Table of Contents

Import Products

Cory M. Updated by Cory M.

ShipStream allows users to Import products from Excel or CSV files. This article explains the following topics:

  • Import Products Overview
  • Importing Products
  • Import File Format

Import Products Overview

Importing Products can be done through the "Import Tasks" feature

  1. Navigate to System > Import and Export > Import Tasks
  1. From the "Import Tasks" page, click New Product Import in the top right of the window.
  1. Then click Import Products - Excel/CSV (comma separated values).

If you have an import file ready, proceed to the next section (Importing Products), or produce an import file in Create Import File section.

Importing Products

Once you've added all the products to a CSV file, and added the necessary values, as per the formatting guide above, then you are ready to start the Import Products Task.

  1. Navigate to System > Import and Export > Import Tasks.
  2. Click New Product Import.
  3. Choose an import file format (for this purpose choose Excel/CSV)
  4. In the Task Configuration, click Choose File to select your formatted CSV file.
  5. Choose the associated merchant for the products.
If your import file includes Packaging Features such as valid_containers, special_supplies, or special_other columns, then the "Merchant" field must match the merchant assigned to the packaging features.
  1. If you would like to import a file and ignore (or drop) duplicate products during the process, then select "Drop" as the method for Handle Duplicates. Otherwise, if you would like the Import Task to stop (or break) upon reaching a duplicate product, choose "Break".
  2. To receive an email notification when the Product Import Task is complete, then set "Send Email on Complete" to yes. The Product Import Task can take a moment when importing large product lists.
  1. Click Import in the top right, then you will see a page with an "Import Status" showing the progress of the import task. Once the task completes, you will be redirected to the "View Import Task" page to view the task if it is successful or if it fails.

Import Products Troubleshooting

If your Import Task fails, there will likely be an error included on the task page. This can occur if a SKU was already added, if a product can not be found, or if there is a typo in the attribute names.

  1. From the Progress page, click View Import Task. Or if you are on the Import Task Grid, click the Import Task.
  1. Click the Records tab.
  2. The error message will appear in the Parse Error or Submit Error column. You can click this to view the specific error message.

Import File Format

Once you've chosen a method for importing, you will file a download link for the sample import file on the next page or create one from scratch.

If you chose an Excel/CSV Import Task, then clicking this will download a .csv file

Product Import Sample - Basic

Product Import Sample - Exhaustive

To better understand the attributes, please see the table below.

If the default value is being used for every product,  you can remove the entire column. The System will automatically set each product to use that missing column's default value.

Product Attributes

This table contains examples for importing CSV files

General

Attribute ID

Description

Example

name

The "Name" attribute. A descriptive, but not necessarily unique, identifier for the product.

*Required

Sample Product - Blue

sku

The "SKU" attribute. A unique identifier for a product.

Must be unique, cannot contain spaces and is commonly a number or abbreviated form of the product name.

*Required

SAM-PROD-B-001

vendor_sku

The "Vendor SKU" attribute. For informational use only. Displayed during delivery processing to help match products.

SP BL 123

barcode

The "Barcode" attribute. A unique identifier for a product for barcode scanning.

Barcode(s) Must be unique and cannot contain spaces. Separate multiple barcodes with the "pipe" character "|".

SAM-PROD-B-001|571281-001

goods_type

The "Goods Type" attribute.

Allowed Values:

  • "NORMAL", "ORM_D", "LIMITED_QUANTITIES_COMMODITIES", "HAZMAT"

*Required

NORMAL

status

The "Status" attribute. Disabled products are effectively deleted.

Allowed Values:

  • "1" - Enabled
  • "2" - Disabled

*Required

1

availability

The "Availability" attribute. Select 'Not Available' to prevent this product from being ordered or shipped.

Allowed Values:

  • "1" - available
  • "2" - not available

*Required

2

visibility

The "Visibility" attribute. Select 'Not Visible' to hide this product from the inventory feed.

Allowed Values:

  • "1" - not visible
  • "2" - visible

*Required

2

weight

The "Weight" attribute.

A number with up to 4 decimal places (units set by on global config).

*Required

30.0000

length

The "Length" attribute.

A number with up to 4 decimal places (units set by on global config).

24.0000

width

The "Width" attribute.

A number with up to 4 decimal places (units set by on global config).

50.0000

height

The "Height" attribute.

A number with up to 4 decimal places (units set by on global config).

15.0000

external_id

The "External ID" attribute. May be used for external product sync.

123456

lot_type_id

The "Lot Type" attribute. This number corresponds to the "Lot Type" which is user-created in Catalog > Lot Types.

Admins - The Lot Type IDs can be found in the Catalog > Lot Types grid view, in the ID column.

Clients - Open the Lot Type drop-down menu in the Product view.

7

Dangerous Goods

See Regulations and Dangerous Goods

These values are only examples, users should consult the product vendors for this information if applicable.
These attributes only apply if the Goods Type, "HAZMAT" is used (Dangerous Goods/Hazardous Materials).

Attribute ID

Description

Example

technical_name

The "Technical Name" attribute. Must match against Regulation's Technical Name Pattern if specified.

Lithium-ion batteries: Other

net_hazmat_weight

The "Net Hazmat Weight" attribute.

A number with up to 4 decimal places (units set by on global config).

5.0000

regulation_id

The "Regulation" attribute.

Numeric IDs for the regulations can be found in Catalog > Regulations in the ID column.

Regulation is required for Dangerous Goods/Hazardous Materials

​*Required for Goods Type: HAZMAT (Dangerous Goods/Hazardous Materials)

1

additional_regulatory_info

The "Additional Regulatory Information" attribute.

Must match against Regulation's Additional Regulatory Information Pattern if specified.

MS444444

meets_hazmat_specs

The "Container Meets HazMat Specs" attribute.

Allowed Values:

  • "0" - No
  • "1" - Yes

1

container_type

The "Container Type" attribute. A combination of a material and container type from these two lists:

  • Material: Aluminum, Fiberboard, Glass, Plywood, Plastic, Steel, Wood
  • Container: Bag, Bottle, Box, Bucket, Cylinder, Drum, Jerrican, Pail

Example: Plastic Box

Fiberboard Box

dg_regulation_units

The "Dangerous Goods Regulation Units" attribute.

5.0000

Export (International Shipping)
These attributes are required for international exports, but not for domestic products.

Attribute ID

Description

Example

export_description

Harmonized Tariff Schedule article description.

*Required for international shipping

Lenovo Battery 44+ (6 Cell)

customs_value_usd

The "Customs Value USD" attribute.

A number with up to 4 decimal places (USD by default).

*Required for international shipping

24.0000

country_of_manufacture

The "Country of Manufacture" attribute.

Two character abbreviation (ISO). See ISO Alpha-2 Country Codes for reference.

*Required for international shipping

AU

hts_base_code

The "HTS Base Code" attribute. This identifier can be found using a search tool such as https://hts.usitc.gov/.

*Required for international shipping

8507.60

hts_country_code

The "HTS Country Code" attribute.

Allowed Values:

  • "{COUNTRY}:{CODE}" - For a single entry.
  • "{COUNTRY}:{CODE}|{COUNTRY}:{CODE}" - For multiple entries (pipe-separator)

"{COUNTRY}" refers to the two letter ISO Alpha-2 Country Code abbreviation.

"{CODE}" refers to the four digit Schedule C Code without the decimal.

See ISO Alpha-2 Country Codes for valid country abbreviations.

*Required for international shipping

BH:5250|ZW:7960

Packaging

Attribute ID

Description

Example

requires_packaging

The "Requires Packaging" attribute. If Yes, packing will require a Box with "Satisfies Overbox: Yes".

Allowed Values:

  • "0" - not required
  • "1" - required

1

product_handling_surcharge

The "Additional Handling Surcharge" attribute. The Packaging Surcharge is applicable when shipped without an Overbox.

(Only visible when Requires Packaging is not required)

Allowed Values:

  • "0" - No
  • "1" - Yes

0

requires_infill

The "Requires Infill" attribute. Packing this product will require the selected Infill unless overridden by another product in the same package with a higher priority Infill.

Allowed Values:

  • "use_default" - Uses default infill
  • "none" - Does not use infill
  • "{Infill SKU}" - User-specified Infill SKU

use_default

require_weight_check

The "Require Weight Check" attribute.

Allowed Values:

  • "0" - not required
  • "1" - required

0

confirmation_per_item

The "Confirmation per Item" attribute.

Allowed Values:

  • "0" - not required
  • "1" - required

0

valid_containers

The "Valid Containers" attribute. Leave empty to allow all containers.

Allowed Values:

  • One or more Container SKUs separated by the pipe character "|"

Can remove column if not making any changes from the default value.

containersku1|containersku2

special_supplies

The "Special Supplies" attribute.

Allowed Values:

  • One or more Supply SKUs separated by the pipe character "|".

suppliessku1|suppliessku2

special_other

The "Other Special Features" attribute.

Allowed Values:

  • One or more Special Packaging Feature SKUs separated by the pipe character "|".

Can remove column if not making any changes from the default value.

othersku1|othersku2

unit_qty

The "Unit Quantity" attribute. The number of individually packaged items contained therein for purposes of special packaging features.

3

bulk_qty

The "Bulk Quantity" attribute. Prefer to split into packages when necessary using multiples of this amount.

5

max_per_package

The "Max Per Package" attribute. The maximum quantity of this product to ever include in the same package. Multiply by "Unit Quantity" to achieve common units between other products with the same "Ship Separate Tag" value.

20

is_ship_separate

The "Ship Separate" attribute. This item cannot ship in the same package as other items (unless they have the same "Ship Separate Tag").

Allowed Values:

  • "0" - No
  • "1" - Yes

0

ship_separate_tag

The "Ship Separate Tag" attribute. Applies only if "Ship Separate" is "Yes". Assign the same tag to treat similar products as interchangeable with respect to the "Ship Separate" and "Max Per Package" attribute.

shipping-tag-1

can_tip

The "Can Tip" attribute. Item is allowed to be rotated vertically when packed.

Allowed Values:

  • "0" - No
  • "1" - Yes

1

can_contain_other_items

The "Can Contain Other Items" attribute.

Allowed Values:

  • "0" - cannot contain other items.
  • "1" - can contain other items.

0

Inventory

Attribute ID

Description

Example

backorders

The "Backorders" attribute determines if orders can be created for this product in a backordered state.

Allowed Values:

  • "0" - no backorders allowed
  • "1" - backorders allowed
  • "3" - inherit default value from configuration

1

dynamic_allocation

The "Dynamic Allocation" attribute determines if real-time inventory status can be used to change the allocation of this product. See Static vs Dynamic Allocation.

  • "0" - no
  • "1" - yes
  • "2" - inherit default value from configuration

1

virtual_inventory

The "Virtual Inventory" attribute specifies which Virtual Inventory formula will be used to determine the "advertised" quantity available using Bill of Materials with Kit on Demand.

  • "none"
  • "optimistic"
  • "realistic"
  • "pessimistic"

none

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