Add-on "Import PRO: CSV with auto field recognition, creation of characteristics and moderation of the seller’s preset"for CS-Cart Multi-Vendor
The add-on allows you to significantly simplify and automate the process of importing goods. The main functions of the add-on:
- Automatic matching of the fields from the file with the fields of the product card;
- Import moderation;
- Automatic creation of characteristics.
This add-on allows you to automate the configuration of the import of goods, simplify the verification of import settings, creates new characteristics, normalizes delivery parameters and much more. Thanks to him, the import of goods instead of several hours is configured in just a few minutes.
Automatic field matching
There are two options for downloading and configuring the file by the vendor:
- The main upload format: *the vendor uploads the file and independently compares the fields from the file with the fields for matching in the import, then confirms and sends for moderation.
- Simplified upload format: *the vendor uploads the file and sends it for moderation, the marketplace administrator checks the file, matches the fields and starts the import.
*In both cases, the add-on automatically matches the fields from the import file with the fields of the product card, focusing on the previously obtained experience. We have created a self-learning matching algorithm. It remembers exactly how the vendor or administrator matches the fields and creates a mapping directory. For the accuracy of the algorithm, the directory is created in the context of the marketplace and each individual seller.
After the seller uploads a new import file, the algorithm looks through the fields in the file, compares them with the vendor’s reference and substitutes the corresponding fields in the preset. If the required field is not in the vendor’s directory, the algorithm goes to the marketplace directory and finds the required field there. A person can only visually double-check the comparisons and, if necessary, disable or correct the comparisons.
Restriction on displaying fields for the entire marketplace or for individual vendors
CS-Cart supports a huge number of different fields for the product card. To minimize errors when comparing fields from the vendor, we have taught our add-on to hide extra fields that are not used in the marketplace.
Fields can be hidden for the entire marketplace or for individual sellers: depending on the tariff, the number of uploaded products, individual terms of cooperation. For example, you allow one of the sellers to export goods and then upload them back. In this case, the file will have to contain a certain amount of internal, additional information: product id, variation group id, and so on. Accordingly, for these sellers, you will need to allow the display of the corresponding fields in the import setup.
Import moderation
After the vendor downloads the file and clicks the “Import” button, the file gets checked by the marketplace administrator. The administrator checks the file, makes sure that it contains all the necessary information, checks whether the fields are correctly matched, and so on.
After that, he approves or rejects the import. The vendor must be notified about the results of moderation. The administrator selects the notification text from ready-made response templates. Example of the template for rejecting an import file: “Import rejected, the file does not contain a parameter for calculating delivery.”
If the administrator does not find a suitable one among the ready-made templates, he can enter his message with a free field. After that, he clicks the “Approve” or “Reject” button, and the seller receives a notification about the results of moderation.
If the import is rejected, he will be able to understand what is missing in the file, correct it and upload it again.
Importing goods, updating balances, adding new goods
With each new import, the product card is completely overwritten, which greatly loads the system with meaningless actions. Therefore, we recommend creating separate imports for three different cases:
- Initial loading of goods: all fields required to create a product card are compared;
- Updating balances: only three fields are matched – article, price and quantity;
- Adding new products: in the import settings, in the “import strategy” item, select the option “Create only new products”.
This will significantly reduce the load on the system with regular import of leftovers.
And in order to speed up the update process, we have shortened the chain of actions required for re-import. The administrator checks and moderates the import only during the initial download. In the future, if the file structure remains unchanged, the file does not go to moderation.
But if the seller changes the structure of the file for any reason, then it will be checked by the administrator again. This is necessary to ensure that the product information is loaded correctly.
Automatic creation of characteristics
In order for the products to be displayed correctly in the site search, before uploading them to the site, it is necessary to create characteristics for them. Our add-on does this automatically after the field matching is completed.
If, when creating a characteristic, you do not specify the category in which it should be displayed, then it will be available to everyone for all categories in all products. Even for those in which it is absolutely not needed. For example, products from the category “Electronics” and from the category “Clothing” will have completely different characteristics. Such characteristics as “Size” with options “42, 44, 46” and so on, or material with options “Knitwear, cotton, silk” and so on are absolutely not important to the smartphone. Similarly, a T-shirt does not and cannot have a “Screen size” characteristic.
If all the characteristics are available for all categories, the seller will have to scroll through the entire list of characteristics when creating a product card until he finds the right one. And then the buyer will also have to scroll through filters with “Screen Size” characteristics when searching for a T-shirt.
In order to avoid these difficulties, our import add-on creates characteristics according to a certain algorithm:
- Characteristics are created for the seller, that is, other sellers do not have access to them;
- Seller categories are assigned to characteristics;
- After that, you can add a marketplace category and create filters for these characteristics to display in specific categories on the marketplace showcase.
Assigning characteristics to specific categories makes it easier to work with characteristics. Ensures that each category has only relevant filters for it.
Types of characteristics
Select the correct type for each characteristic in the file:
- To search for products;
- Variation as one product;
- Variation as a multiple commodity;
- Free input field.
The first type of characteristics is used when creating filters to search for products on the site. The second and Third are for combining similar products into variations. The fourth is for the correct display of characteristics containing a large amount of information. For example, it can be a characteristic “Certificate of goods from the manufacturer”.
Fields with different types of characteristics can also be disabled both for the marketplace and for individual sellers.
Filling in delivery parameters
Delivery parameters are very important information about the product, as it is necessary for the correct delivery of the order through transport companies. As a rule, filling in this data on the marketplace is considered mandatory. At the same time, it is very important to normalize this data.
However, in practice, it turns out that each vendor has its own units of measurement in the file: someone measures the weight in kilograms, someone in grams, someone writes down the dimensions in centimeters, someone in meters. And the marketplace and transport companies have their own set units of measurement. As a rule, transport companies on their side make all measurements in centimeters and kilograms.
And it’s good if the dimension of the seller is indicated in the column, then the administrator, when comparing fields, immediately sees whether the dimension in the file corresponds to the dimension accepted in the marketplace. Then, if the units of measurement do not match, it is enough for the administrator to specify a modifier that will allow you to bring the delivery parameters to the units of measurement accepted on the marketplace.
However, some sellers indicate the dimension directly in the cells for each product. And, often, they do it in different ways: abbreviated, completely, with a dot, without a dot, with errors, and so on.
For example, the default length of the marketplace is measured in centimeters (cm is written), and the weight in kilograms (kg). The new seller’s length is also in centimeters, but the dimension is indicated differently – SEE – in large letters and with a dot. And he writes down the weight in grams and also denotes G. – with a capital letter and with a dot.
Previously, I had to download a file, figure out in which units of measurement the delivery parameters are given, manually convert them and download the file again. Or return the file to the seller, coordinate changes with him, wait for a new file. Both options are very long, it distances the seller from the start of sales and loads your employees with extra work.
We solved this issue at the import setup stage. You specify multipliers for converting some units of measurement to others and aliases for them. The algorithm scans the file and, if it finds any of the specified aliases of the unit of measurement, applies the specified multiplier to this cell. At the output, you get the weight or size of the product in your units of measurement.
Delivery parameters are specified in one cell
Sometimes the seller indicates the dimensions of the goods in one cell through a separator: a multiplication sign, a semicolon or any other. For example: 10x40x35, or 10;40;35, or 104035 and so on.
To recognize such a record and correctly transfer the data to the fields of the product card, you only need to tick the box with the appropriate separator: x, *, ; and so on.
Downloading large files
Often marketplaces are forced to impose restrictions on the size of the import file. This is due to the fact that it is necessary to allocate server resources to download a really large file. And this can negatively affect the work of the entire marketplace. But after all, the site is responsible for interacting with customers, and it should not suffer under any circumstances.
We have come up with a different solution that allows you to upload files of any size and not slow down the site. The add-on splits the import file into smaller files of 200-300 products and loads them one by one.
Moreover, even if there is an error in one of the lines of the file, for example, some important information is missing, the algorithm will not stop the download. He will try to read the problematic line again, and if it still does not work, he will simply move on to the next product.
The add-on is included in Enterprise packages for CS-Cart for online stores.
Compatible with CS-Cart version for online stores of Standard and Ultimate versions. No testing was conducted for the Free version.
For more information, see here:
If you still have questions about the functionality of the add-on, please contact our Maurisweb support service: phone +7-923-364-9007, Telegram, sales@maurisweb.ru
Visit our CS-Cart add-on store for Online Stores and CS-Cart for Multi-Vendor marketplaces.
Sincerely, the Maurisweb team.
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