Importing your data via Generic Input Templates
Purpose
Generic input templates are used to transform your data -whatever format it might be in - into StoreAutomator native template, so that your data can be imported into StoreAutomator. It is a basic tool for you to use and tell StoreAutomator to, take the data in “this” field in my file and import into “that” field in StoreAutomator, because they are the same fields, intrinsically. New templates must be written and set up in DX channels to perform this function.
There are a few basic steps for this, (1) create the template, (2) choose the template type, (3) import your data sample into StoreAutomator, and (4) match corresponding fields and save.
Here are the detailed explanation and steps:
How to Create the template
- Go to: Menu > Settings > Templates,
- Click on “Add Template” button,
- Click to choose template type. When a “Generic Input” type template is created it comes with predefined Target fields. If you select different templates you will see their target fields are different. You can choose a relevant template according to your needs for the list. The most used template type is “Product Data” you can select that type, also it has the most target fields
- Give a name to this template,
and click on "Save" and click "Edit" immediately,
- Now you can submit your data file to be analyzed by StoreAutomator and the column headers will be read to be displayed as available fields in the field mapping tab. Submitting your file makes your work in the next few steps a lot easier.
- Click on the “Sample Source File'' tab to submit your file.
- Upload the file into the shaded area
- Upon upload StoreAutomator will read the file and display your column headers as “New Sources”
- Click on the text “Save and edit”.
- Now we are ready to map our fields; click on “Field Mapping” tab, and click on "Add Field" button, which is at the top right corner,
- This brings the “Field Mapping” dialog box, where a target field from StoreAutomator can be selected, select your field,
- In the next screen, “Source Field” text box is a search box, which will display all the fields in your file. We will use it to find our relevant field that will be mapped to the selected StoreAutomator field. To activate the search box, click on the empty box, select Product, click next to Product-this will display subfields listed under the parent “product”. You can scroll the list to find the applicable field to be inserted, or you can search for the field you are looking for. Find your source field, attach and click OK.
- Add all necessary fields following steps 6~9 above and click on “Save”, to save the template.
- For more Advanced usage refer to “Editing Templates”,
- You can combine multiple Local fields together and assign it to a Target field with help of “Format” Textbox in this screen. There are numerous options and functions that can be used in this area, please refer to “Template Functions and Syntax” document to read more about these functions.
How to set up a DX Channel
To use this template we need to set up a DX channel, so that it can be read and processed.
- Go to Tools>DX Channels
- Click on Add a DX channel
- Select your channel as “Inventory Input”.
- Provide a name and click on create.
- After the channel is created click on settings button, all the way to the right
- Select Template
- This will let you choose a template from the list and click save.
How to Use
As a next step we will start importing data into StoreAutomator, while in DX channels: Click on settings button, all the way to the right, Select Upload file, drag and drop your data file into the shaded area to upload.
Next, Go to Tools>import>Import History, under the ”My Imports” tab find the last import and see if it has errors.
Please refer to the document “Import feed file errors” on how to solve any errors you might encounter.
Tricks and Tips
This is a useful tool to import your data, when you are not familiar with StoreAutomator's data and its guidelines; you just have to match your fields with StoreAutomator’s fields.
As a rule of thumb, you should first address all SA existing fields, and push attributes to the end; also, keep attributes in ascending order and don’t miss out on any numbers in the middle, e.g.: don’t miss attr_name_4,and create attr_name_3, attr_name_5, and so on. SA existing fields should be in the same order as they appear in the field target field list. Otherwise, there might be an error transforming the file.
If there is an “Invalid data file” error, you can try to re-import the transformed file from the regular import method; if the transformed file is correctly transformed, it might go through. To do that:
- You can find the transformed file in Tools> Import> Import history
- Click on the download button to get the transformed file
- After downloading the file, click on the Main Import button and import the file from here.