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How to Import Manufacturers

Updated

This article explains how to use the Manufacturer Import to create and update manufacturer records in Pulse Commerce. The import supports adding new manufacturers as well as updating existing manufacturer information such as display settings, descriptions, logos, sort order, and basic SEO fields.

Recommended Approach: If you are importing data for the first time, it is recommended to enter the first 10 records using the respective editor in the Admin panel, then export these records and use that export as a guideline when preparing your import file.
🔍 Understanding the Manufacturer Import – When to Use It

Use the Manufacturer Import when you need to:

  • Create new manufacturer records in bulk.
  • Update existing manufacturers’ basic details (name, visibility, short description).
  • Manage manufacturer logos and sort order in the storefront.
  • Set page-level SEO attributes for manufacturer pages (Page Title, Meta Tags, Footer text).

This import supports both inserts and updates. The behavior is controlled by the ID field:

  • If ID is left blank, the system creates a new manufacturer.:contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
  • If ID has a value corresponding to an existing manufacturer, the system updates that manufacturer.:contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}

Template Flexibility:

The legend specifies that this import supports CSV files that include:

  • Only the mandatory columns (marked with *), or
  • Mandatory columns plus any combination of optional columns you choose to populate.:contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
📝 Manufacturer Import – Step-by-Step Instructions

Download the Template and Legend

1 Navigate to Import/Export > Import in your admin panel.

2 Locate the Manufacturer Import row in the import list.

3 Click Download default Template for Manufacturer Import to get the CSV template.

4 Click Legend to download the field definitions document.

Download Import Templates:

Right-click and “Save As” if the file opens in your browser instead of downloading.

Prepare Your Import File

5 Open the Manufacturer Import CSV template in Excel, Google Sheets, or a text editor.

6 Populate manufacturer data according to the legend. Required fields are marked with an asterisk (*).:contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}

Required Fields (Manufacturer Import):

  • ID* – Identifying number for the manufacturer.
    • If left blank, the system creates a new manufacturer record.
    • If it has a value, the system updates the existing record with that ID.:contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
  • Manufacturer Name* – Name of the manufacturer (max 50 characters).:contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}

Key Field Definitions

Field Name Description Rules / Format
ID* Identifying number for the manufacturer record. If blank, system inserts a new manufacturer. If populated, system updates the existing manufacturer with that ID.:contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}
Manufacturer Name* Name of the manufacturer. Maximum 50 characters. Required for both insert and update operations.:contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}
Show Mfg. Label Flag controlling whether the manufacturer label is shown on the storefront. Allowed values: Yes or No.:contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}
Short Description Short description for the manufacturer. Text field; refer to legend and test on a small batch if you plan to overwrite existing values.:contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}
Manufacturer Logo Image URL for the manufacturer logo. Provide a valid image path or URL as used by your storefront (for example, images/mfg/<filename>.png).:contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}
Sort Order Sort order value used to control listing order of manufacturers. Must be numeric. Lower values typically appear first.:contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}
Page Title SEO page title for the manufacturer page in the storefront. Maximum 200 characters. Used in the browser title and may affect search engine results.:contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13}
Meta Tags Meta tags used for SEO on the manufacturer page. Free-form meta tag content; follow your SEO best practices.:contentReference[oaicite:14]{index=14}
Manufacturer Footer Text displayed in the footer on the manufacturer page in the storefront. HTML/text content; appears at the bottom of the manufacturer page.:contentReference[oaicite:15]{index=15}

Data Update Behavior:

  • The legend does not define a special erase value (such as x) for Manufacturer fields.:contentReference[oaicite:16]{index=16}
  • When updating existing manufacturers (with an ID value), populate only the columns you intend to change and test with a small batch to confirm how blank values are handled in your environment.

Upload and Process the Import

7 Save your completed file as a CSV.

8 Return to Import/Export > Import in your admin panel.

9 Select the radio button next to Manufacturer Import.

10 Click Choose File and select your CSV file.

11 Click Import to begin processing.

Processing Time: Manufacturer imports are generally small and process quickly. For larger updates, consider splitting into smaller batches and testing on a subset of records first.

Verify the Manufacturer Import

12 Navigate to Products > Manufacturers (or the equivalent manufacturer management screen) in your admin panel.

13 Search for manufacturers that you created or updated.

14 Open a sample of manufacturer records and verify:

  • Manufacturer Name is correct and within length limits.
  • Show Mfg. Label is set as expected.
  • Short Description and Manufacturer Footer content displays correctly.
  • Manufacturer Logo is visible and using the correct path/URL.
  • Sort Order positions manufacturers as intended.
  • SEO Page Title and Meta Tags are populated correctly.

 

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