File format for uploading catalog data

WebSphere Commerce provides sample files for uploading catalog business objects, such as categories, catalog entries, and attribute dictionary attributes. Use the samples as a starting point to create your own CSV files so that you follow the correct data format.

Feature Pack 6 or later You can also load this data in XML format. If you choose to create and use an XML formatted file, ensure that your file uses the CSV column names as the XML element names.

When you are creating your CSV or XML file, ensure that you follow the tips and recommendations for CSV and XML files that are included in Data Load utility best practices.

CSV file format

In your CSV file, you must specify the business object that you are loading information about and include the object data that you are loading. To specify the business object, include a keyword that associates your input file with a mediator that is used to load your data. For a list of the keywords that are provided by default, see Keywords.

XML file format

To load data in an XML formatted file, your file must be similar to the structure and contents included in the supported CSV file format. You must specify a keyword to associate the business object you are loading with a mediator and separate individual objects of a business object type within different elements. For a list of the keywords that are provided by default, see Keywords.

The following code is an example of an XML file that you can use to upload catalog data; this example uploads two sales catalogs:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Catalogs loadItemName="Catalog">
  <Catalog Delete="0">
    <Identifier>Spring Fashions</Identifier>
    <MasterCatalog>FALSE</MasterCatalog>
    <Description>Spring Fashions</Description>
    <Name>Spring Fashions</Name>
    <ShortDescription>Spring Fashions</ShortDescription>
    <LongDescription>Fashions for the Spring season</LongDescription>
  </Catalog>
  <Catalog Delete="0">
    <Identifier>Fall Fashions</Identifier>
    <MasterCatalog>FALSE</MasterCatalog>
    <Description>Fall Fashions</Description>
    <Name>Fall Fashions</Name>
    <ShortDescription>Fall Fashions</ShortDescription>
    <LongDescription>Fashions for the Fall season</LongDescription>
  </Catalog>
</Catalogs>

The first line in the preceding example identifies the file that you are loading as an XML file.
The second line is the root element and contains the keyword that corresponds to the catalog business object type to upload. For example, you can specify the Catalog keyword for loading a catalog, or the CatalogEntry keyword for loading catalog entries. You must specify the business object keyword as the loadItemName at this root level. The keyword is case-sensitive.
The third line is an example of a second-level element that identifies the objects that are being loaded. For example, the preceding code identifies that a catalog object is being loaded. Identify each object that you are loading in your file at this level. For example, in the preceding code, two catalog objects are being loaded, a Spring Fashions catalog and a Fall Fashions catalog. If you are deleting objects with this file, you can identify whether an object is to be deleted at this level. If the value for the Delete attribute is 1, the catalog object is to be deleted. If the value for the Delete attribute is 0, the catalog object is not to be deleted. If you do not specify a value for the Delete attribute, the value defaults to 0. You can also specify Delete as an element nested within the object element.
The elements that are nested within the second level (object) elements contain the object information. For example, the object Identifier or ShortDescription. Within these XML elements, the corresponding value for the catalog object that is being loaded must be included. The names of the object information elements are case-sensitive and must match the CSV column names for the same business object type. The elements must be unique for each object that you are loading with an XML file. For example, you cannot include two ShortDescription elements nested within an object. You can include the information for an object that you are loading as XML elements nested with the object element, or as attributes within the object element. If you are adding your object information as attributes, these XML attributes must be included in the following format:
```
<object attribute="attribute_value"> 
```
Where object is the object that you are loading, and attribute is the name of the attribute that you are loading. For example,
```
<Catalog Identifier="Spring Fashions">
```

Do not change the first or second line in your XML file, or your data might not load correctly to the database. Use the remaining lines to add your business object information.

Catalog business object keywords and column definitions

The following table lists the catalog business object types available for use.

Note: The sample files do not include all the available column or element names for the catalog business object types. For a complete list of the available columnor element names for the catalog business object types, see Data Load utility CSV column and XML element definitions.

Catalog business object type descriptions, keywords, and sample files.
To upload...	Keyword with CSV column and XML element definitions	Sample input file
Master or sales catalog, and optionally its description.	Catalog	CSV Catalog.csv XML Catalog.xml
Catalog descriptions in multiple languages.	CatalogDescription	CSV CatalogDescription.csv
Categories, optionally the categories description, and the parent and child category relationships.	CatalogGroup	CSV CatalogGroup.csv CatalogGroups.csv XML CatalogGroups.xml
Merchandising associations between categories.	CatalogGroupAssociation	CSV CatalogGroupAssociation.csv
Category descriptions (language-dependent).	CatalogGroupDescription	CSV CatalogGroupDescription.csv
Parent-child relationship between categories.	CatalogGroupRelationship	CSV CatalogGroupRelationship.csv
Catalog entries such as products, SKUs, bundle or kits, and optionally the catalog entries description. Also the product and SKU relationships.	CatalogEntry	CSV CatalogEntry.csv XML CatalogEntry.xml
Merchandising associations between catalog entries.	CatalogEntryAssociation	CSV CatalogEntryAssociation.csv
Multiple relationships between the parent kit (package, bundle, and dynamic kit) and its child catalog entries	CatalogEntryComponent	CSV CatalogEntryComponent.csv
Catalog entry descriptions (language-dependent).	CatalogEntryDescription	CSV CatalogEntryDescription.csv
Catalog entry description overrides - this CSV creates catalog entry descriptions specific for an extended site store by overriding inherited asset store catalog entry descriptive information.	CatalogEntryDescriptionOverride	CSV CatEntryDescriptionOverride.csv XML CatEntryDescriptionOverride.xml
Descriptive attributes and values for a product or SKU (non-attribute dictionary).	CatalogEntryDescriptiveAttributeAndValue	CSV CatalogEntryDescriptiveAttributeAndValue.csv
Catalog entry offer price.	CatalogEntryOfferPrice	CSV CatalogEntryOfferPrice.csv
Parent-child relationships between categories and catalog entries.	CatalogEntryParentCatalogGroupRelationship	CSV CatalogEntryParentCatalogGroupRelationship.csv
Product and SKU relationships between catalog entries.	CatalogEntryParentProductRelationship	CSV CatalogEntryParentProductRelationship.csv
Updates to catalog entries. When you specify this keyword, the Catalog Upload updates only the new or changed information. The remaining catalog entry information is not changed during the upload operation. For example, use this keyword if you want to update only the name for a catalog entry and do not want to change any other information. You do not need to include values for every field in your input file. The upload process does not change any field that does not include a value in the input file.	`CatalogEntryUpdate` When you specify this keyword, you can include values for the same catalog entry information that can be included in a file that uses the keyword CatalogEntry.	CSV CatalogEntriesUpdate.csv
Updates to catalog entry descriptions. When you specify this keyword, the Catalog Upload updates only the new or changed information. The remaining descriptive information for the catalog entry does not change during the upload operation. For example, use this keyword if you want to update only the short description for a catalog entry and do not want to change any other information. You do not need to include values for every field in your input file. The upload process does not change any field that does not include a value in the input file.	`CatalogEntryDescriptionUpdate` When you specify this keyword, you can include values for the same catalog entry descriptive information that can be included in a file that uses the keyword CatalogEntryDescription.	CSV CatalogEntryDescriptionUpdate.csv
Attribute and allowed values for products (non-attribute dictionary).	ProductDefiningAttributeAndAllowedValues	CSV ProductDefiningAttributeAndAllowedValues.csv
Attribute value for SKUs (non-attribute dictionary).	SKUDefiningAttributeValue	CSV SKUDefiningAttributeValue.csv
Attribute dictionary attribute and allowed values.	AttributeDictionaryAttributeAndAllowedValues	CSV AttributeDictionaryAttributeAndAllowedValues.csv AttributeDictionaryAttribute_fr_FR.csv Loads attributes in French. XML AttributeDictionaryAttributeAndAllowedValues.xml AttributeDictionaryAttribute_fr_FR.xml Loads attributes in French.
Attribute dictionary attributes allowed values (in other national languages).	AttributeDictionaryAttributeAllowedValues	CSV AttributeDictionaryAttributeAllowedValues_fr_FR.csv Loads attribute allowed values in French. XML AttributeDictionaryAttributeAllowedValues_fr_FR.xml Loads attribute allowed values in French.
Attribute dictionary attribute value for SKUs.	CatalogEntryAttributeDictionaryAttributeRelationship	CSV CatalogEntryAttributeDictionaryAttributeRelationship.csv CatalogEntryAttributeDictionaryAttributeRelationship_fr_FR.csv Loads descriptive attribute values in French. XML CatalogEntryAttributeDictionaryAttributeRelationship.xml CatalogEntryAttributeDictionaryAttributeRelationship_fr_FR.xml Loads descriptive attribute values in French.
Attribute dictionary attribute and attribute folder relationship Note: The attribute and the folder must exist within your system before you can load this relationship.	AttributeDictionaryAttributeFolderRelationship	CSV AttributeDictionaryAttributeFolderRelationship.csv XML AttributeDictionaryAttributeFolderRelationship.xml
You can also upload the following catalog business object types. However, the business objects are not visible within the Catalogs tool unless your business customizes the Management Center to display these business objects.
Catalog entry search engine optimization (SEO) URL and page information.	CatalogEntrySEO	CSV CatalogEntrySEO.csv
Category search engine optimization (SEO) URL and page information.	CatalogGroupSEO	CSV CatalogGroupSEO.csv
Catalog entry calculation code. There are calculation codes for different calculation usages. The provided calculation usages include discount, shipping, sales tax, shipping tax, coupon, surcharge, and shipping adjustment. Note: In an extended sites model, you must load catalog calculation codes into the appropriate asset store. Catalog calculation codes are stored in the Storefront Asset store. Catalog calculation codes are stored in the catalog asset store.	CatalogEntryCalculationCode	CSV CatalogEntryCalculationCode.csv
Category calculation code. There are calculation codes for different calculation usages. The provided calculation usage includes discount, shipping, sales tax, shipping tax, coupon, surcharge, and shipping adjustment. Note: In an extended sites model, you must load catalog calculation codes into the appropriate asset store. Catalog calculation codes are stored in the Storefront Asset store. Catalog calculation codes are stored in the catalog asset store.	CatalogGroupCalculationCode	CSV CatalogGroupCalculationCode.csv
Catalog entry inventory (non-ATP).	CatalogEntryInventory	CSV CatalogEntryInventory.csv CatalogEntryInventory.csv XML CatalogEntryInventory.xml
Catalog entry inventory (ATP).	CatalogEntryATPInventory	CSV CatalogEntryATPInventory.csv XML CatalogEntryATPInventory.xml

Notes

If you are loading attributes for the first time, you must log out of the Management Center and then log in again to see the attribute dictionary attributes.
If you are loading attributes in a different language for the first time, you must log out of the Management Center and then log in again to see the attribute dictionary attributes allowed values. Also, you must ensure that the store supports the language.
The Catalog Upload feature does not support synchronizing data across linked categories. Do not use Catalog Upload to change the parent or child categories for a category that is a linked category. You can use Catalog Upload to add or remove catalog entries from a category. When you load changes to the catalog entry assignments for a category, the load process does synchronize the changes across any linked categories.
If you are working in an extended site store, you cannot use Catalog Upload to load data for creating, updating, or deleting catalog objects that belong to your catalog asset store. To load data for catalog objects that belong to your catalog asset store, you must switch the store that you are working in to be your catalog asset store.