How to Import and Export Products in Magento 2: A Step-by-Step Guide

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How to import products in Magento 2 or how to export products in Magento 2 quickly with just a click? We’re here to help. 

We all want to save time and do everything faster in today’s world. For eCommerce businesses, user experience is among the most crucial things if you want to boost your conversion rate and profit. So, why are you wasting your time on default Magento 2 and trying to import product attributes manually? 

In this blog, we will introduce you to an entire guideline on How to import and export products in Magento 2 via a CSV file so that all of you can do it by yourself without depending on IT staff.

If you wish to change your Magento 2 Import Export Product with only one click, we are here to help. 

What Is A CSV File In Magento 2?

The only way to import Magento 2 products is via a CSV file. The file is so important that we all need to know about it. 

Let’s look at the CSV file structure for Magento 2 product import/export:

1	SKU	a unique product identifier used as a key product attribute in the Magento 2 core. It is required for all products and should be unique for each. SKU can include digits and letters without spaces separated with underscores (_) and dashes (-)
2	store_view_code	an associated store view code. The column can be empty if an associated store/website has a single sub-item.
3	attribute_set_code	a product attribute set code. Create and configure an attribute set before importing products into Magento 2. It should look exactly the same as an attribute set name, including capital letters (e.g. “Default”, “Man shoes” etc.)
4	update_attribute_set	defines if the product set should be updated for the product during the import/export product in Magento 2.
5	product_type	the type of an imported product. Use only lowercase letters (small, configurable etc.)
6	categories	product categories in Magento 2 differ from ones utilized in Magento 1, where comma-separated category ids are used. In Magento 2, full names of assigned categories, including full path, are required. Besides, assigned categories should be separated by |. For instance, “Default Category/Gear|Default Category/Gear/Bags” means the product should be assigned to both Gear and Bags categories. The latest one is a subcategory of Gear.
7	product_websites	an associated product website code. Use lowercase letters only (e.g. “base”).
8	name	a product name
9	description	a product description
10	short_description	a short description of a product. Both, description and short description, could include valid HTML tags
11	weight	weight of a product. Requires using the following format 1.00000
12	product_online	enables or disables products. Use 1 or 0, respectively
13	tax_class_name	a product tax class. Allows using capital later and spaces, like in Magento 2 backend (e.g. “Taxable Goods”).
14	visibility	visibility of a product (e.g. “Catalog, Search”, “Not Visible Individually” etc.).
15	price	a price of a product (e.g. 34.000)
16	special_price	a special price of a product (e.g. 34.000)
17	special_price_from_date	the time when Magento starts using a special price instead of a default one (e.g. ‘2015-09-01 15:26:29’)
18	url_key	a URL key of the product. In case of an empty field, a value is generated automatically based on a product name
19	meta_title	a meta title of a product
20	meta_keywords	product meta keywords
21	meta_description	a product meta description
22	base_image	the main product’s image and its path. Should be uploaded to  /pub/media/import. The path of /sample_data/m/b/mb01-blue-0.jpg has the following structure: /pub/media/import/sample_data/m/b/mb01-blue-0.jpg. In addition, you can use a direct URL of an image, such as http://site.com/images/some_image.jpg.
23	base_image_label	a label of a base product image
24	small_image	a name and a path related to a small product image. It should also be uploaded to /pub/media/import. The path of /sample_data/m/b/mb01-blue-0.jpg has the following structure: /pub/media/import/sample_data/m/b/mb01-blue-0.jpg. In addition, you can use a direct URL of an image, such as http://site.com/images/some_image.jpg.
25	small_image_label	a label of a small product image
26	thumbnail_image	a name and a path related to a thumbnail product image. It should be uploaded to /pub/media/import as well. The path of /sample_data/m/b/mb01-blue-0.jpg has the following structure: /pub/media/import/sample_data/m/b/mb01-blue-0.jpg. In addition, you can use a direct URL of an image, such as http://site.com/images/some_image.jpg.

Understanding the structure of a CSV file, now you can prepare in advance for a quicker and easier import-export process.

Guide: How to import products in Magento 2

Step 1: Navigate to the Import settings

To make Magento 2 import products, navigate to Admin Dashboard ⇒ System ⇒ Data Transfer ⇒ Import.

In Import Settings: you choose Products in the drop-down list of Entity Types section. Then there are many other settings appearing for you to make configurations for Magento 2 import products. 

Step 2: Prepare a CSV file including product data

As mentioned before, you can easily implement Magento 2 products import in bulk via a CSV file. Therefore, the very first thing you need to do is to prepare a standard CSV file with the necessary information about products.

Default Magento 2 supports this issue by providing the sample file to download, which can help you follow available examples and avoid errors while filling in data.

You click “Download Sample Data” next to Entity Types section.

Download the sample CSV file to prepare for importing products in Magento 2.

The CSV file will be saved on your computer. Let’s open the file and finish your product data in columns and rows of the file.

*Note:

• For product data, including paths of product images, make sure that you have uploaded the image files to the appropriate location. The default location on the Magento server is pub/media/import.
• The size of the CSV file does not exceed 2M.

Step 3: Configure Magento Import Products Behaviors

How to import products in Magento 2? , there are 3 options for you to select depending on your purposes to import products in Magento:

• Add/ Update: Add new data to the existing product data for the current entries in the database and update all fields except for SKU. Moreover, new tax classes, new product categories, and new SKUs specified in the CSV file are also automatically created.
• Replace Existing Complex Data: Replace the existing data with the new ones. In case SKUs in the CSV file is similar to the SKU of the existing entity, all fields are deleted, and a new record is created using data in the import file.
• Delete Entities: Delete every entity in the CSV which already exists in the database.

Also, you can determine how the system will process when errors occur:

• Stop on Error: the system stops importing when there are errors.
• Skip error entries: the system skips errors and continues to import.

In  Allowed Errors Count: This setting allows you to choose the maximum number of errors when importing products Magento 2. If the number of errors in the import process exceeds that maximum number you fill in this field, the system will stop importing.

In Field separators: fill in a character to separate fields. Magento accepts the default value of a comma.

In Multiple value separators:  Magento also accepts the default value of a comma.

*Note: If you want to change into another character as a separator, make sure that it matches the one you use in the CSV file.

Step 4: Upload the Magento product import file

You click Choose File to select the wanted file of import products Magento 2 and upload it.

For Images File Directory section: It will be used if you have an import date, including paths of product images. Let’s choose one of the following options to enter into this field:

• The path to the uploaded images on the Magento server. For example: var/import.
• The full URL to the images is on another server.

Step 5: Check the import data

After you finish all of the above things, the last one you need to do is validate the Magento product import data by clicking Check Data button.

• If your CSV file is free from errors, there is a message to notify validation results, and the Import button now appears to click. You click the Import button to start Magento 2  product import in the CSV file into the websites.

• If your CSV file includes errors, the Import button cannot be displayed for you to click, and there is a notification about these problems.

That’s the guide for how to import products in Magento 2 with just 5 simple steps. You may ask then How to create Configurable product in Magento 2? Unfortunately, there is quite a lot of work involved in importing this type of product into the Magento store. However, you can make it easier with the help of a third-party extension.

How to Export Products in Magento 2 with attributes

Before following how to export products from Magento 2 store, you need to pay attention to product attributes. There are many types of attributes and Magento allows you to either export products with all attributes or with specific ones. So based on your particular needs, and choose which attributes you want to include in your export files.

Here’s how to export products in Magento 2:

Step 1: Default Magento 2 allows you to export products with selected attributes by going System ⇒ Data Transfer ⇒ Export.

Step 2: In Entity Types: you choose Products in the drop-down list.

Step 3: You can see a grid table of product attributes in the Entity Attributes section. By default, the system will export all of these available attributes if you don’t perform more actions. However, you can exclude unnecessary attributes by ticking in boxes before them.

Step 4: Then, click the Continue button, and as a result, you will export wanted attributes in a CSV file.

Wrapping Up

In brief, this article has covered all you need to know regarding how to import products in Magento 2 as well as Exporting them in bulk and through CSV files. Hope you can utilize it to streamline your import/export task!

If you still have any questions, feel free to reach out to us anytime here.

Discover a list of useful Magento import/export extensions by BSS Commerce:

• Magento 2 Import Export Product Reviews Extension 
• Magento 2 Import Export URL Rewrites Extension
• Magento 2 Import Export Wishlist Item Extension
• Magento 2 Import Export Categories Extension
• Magento 2 Import Export CMS Page Extension