Exporting lets you view existing product categories in a spreadsheet form. This is important if you want to keep a backup of large product categories. However, if you are also planning to make edits to existing categories, adding more to the list, removing a few, this can be done via an exported file or creating your own .csv sheet following the right format/headers and making it ready for import. 

1. Export Process

The steps to export or download existing categories content data involves:

1. Click on the ‘Hamburger Menu’ 
2. Select ‘Import Export’, 
3. Click ‘Export’ from the left menu
4. Select export option ‘Categories’. 

The following information is required to be submitted to download the .csv file:

1.1 Content Tab

 This tab has following information prompted to download a .csv:

• Language: A content section is provided to download categories in multiple languages as added by admin in the system. For instance if you want to save content in English language simply select language English, click the ‘Submit’ button and the file will be downloaded. Similarly for other languages follow the above process with respective languages. 
• Understanding Sequence Of Downloaded .csv: Open the above exported ‘categories’ .csv file from your downloads folder. Once a file is accessed, data can be viewed in the following sequence:
  1. Category Identifier*: User defined free text field for unique identifier of the category. This works as a unique key for the system to identify a particular category. In case multiple entries with the same ‘category identifier’ have been made, the system overwrites old entries. As a result, new entries to be retained in the system and old ones will be deleted.
  2. Parent Identifier: Parent Identifier is used for categories that belong to a root/master category, essentially they are subcategories to root categories. For a category that is root/master category, the parent identifier column needs to be left blank.
  3. Name*: Category name is displayed as per language selected. Enter/edit/delete name following the given format.
  4. SEO Friendly URL*: User defined URL for the category for SEO purposes. Spaces cannot be used in the URL.
  5. Active: Categories that have an ‘Active’ status are marked as ‘Yes’, whereas ‘Inactive’ is shown as ‘No’. Enter/edit statues as required.
  6. Display Order: The order assigned to each category is displayed in number. If more than one category has a display order set to the same value then the system will display the category that was added first. If you are unsure about this field add display order as '1' to all the categories.
  7. Deleted: Display deleted records as ‘Yes’ and existing records as ‘No’. In case new entries are to be added, type ‘No’ into the column to add them, whereas to restore deleted records that are showing ‘Yes’ status can be edited by entering ‘No’ to bulk restore deleted categories.
  8. Lastly, save the prepared categories content file into your document folder.

Columns marked with asterisk* are mandatory to input information and cannot be left blank. 

1.2 Media Tab

This tab has following information prompted to download a .csv:

• Export File Language: Select languages from the drop-down list. The number of languages displayed has a direct relation with enabled languages in a system. For instance, if you want to save content in English language simply select language English and submit. Similarly for other languages follow the above process with respective languages.
• Understanding Sequence Of Downloaded .CSV To Import Media: Before understanding the downloaded sequence, we recommend to go through the following prerequisites to avoid confusions later:
  • Open the following files simultaneously: 
    • Open the auto downloaded ‘Media .CSV File’ that has been obtained when the media file has been sent to the server. 
    • Open the exported media .csv file downloaded through Media Tab above. 
    • Once you have files opened mentioned above, go through the following sequence of columns to prepare media data:
      1. Category Identifier*: User defined unique identifier for the category. This field needs to be the same as the ‘Category Identifier’ defined in the Categories Content sheet.
      2. Lang Code: User defined field to link the category image for a particular language.
         1. 'Universal' is to be used as an option to link the media in all languages. Language codes need to be used if the Category has different images for each language.
      3. Image Type*: User defined field with input options of 'Category Icon' & 'Category Banner'. Category icon option is to be used when uploading icon image for the category. Category banner option is to be used when uploading banner image for the category page.
      4. Display Screen: Display whether image is intended to be displayed for Desktop, Ipad and Mobile. Please note that display screen settings are applied to ‘Banner’ images only.
      5. File Path*: Images stored locally on your personal device/machine cannot be uploaded. Preferred image dimensions for Category Icon are 60*60 pixels. Preferred image dimensions for Category banner are 1320*320 pixels. Detail about system generated file path. Copy the ‘file path’ from the ‘Media .CSV File’ opened alongside with the currently opened file.  
      6. File Name*: Name of the image file. Copy the ‘file name’’ from the  ‘Media .CSV File’ opened alongside the file you’re currently working upon. 
      7. Lastly, save the prepared categories media file into your document folder.
         Columns marked with asterisk* are mandatory to input information and cannot be left blank. 

2. Import Process

The process to import has some prerequisites to follow. For ‘Content’ once required information is added/edited, double check your data and format of file in case you have opted to create your own .csv file. Check the file for formatted headers and columns so that mandatory fields cannot be left blank. Also this is also worth noting that imports are matched with the existing records using a unique category Identifier. Once a unique identifier/ID connects an imported record to an existing record, data is overwritten.

Whereas, for ‘Media’ ensure that you have followed the prerequisites by adding media to the server. Please also note that at the time of creating a media library zip folder, the file size should not be more than your server max upload size. Determine server limit by contacting your hosting provider. 

2.1 Content Data

Click on the hamburger menu  on the left, select ‘Import Export’, click ‘Import’, from the left hand menu, select ‘Import’  select option ‘Categories’. Upon click, the following modular ‘Import Instructions’ tab will appear where information is displayed into various tabs:

1. Instructions: On this tab, instructions about importing ‘Product Categories’ are displayed. We recommend a thorough reading of instructions to avoid uploading errors. 
2. Content: On this tab, the following fields are displayed to import data:
   • Language: Select imported language file from the dropdown list provided. Please note that the list of languages displayed has a direct relation with the number of languages enabled in the system. 
   • File To Be Uploaded: Click on ‘Browse File’, locate the ‘categories .csv’ file, click ‘Open’ and then ‘Submit’.

The ‘Data Imported/Updated Successfully’ message will be displayed when the file is uploaded within the system. Exit the section and congratulations you have successfully uploaded/updated newly added data into the system. In case of any discrepancies found, an error message is displayed and a ‘Log File’ will be automatically generated. 

Check your ‘Downloads’ folder to go through the generated ‘log file’, that is marked or highlighted for errors. A preview of ‘Log file’ can be shown below:

2.2  Media Data

Once media data is setup and ready to be imported, click on the ‘Hamburger Menu’  on the left, select ‘Import Export’, click ‘Import’, from the left hand menu, select import option ‘Categories’ and choose ‘Media’ tab from the shown ‘Import Instructions’ form.

• Upload File Language: Select the language from the drop-down list media file is set up for import.
• File To Be Uploaded: Click on the ‘Browse File’, locate the ‘Media File’ destination, click ‘Open ‘ and finally click on the ‘Submit’ button.To access the newly created ‘Categories’ list, you can either view it from listing area Catalog > Product Categories, or can simply export the file following the export process.