Magento Import of Large Product Files: Workaround

Any shopkeeper’s primary requirement is the ability to quickly add or update information about products in the catalog. If your website is massive, then most likely that suppliers preparing for you huge files with new items to be included at your e-store as well as information to update existing entities.

Naturally, Magento import will make the process quicker than entering each product one by one, but with huge files there is the risk of freeze or even time-out? In any case, you should expect that the process will take long... very-very long.

This article will offer you a workaround, small trick that will help you to avoid problems while import and at the same time speed the procedure up.

Hint 1: File Adjustment

What we will offer is not the rocket science and we will not break new ground with it. It is the sіmple and working solution. So, in case you have your new products with all the details to be brought to the file as well as, let’s say, inventory updates for existing in database products; the good idea will be to separate the file into 2.

In the first spreadsheet gather new products only. This file will contain multiple columns with all the details: description, images, categories, prices, quantity, status etc. Basically, there should be included all the fields required for products’ creation and the ones that contribute to items’ availability at the front-end.

The second file should contain only the columns you need to update and also the one that will serve the identifier (name, SKU etc). This way, there is no need to include all the fields which are already there. Thus, the procedure is much faster and less tedious.

Hint 2: Import Optimization

As you might have already guessed, since you have 2 files, you need to run import 2 times. Though, you might say - “Update won’t work with only a few fields to import”. With default Magento import method it is true, since there is the list of required fields (even for update) without which the file simply will not be accepted.

Luckily, more and more tools are becoming available to optimize this process. Store Manager for Magento eliminates the hard work and allows you to update the necessary fields only.

How about upload of new products? The tool is also more flexible and less peculiar to the format of import file. It supports not only csv or xml, but also other formats - xls, xlsx, txt, ods and basically file of any structure will work.

One more benefit is that in case you have forgotten to include some necessary info, it can be added on-the-fly right during the process of upload.

What is more, Store Manager is able to run import locally using your PC resources, rather than sever ones. This way you can ensure that the procedure will be performed faster and will not cause server overload.