[ikoshkin]

QUICKBOOKS IMPORT ISSUE: ...

Hello, Matthew. I see that you have already posted this issue on our bug tracker. Thank you, our specialists will reply to you there.

[ikoshkin]

...
The Options column is the most laborious to create by hand.
...
I want to propose another solution to create configurable products from previously imported product variations. To see if it would be possible.
 
1.- Import Product variations as variable products (marked as V in column Type)
2.- Select products imported in Backend=>Manage products
3.- Click on new option named "Create configurable product based on products selected"
4.- The previous button opens a popup or page with a form in which the necessary data (name, options, variants,...) are requested to create the configurable product linked to the products previously selected.
 
I do not know if this would be very complicated to do but it would make the job much easier for the store administrators, since each provider offers the data in a different way.
 
Thank you
 
Josep

Thank you for your feedback and suggestions, as well as the scenario that you provided in a private message. We are looking for ways to improve product import. But before we can say if the offered solution is feasible, we'd like to get an example of the file that your suppliers send to you. We did see an example extract in the private message you sent, but we'll need an actual file, with data split into columns, as you receive it from your supplier.

For example in this extract:

123456 Helmet blue size M
123457 Helmet blue size L
123458 Helmet blue size XL
123459 Helmet red size M

I can't see the titles of the columns, nor can I say if the columns are split as "123456 | Helmet blue size M" or "123456 | Helmet | blue | size M". This difference could mean a lot, as it's important to figure out how CS-Cart will determine that "this variation is a combination of Option A variant 1 and option B variant 2".

Besides, manually grouping variations into configurable products after import is still additional manual work imposed on administrators. If you could send us an actual file from your supplier as an example, we might figure out a way how to automate this process.

[Josep]

For example in this extract:
I can't see the titles of the columns, nor can I say if the columns are split as "123456 | Helmet blue size M" or "123456 | Helmet | blue | size M". This difference could mean a lot, as it's important to figure out how CS-Cart will determine that "this variation is a combination of Option A variant 1 and option B variant 2".

Besides, manually grouping variations into configurable products after import is still additional manual work imposed on administrators. If you could send us an actual file from your supplier as an example, we might figure out a way how to automate this process.

 

Thank you ikoshkin,

 

The most common file that suppliers provide me has the options integrated within the title, for example:

 

SKU; Product_Name; Price; ...
123456; Helmet blue M; 150.25; ...
123457; Helmet blue L; 150.25; ...
123458; Helmet blue XL; 150.25; ...

But it is not a problem for me to separate the options in columns, it is relatively easy and fast in a spreadsheet.

 

The problem is when in a list of hundreds (or thousands) of products you have to separate the data into groups of X rows (for example, same product of different sizes) to create a new row in each group with the configurable product and above all with the list of options within the same field (options).

Creating this line, which you can see example below, is a manual work that is slower than making the product configurable in Cs-cart admin and is the real bottleneck to import configurable products (I think).

|options|
(Simtech) Color: S[White,Black,Blue,Red,Green,Yellow]///inventory=Y///missing_variants_handling=M///multiupload=N///required=N///status=A; (Simtech) Size: S[Small,Medium,Large,X Large,XX Large]///inventory=Y///missing_variants_handling=M///multiupload=N///required=N///status=A

Thank you very much for your interest in improving this important aspect.

[sok777]

Hello,

 

just checked current 4.7.2 demo version and it does not include Product type filed under import products option. So I suppose import of variation will not work properly, right?

Only your development version 4.8.1 has product type field. Any idea when it will be available?

[ikoshkin]

Hello,
 
just checked current 4.7.2 demo version and it does not include Product type filed under import products option. So I suppose import of variation will not work properly, right?
Only your development version 4.8.1 has product type field. Any idea when it will be available?

Hello,

Please refer to this article, it was fully tested on version 4.7.2. As mentioned in that article, product type isn't required. Currently the "Product type" field isn't listed as a possible field on the Administration > Import data > Products, but it can be imported. It will be listed as a possible field in version 4.7.3.

[remoteone]

Is PV still in Beta or at final release?

[sok777]

ok, thanks.

 

Another question. I noticed that configurable product also have price in exported table. Why is that? Normally price in this case should be 0. As I understand the idea of configurable product is just to hold product variations with prices, etc

[sok777]

Also if I want to restructure products via import file with product variations will I loose product comments, popularity, etc after reimport?

 

I will keep same product id and product codes.

[imac]

ok, thanks.

 

Another question. I noticed that configurable product also have price in exported table. Why is that? Normally price in this case should be 0. As I understand the idea of configurable product is just to hold product variations with prices, etc

Price of configurable product should be equal to first variation. Because products in the storefront will be filtered and sorted by main configurable product not it's variations. 

Example. you have a configurable product t-shirt with price $10 and it's first variation is t-shirt white big with price $20 when you filter products by price in the storefront you will see t-shirt only in range where $10 is belongs, e.g. $9-$11, and you won't see t-shirt at all in range $19-$21

[sok777]

OK. This makes sence.

 

What about product reimport? Or what is the best and safest way to restructure all products with options to product variations without making a mess and without loosing any important data?

[sok777]

One doubt. If the main configurable product has the price of the first (probably cheapest if inserted right) variation, what happens if this variation has 0 stock? May be it is better to filter by product variations + simple products?

[andymike123]

Hi,

For current product variation, The product doesnot get/show the main image to display on storefront, instead it only display the first option variation product image. So i would like to suggest to include the main image to the product. For example

Main product: main image will display as main in storefront

Option variation product: will show up when customer click any option.

 

Thank you and if you dont get this, i will be happy to explain more

[remoteone]

@andymike123

I thought that this was fixed in the latest version?
see http://forum.cs-cart...7023#entry27023
 

[sok777]

Hello CS CART,

 

still would like to clarify what is the best and safe way to convert existing products with options to product variations WITHOUT LOSING any data:

 

a )   remake product CSV table and reimport

b )   convert every product one by one manually (no other option available) from admin area

 

thanks

[remoteone]

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