weight unit identifiers’’.
  To restore default settings, uncheck  by clicking inside the checkbox.
• Use Lang Id Instead Of Lang Code: When this setting is enabled, import/export data will populate ‘Language ID’ in place of ‘lang code’.
• Use Currency Id Instead Of Currency Code: Enable this setting to export/import worksheets ‘Currency Id’ column as ‘currency code’.
• Use Product Condition Id Instead Of Condition Identifier: Export/import ‘Product Condition Id’ in place of ‘condition identifier’ into worksheet. To disable, uncheck or deselect the setting
• Use Percent Or Flat Condition Id Instead Of Identifier: Enabling this setting will populate worksheets with ‘Use Percent Or Flat Condition Id’ instead of ‘identifier’.
• Use Country Id Instead Of Country Code: Choose whether you want to import/export worksheet data as ‘Country Id’ in place of ‘country code’. Disable to continue using country code.
• Use State Id Instead Of State Identifier: Enabling this setting will populate ‘State Id’ data instead of ‘state identifier’ in worksheets.
• Use Policy Point Id Instead Of Policy Point Identifier : Configure this setting and exported/imported excel will display ‘Policy Point Id’ in place of ‘policy point identifier’.
• Use Shipping Company Id Instead Of Shipping Company Identifier :Export/import ‘shipping company Id’ in place of ‘tag identifier’ into worksheet.
  To disable, uncheck or deselect the setting.
• Use Policy Point Type Id Instead Of Policy Point Type Identifier : Enabling the setting will populate‘Policy Point Type Id’ in place of ‘policy point type identifier.’
• Use Shipping Duration Id Instead Of Shipping Duration Identifier : This settings allows using ‘Shipping Duration Id in place of ‘shipping duration identifier.’
• Use 1 For Yes 0 For No : On enabling this setting, the worksheets exported/imported will populate ‘1 for Yes’ & ‘0 for ‘No’ to display status type data.

Once the above settings have been configured, declare your consent by clicking on the ‘Submit’ button.

3. Upload Bulk Media

This area is dedicated to managing media libraries. Whether you require adding a whole heap of product catalog images/media in bulk or making bulk edits to existing media data, this can be done via export/import ‘Media’ option.

Here it is important to know that the Growcer system requires a compressed zip folder created beforehand consisting media images intended to upload or import. Also, it is noteworthy to know that at the time of creating a media library zip folder, the file size should not be more than your server max upload size. Know your server limit by contacting your hosting provider.

Any type of images/media can only be imported into the system if the file is located at a public URL. Therefore, images or media libraries need to be pre-uploaded or sent to the server to import to your store.

To upload media files from local system, click ‘Browse File’ and do the following:

1. Navigate to the .zip folder containing media images for bulk upload, click ‘Open’ and ultimately click on the ‘Submit’ button.
2. View uploaded media into listing below where the Seller can perform the following actions:
   • Delete : Due to any reasons, if you no longer wish to keep the uploaded media files, click on the ‘Delete’ icon, follow the prompts. ‘Directory Removed’ message will be displayed to confirm the deletion.
   • Download : Upon click, the selected file will be downloaded as per default download location settings.
3. Media CSV file: Upon successful upload, a .csv file will be downloaded automatically. Following message will be displayed to confirm the successful upload:
   
4. Open the uploaded zip ‘Media .csv File’ by clicking at the ‘Download’ icon and view the following information contained in a file:
   
   • File Path: Specifies a unique location of a file saved on a server. Please note that the downloaded file will auto populate the path url.
   • File Name: Specify unique file name of image/media uploaded. Please note that the downloaded file will auto populate the path url.

4. About Export

Exporting not only provides backup of pre-existing data of product catalog such as categories, brands, options, tags, but also allows you to update, add, edit product information in bulk. On a click, files are exported/stored into the ‘Downloads’ folder.

We recommend making a backup after exporting any of the available options data. It's a good practice to make a copy of the original export as a backup. This way, if something goes wrong during an import, you can quickly restore your products to their previous state.

5. About Import

There are two ways to manage data before finalising it for import. With both methods, the number of records imported depends on the hosting providers.

1. Use downloaded file (exported file) to add/edit/delete data: This allows you to make changes to an already formatted file. Based on the defined format, you can prepare your data and make it instantly available for import.
2. Create your own .csv file: If using the blank .CSV file, it should follow the schema. The order and format of ‘Top Headers’ that indicates what kind of data the column holds should be maintained throughout the file. We recommend copying the top headers from the exported file into your new .csv file to minimize the chances of errors. We recommend selecting a batch size of maximum 1000 records to avoid crash and processing issues.