How to import and export products using the CSV file?




Gridbox Store App for Joomla eCommerce comes with a built-in product CSV importer and exporter tool. Gridbox import/export CSV allows you to transfer products from 3rd-party eCommerce extensions and platforms. Also, you can bulk create or edit existing products. In this tutorial, we will show you how to import and export products using the CSV file. 

  • We strongly recommend creating a store backup before importing CSV file

Gridbox CSV file format. Standards and requirements


Sample CSV Files:


  • The column names in the CSV file are the data synchronization identifier. If you change the column name, the column data will not be imported

General Fields

View Details

Column

Description

Required

ID

Product ID. Must be unique. If the value is empty, the product ID will be assigned automatically.

Yes

Category

Category name. If the value is empty or the category doesn't exist, products will be imported into the category "Uncategorized".

Yes

Title

Product title. If this value is empty, the product will be named Product_ID.

Yes

Product Type

Available values:

  • Product
  • Option
  • Variation
  • Extra Options
  • Digital Product


If the value is empty to the product will be assigned the type Product.

Yes

Price

Product price. The field doesn't include any currency symbols. For example:

  • 10
  • 15.55

Optional

Sale Price

Product sale price. The field doesn't include any currency symbols. For example:

  • 0.75
  • 10
  • 15.55

Optional

SKU

Product SKU.

Optional

Image

URL for intro picture and product options *. For example:

  • https://www.site.com/images/img-1.jpg
  • images/img-1.jpg


* Image can be imported for the option if the option field type is Color Picker and/or Image Picker. Note, you can import more than 1 image. Image URLs must be separated by the symbol “;”. For example:​

  • images/img-1.jpg; images/img-2.jpg

Optional

Tags

Product tags. Values must be separated by a slash "/". For example:

  • Fashion / Style / Jeans

Optional

Product Badges

Values must be separated by a slash "/". For example:

  • New / Sale / %


% is a system value that displays the product discount percentage.

Optional

Alias

Product alias. The alias will be generated automatically from the product title if the field is empty.​

Optional

SEO Title

Product SEO Title.

Optional

SEO Description

Product SEO Description.

Optional

Published

Available values:

  • TRUE - product is published
  • FALSE - product not published

Optional

Physical Products

View Details

Column

Description

Required

In Stock

Product stock quantity.

Optional

Weight

Product weight. For example:

  • 0.75
  • 10
  • 15.55

Optional

Min. Qty

Minimum quantity of products that can be ordered. The field supports only the numeric format without separators. For example:

  • 1
  • 5
  • 10

Optional

Default Variation

Use TRUE to set a specific variation as the default variation.

Optional

Default Extra Option

Use TRUE to set the extra option as default.

Optional

Option

Product options. Values must be separated by a slash "/". For example:

  • Size / S
  • Size / M
  • Color / Blue
  • Color / Black

Optional

Variation

Product variations. Values must be separated by a slash "/". For example:

  • S / Blue
  • S / Black
  • M / Blue
  • M / Black

Optional

Extra Options

Extra product options. Values must be separated by a slash "/". For example:

  • Color / Blue
  • Color / Black

Optional

Digital Products

View Details

Column

Description

Required

Product File Link

Downloadable product link. Accepted values:

  • https://www.site.com/folder/product-file.zip
  • site-folder/product-file.zip

Yes

Link Expiration

Time limit for downloading a file. Accepted values:

  • Hours
  • Days
  • Months
  • Years


Values must be separated by a slash "/". For example:

  • 2 / Hours
  • 2 / Days
  • 3 / Months
  • 1 / Year


If the value is empty, the user gets unlimited access to download the file without any time limit.

Optional

Max. Downloads

Ability to set limit number of file downloads. The field supports only the numeric format without separators. For example:

  • 1
  • 1000
  • 250000


If the value is empty, the user gets unlimited access to download the file.

Optional

Custom Fields

View Details

Column

Description

Required

Field Text

The field Text supports any value for entering.

Optional

Field Text Area

The field Text Area supports any value for entering. If the “Enable Text Editor” option is enabled in the plugin settings, you can use Custom HTML code for input.

Optional

Field Dropdown

One of the available values from your Dropdown field must be entered.

Optional

Field Checkbox

The field allows entering one or more values. Values must be separated by a slash "/". For example:

  • Value A
  • Value A / Value B / Value C

Optional

Field Radio

One of the available values from your Radio field must be entered.

Optional

Field URL

The field URL includes the Link Title and link. Values must be separated by the symbol “;”. For example:

  • Link Title; https://site.com/link

Optional

Field Price

The field Price doesn't include any currency symbols. For example:

  • 0.75
  • 10
  • 15.55

Optional

Field Number

The field supports only numeric values. For example:

  • 0.75
  • 10
  • 15.55

Optional

Field Date

The date must be entered in the format: year – month – day (YMD). For example:

  • 2021-10-26
  • 2021-07-19

Optional

Field Time

Examples of entering values:

  • 05 : 20
  • 17 : 20
  • 05 : 20 PM
  • 05 : 20 AM

Optional

Field Slider

Numeric field. The value must be entered within the Min. - Max. based on your field settings.

Optional

Field Attachment File

Link to the attached file. For example:

  • https://www.site.com/folder/product-file.zip
  • site-folder/product-file.zip

Optional

Field Slideshow and Product Slideshow

The field must include links to images. Links must be separated by the symbol “;”. For example:

  • images/img-1.jpg; images/img-2.jpg

Optional

Field Simple Gallery and Product Gallery

The field must include a link to the image and Alt text for image. Values must be separated by the symbol “;”. For example:

  • images/img-1.jpg; Beautiful picture


Where “images/img-1.jpg” is the link to the image, “Beautiful picture” is the image Alt text.

The field can contain more than one image. The value should look like this:

  • images/img-1.jpg; Picture Alt 1; images/img-2.jpg; Picture Alt 1

Optional

Field Video

The field includes 2 values, video source and link. Values must be separated by the symbol “;”. For example:

  • Source File; folder/video.mp4
  • Youtube; NCan1NCiAXs
  • Vimeo; 53XXX8734

Optional

Field Image

The field must include a link to the image and Alt text for image. Values must be separated by the symbol “;”. For example:

  • images/img-1.jpg; Beautiful picture


Where “images/img-1.jpg” is the link to the image, “Beautiful picture” is the image Alt text.

Optional

  • If you enter a value for Option or Extra Option that does not exist, the field will be blank. Therefore, previously create Options and Extra Options that you need in the Gridbox Store App​

Import CSV file


1. In the Gridbox dashboard mouse over on the icon Apps ➝ Store.

2. Click the button Import/Export CSV.



Importing Gridbox CSV file


Importing Gridbox CSV File is a method for uploading a previously exported Gridbox CSV file. This method is suitable for bulk creation or editing of existing Gridbox products.


1. Choose Gridbox CSV File from the dropdown list.

2. Select a CSV file.

3. Click on the checkbox in the fields as needed:

  • Create store backup before import
  • Overwrite products with the same ID

4. Click the button Import.



Importing 3rd party CSV file (matching fields)


Importing a 3rd-party CSV file is a method for uploading CSV file from 3rd-party eCommerce extensions and platforms to the Gridbox Store App. To import a 3rd-party CSV file, you need to match fields of your file with the existing fields in the Gridbox Store App.


1. Choose Match Fields from the dropdown list.

2. Select a CSV file.

3. Click on the checkbox in the fields as needed:

  • Create store backup before import
  • Overwrite products with the same ID

4. Click the button Next.

5. Match fields from the uploaded CSV file and click the button Next.



Preliminary import check


Gridbox preliminary import check displays the number of new products, updated products, and errors. To find out specific errors, click "View Errors". In the open modal window "Errors", you will find the column name and line number with one of the errors. Correct errors and re-upload the CSV file. 

Errors

View Details

Error

Description

Fields

No items found

The imported value doesn't exist in the Gridbox. To fix the error, create the necessary elements in the Gridbox (e.g, Options and Variations), and then fill in the values in the CSV file.

Product Badges, Variations, Extra Options, Options, Tags, Radio, Dropdown, Checkbox.

The required column not present

Required column missing/removed. To fix the error, return the deleted required column.

ID, Category, Title, Product Type.

Invalid data type

The entered value doesn't meet the requirements. To fix the error, enter the data that will match the valid values. See documentation.

Price, Sale Price, Weight, Min. Qty, Link Expiration, Max. Downloads, Link, Number, Date, Time, Slider, Video.

Exporting CSV file


1. In the Gridbox dashboard mouse over on the icon Apps ➝ Store.
2. Click the button Import/Export CSV ➝ tab Export.
3. Uncheck the fields that are not used in the CSV file.
4. Click the button Export.


To export single or multiple products, select the items you need and follow the instructions above.

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