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WooCommerce won't import your products file?

Fix the errors WooCommerce shows when importing products from a CSV, then import clean every week.

WooCommerce says the file type is not permitted

Sorry, this file type is not permitted for security reasons.
WooCommerce documentation

WooCommerce skips a product whose SKU or ID already exists

A product already exists with the same SKU or ID, and Update existing products was not selected.
WooCommerce documentation

What WooCommerce’s importer checks

  • A file must be saved as a UTF-8 CSV. WooCommerce documentation

    DocTransform fixes this: in Export, pick the CSV format and click Download the whole file; the file is written in UTF-8

  • A true or false value must be written as 1 for true and 0 for false. WooCommerce documentation

    DocTransform fixes this: type

    In In stock?, write 1 for Yes and 0 for No

    Or by hand: open the In stock? column’s ⋯ menu → Configure Field → Boolean Value Mapping, set the true value to 1 and the false value to 0 → Save Rule

  • The ID of an existing product must carry the prefix id:, as in id:100. WooCommerce documentation
  • A product whose SKU or ID already exists in the store is skipped unless you select Update existing products. WooCommerce documentation

Before and after

4,200 products

products.csv
SKUNameIn stock?ParentRegular price
TEE-BLKBlack T-shirtYes119.90
TEE-BLK3Black T-shirt LNo2100419.90
TEE-WHTWhite T-shirtYes19.90
MUG-01MugYes8.50
CAP-REDRed capNo12.00
CAP-BLUBlue capYes12.00
BAG-01Tote bagNo14.00
HAT-01Wool hatYes16.50

    Before

    Fix it by hand in Excel or Sheets

    1. Save the file as CSV UTF-8 from Excel or Sheets.
    2. Write every Yes in the In stock? column as 1 and every No as 0: find and replace works.
    3. Put the prefix id: in front of every ID of an existing product (100 becomes id:100), and make repeated SKUs unique.

    Fix it in DocTransform

    1. 1. Upload products.csv into DocTransform.
    2. 2. Type

      In In stock?, write 1 for Yes and 0 for No

      and press Send. Check the steps it adds; Undo takes them all back. Or by hand: Apply the fix: open the In stock? column’s ⋯ menu → Configure Field → Boolean Value Mapping, set the true value to 1 and the false value to 0 → Save Rule. Then download as CSV, which is written in UTF-8. The id: prefix and a repeated SKU are yours to correct by hand: DocTransform saves no step for them.
    3. 3. Download the cleaned file from Export, ready for WooCommerce’s importer.
    “In In stock?, write 1 for Yes and 0 for No” typed into DocTransform; one step applied, eight In stock? cells rewritten as 1 or 0; Undo shown
    1. Type the change in one sentence, in your own words.
    2. Wait about 5 seconds while the steps are written. Stop cancels.
    3. Check each step and how many cells or rows it changes.
    4. The file is clean. Not what you meant? One Undo takes it all back.

    Save this fix once, then rerun it on next week’s export with one click.

    Questions

    Will DocTransform add the id: prefix for me?
    No — DocTransform saves no step to rewrite an ID. Add the prefix by hand in front of every ID of an existing product.
    Will DocTransform make repeated SKUs unique?
    No — it saves no step for that. Give each row its own SKU by hand, or select Update existing products when you import.
    Can I reuse this fix next time I export my products?
    Yes — save it once in DocTransform and rerun it on next week’s export.
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    Salesforce, HubSpot, Shopify, QuickBooks, Mailchimp, Pipedrive, and WooCommerce are trademarks of their owners. DocTransform is not affiliated with them.