Top Tips for Fast Atrex eCommerce Import/Export Workflows

How to Use Atrex eCommerce Import/Export: A Step‑by‑Step Guide

This guide walks through importing and exporting product, category, customer, and order data with Atrex’s eCommerce Import/Export tool. It assumes you have admin access to your Atrex store and a CSV or XML file ready for import (or that you need to export existing store data). Follow the steps below to prepare files, run imports/exports, and troubleshoot common issues.

Before you start

• Backup: Export current data or create a full store backup before importing.
• File format: Atrex accepts CSV and XML for most imports/exports. Confirm the required delimiter, encoding (UTF-8 recommended), and date formats.
• Field mapping: Identify Atrex’s required fields (SKU, name, price, stock, category IDs, etc.) and optional fields (descriptions, images, attributes). Missing required fields will cause errors.
• Sample file: Export a small dataset first to see Atrex’s expected structure; use it as a template.

1. Export a sample file (recommended)

1. Admin → Tools (or System) → Import/Export → Export.
2. Choose the entity to export (Products, Categories, Customers, Orders).
3. Select fields to include, apply filters if needed (e.g., active products only).
4. Export a small file (10–20 rows) and open it in a spreadsheet editor to inspect column headers and formatting.

2. Prepare your import file

1. Start from the sample export or a provided template.
2. Ensure required columns are present and named exactly as in the sample.
3. Use consistent values for options (e.g., category IDs, tax class names). If your file uses category names instead of IDs, include a mapping column or convert names to IDs beforehand.
4. Clean data:
   • Remove extra commas or line breaks in CSV fields or wrap fields in quotes.
   • Use UTF-8 without BOM.
   • Normalize dates/times to the store’s expected format.
5. For images: include full URLs for remote images or local paths if Atrex supports uploading from import; ensure images are accessible and web-hosted if required.
6. Save the file as CSV (comma or specified delimiter) or XML per Atrex schema.

3. Map fields and validate

1. Admin → Import/Export → Import.
2. Select the file and the entity type.
3. Use the mapping screen to align your file’s columns with Atrex fields. If Atrex supports saved mappings, create and name one for reuse.
4. Run a validation or dry-run if the option is available. Fix any validation errors (missing required fields, invalid values, mismatched types).

4. Run the import

1. Once validation passes, start the import. For large files, consider running during low-traffic hours.
2. Monitor progress; some systems provide a log or progress bar.
3. After completion, review the import report for warnings and errors. Correct failures and re-import only failed rows if supported.

5. Export data

1. Admin → Import/Export → Export.
2. Select the entity and fields, apply any filters (date range, status).
3. Choose the file format and encoding, then export.
4. Open the exported file and verify field values and formatting before using it for backups or bulk edits.

6. Common tasks and tips

• Update existing products: Include the product’s unique identifier (SKU or product ID) and set the import mode to “Update” or “Upsert” (add or update).
• Create categories: Include parent IDs where necessary. If importing by name, ensure exact matches or create categories first.
• Inventory syncs: For stock-only