This feature is vital and it is a must to update our inventory.That’s the link on User Voice
( [url]http://cscart.uservoice.com/forums/40782-professional/suggestions/1206749-xml-data-feed-importing-supplier-s-xml-?ref=title[/url] )
1.Creating an automated mechanism that can read XML files from vendors, use XSLT to convert that data to a standard XML format and then have a process that can read that standard format and update the product inventory appropriately.
2.There would be an option named “From suppliers database” like the other options “server”,“local server” and we will write suppliers’ warehouse link to force the system for downloading the XML file.
3. XML profiler: Having a chance to set custom fields,add/remove coloumns.In other words, convert all suppliers’ xml files into a standard xml profile.
4. This import will update product catalog,categories,sub-categories,price,stock info, product pictures,thumbnails,vat info at least.
5.The next time after updating inventory, the system will import only new products and it will update the changings only.This will give us an ability not to loose anything if we play with product info.ie.changing description of a product after importing XML will loose if we update again from the supplier.
6. This X-cart addon looks like a good prototype for the addon we’d need.
[url]http://www.bcsengineering.com/store/product-importer-updater_pro-for-x-cart.html[/url]
Tomato Cart (www.tomatocart.com) includes xml datafeed as well.
We need some votes to make this feature integrated to Cs-Cart.Don’t hesisate to vote via User Voice:See the following link
[url]http://cscart.uservoice.com/forums/40782-professional/suggestions/1206749-xml-data-feed-importing-supplier-s-xml-[/url]
@getreal
I have had this mod on one of my sites, if you want the contact details of the maker PM me.
Regards,
Aleks
As you know, Coding Staff team is now offically partner of Cs-Cart. They have really good addons for CS.We’ve talked with them and:
They’re willing to develop that XML feature as an addon,if many people are interested in, in other words, if they promise to buy that addon after it is available on the market.
Can the people-who are interested in- post to this topic like “I’m interested in”.They wanna see if they cover the expenses or not.
Waiting for your earliest replies.Thank you.
Im in
Me too!
I need to automate stock status from our office stock/account program based on MS Sql server to Mysql server for Cs-cart table mainly for updating stock quantities. If this helps, I am also in!
[quote name=‘getreal’]This feature is vital and it is a must to update our inventory.That’s the link on User Voice
( [url]http://cscart.uservoice.com/forums/40782-professional/suggestions/1206749-xml-data-feed-importing-supplier-s-xml-?ref=title[/url] )
1.Creating an automated mechanism that can read XML files from vendors, use XSLT to convert that data to a standard XML format and then have a process that can read that standard format and update the product inventory appropriately.
2.There would be an option named “From suppliers database” like the other options “server”,“local server” and we will write suppliers’ warehouse link to force the system for downloading the XML file.
3. XML profiler: Having a chance to set custom fields,add/remove coloumns.In other words, convert all suppliers’ xml files into a standard xml profile.
4. This import will update product catalog,categories,sub-categories,price,stock info, product pictures,thumbnails,vat info at least.
5.The next time after updating inventory, the system will import only new products and it will update the changings only.This will give us an ability not to loose anything if we play with product info.ie.changing description of a product after importing XML will loose if we update again from the supplier.
6. This X-cart addon looks like a good prototype for the addon we’d need.
[url]http://www.bcsengineering.com/store/product-importer-updater_pro-for-x-cart.html[/url]
Tomato Cart (www.tomatocart.com) includes xml datafeed as well.[/QUOTE]
i think it’s soo useful for everybody
Hi All,
Just several people?Can the people vote and write some words if they’re in?We need more support.That’s a key feature to communicate with the suppliers csv is not the easy way of doing this at all.
Thanks,
[quote name=‘getreal’]csv is not the easy way of doing this at all.[/QUOTE]
Works just fine for me. 
Hi,
Pls vote from the following link for this feature included in the cs-cart:
[url]http://cscart.uservoice.com/forums/40782-professional/suggestions/1206749-xml-data-feed-importing-supplier-s-xml-?ref=title[/url]
Vote Poll and write something to get it done as an addon by the help of Coding Staff.
That was the another thread including some comments,ideas and voters for this feature.
“http://forum.cs-cart.com/showthread.php?t=20850”
Thank you,
Why not just manually create your database and then compare your data against your distributors data. You will have much more control this way. Yes it’s definitely lost of manual work and time, but truly it’s the way to go. This way you know exactly what ya got and can tell your customers all they want to know. Better way to do business I believe.
Stu
The Tool and Derbytown502: As you all know,csv is the older standard and xml provides many abilities regarding import/export options etc.We’re getting xml from the suppliers not csv files and most of them have a different structure of xml,and like 2-3 times @week updating product’s prices,adding some pictures etc.So,I mean about the xml data feed or at least XLST to convert the external structure of XML to our predefined form.In other case,that would take much time for every update.
I get csv’s from my suppliers and I update prices and inventory every night. I simply delete all the fields that are not necessary, edit the fields to CS fields, and run a formula to create my price from my cost. It takes all of about 10-15 minutes for me to do this. I have never messed with importing/exporting xml files but it seems it would be more difficult.
Tool: Can I ask several questions;
1.How can you convert these csv’s to xml? with the help of Excel?
2.Are you using CS-Cart CSV import tool or just done via database?
3.How you filter/understand new products and changed/updated prices?Isn’t it difficult to scan all products to understand if they are new or their prices are updated or not?
4.How you’re applying some margin to the suppliers’ costs?You mentioned about the formula to apply some profit,can you share with us about how you did it?
[quote name=‘getreal’]Tool: Can I ask several questions;
1.How can you convert these csv’s to xml? with the help of Excel?
2.Are you using CS-Cart CSV import tool or just done via database?
3.How you filter/understand new products and changed/updated prices?Isn’t it difficult to scan all products to understand if they are new or their prices are updated or not?
4.How you’re applying some margin to the suppliers’ costs?You mentioned about the formula to apply some profit,can you share with us about how you did it?[/QUOTE]
- I do not convert to xml…it stays as a csv file. Yes, I use Excel to edit the csv file obtained from the supplier.
- Yes, I use the CSC import/export.
- This is handled differently between my 2 suppliers because data is different. One of my suppliers offers 2 files: 1 is changes and the other is the complete current products available. My other supplier only offers 1 file but it includes a field “Modified Date” which tells me when a product has been changed.
- I create another field “Price” in the csv and add a formula for example B2*.4+B2 (B2 being the suppliers cost) then drag the formula down the list of products.
The Tool: Thanks for your comments.It really sounds good.You’re genius:) Sorry for taking your time but I wanna learn something more from you since the problems I mentioned from our real life.
1.The only thing is: we will have a problem if a supplier doesn’t give any info about modified date in the csv file.Everything will be confused.So,we need to keep insisting for asking the modified date?What can we do if they don’t give that info?
2.How about downloading csv files automatically like a batch job?You’re downloading manually?
3.How you’re applying profit margin according to the departments?For example,we need to apply %5 to Computers department while applying %3 to Books.
4.The products in the csv file are provided along with their sub-departments or you’re arranging them?
5. What if:we need only to get stock and price info for some of the products in the list because we’ve changed some products’ names or/and images?In that case,you create a separate excel sheet to paste them into and upload that sheet as a separate?If we do that, we will have duplicated products?isn’t it?
6.To avoid from the problem mentioned in the 5th point,we can upload only needed fields for the related product.But,Does Cs-Cart csv import tool give us an ability to upload only needed fields?For example,I will only upload price,stock info for some product while the product name will be kept same.Why I’m trying to did this: I didn’t like the supplier’s some product names and changed its name but I still need its stock and price info.
[quote name=‘getreal’]The Tool: Thanks for your comments.It really sounds good.You’re genius:) Sorry for taking your time but I wanna learn something more from you since the problems I mentioned from our real life.
1.The only thing is: we will have a problem if a supplier doesn’t give any info about modified date in the csv file.Everything will be confused.So,we need to keep insisting for asking the modified date?What can we do if they don’t give that info?
2.How about downloading csv files automatically like a batch job?You’re downloading manually?
3.How you’re applying profit margin according to the departments?For example,we need to apply %5 to Computers department while applying %3 to Books.
4.The products in the csv file are provided along with their sub-departments or you’re arranging them?
5. What if:we need only to get stock and price info for some of the products in the list because we’ve changed some products’ names or/and images?In that case,you create a separate excel sheet to paste them into and upload that sheet as a separate?If we do that, we will have duplicated products?isn’t it?
6.To avoid from the problem mentioned in the 5th point,we can upload only needed fields for the related product.But,Does Cs-Cart csv import tool give us an ability to upload only needed fields?For example,I will only upload price,stock info for some product while the product name will be kept same.Why I’m trying to did this: I didn’t like the supplier’s some product names and changed its name but I still need its stock and price info.[/QUOTE]
- It is a must that you have some form of notification of changes. I suppose you could use some file compare software but that is more time consuming and more room for error.
- Files are downloaded manually as needed.
- I set the same profit margin for all products (easiest route). If you want different profit margins then you will need to be able to sort the file by a field like “Category”, then you can drag the formula for each category.
- I try to use the exact information that my suppliers provide so I do not run into any problems, so yes, I use the categories and sub-categories that they provide.
- The “Product code” is a mandatory field and when importing, the data will not be duplicated. If you have more than one data entry with the same product code, the data will be overwritten with the trailing one.
- Yes, you can import only necessary fields. For example when I update prices and inventory my file only contains the fields: Product code, Quantity, Price
The Tool: Thank you very much.Your clear answers will help us much.
We have some clear ideas right now about how we can use csv import more effectively.My last question is: We’re getting these files as xml.Do we face with the problems while converting xmls’ to csv’s? Any distortion,corruption,getting unmeaningful data,I mean about the conversion problems.
Thank you for your concern,
Sorry. I don’t have any experience converting xml’s to csv’s or vice versa.