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  1. #1
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    Default Easy Populate vs Easy Populate Advanced

    I am not yet finding a clear explanation of what exactly Easy Populate does. Maybe I just need to download and try it. But is Easy Populate Advanced (apparently $65) worth the extra money? If I understand correctly, Advanced will add AND delete products. Does un-advanced not delete?

    I am familiar with delimited files and understand that I can take my data and upload my images using it. All sounds reasonable, but before I spend a lot of time, I hope more experienced users can tell me the features of each and compare a little.

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Easy Populate vs Easy Populate Advanced

    If you have a relatively large number of products to upload, then easypopulate is (I believe) essential.

    After using it for 4 years, I now manage all my product data in MS Excel spreadsheets (though you can use "Open Office" too). We only make minor changes to products using the zencart product edit interface, but for global price changes, category shifting, etc, easypopulate has saved hundreds of hours.

    The advanced version has many more features and I believe is well worth the miniscule $65, as it will save many hundreds of dollars in time charges alone.

    Rather than battle along with adding/updating one product at a time, manage everything in spreadsheets - and devote your time to marketing your website, attracting customers, encouraging sales...
    19 years a Zencart User

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Easy Populate vs Easy Populate Advanced

    advanced version has many more features
    Does that include ability to add downloads/zip files details
    into an attributes column please?

  4. #4
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    Default Re: Easy Populate vs Easy Populate Advanced

    Thanks Schoolboy. That is helpful. Has anyone seen a side by side comparison of features as is common with most software sites? I didn't find one on their site.

  5. #5
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    Default Re: Easy Populate vs Easy Populate Advanced

    (Misty's question...) Attributes.

    Yes. The advanced version will import/export:-


    Data Files
    - - - - - - - - - - Data Templates
    Extended Store - - - - - - -Extended Store
    Store - - - - - - - - - - - - - Store
    Price & Qty - - - - - - - - - -Price & Qty
    Product Categories - - - - -Product Categories
    Google Base - - - - - - - - -N/A
    Attributes - - - - - - - - - - -Attributes
    Metatags - - - - - - - - - - - Metatags
    Categories - - - - - - - - - - Categories

    Bestfoot... please note: Easypopulate does not "upload" the actual image files. It simply inserts new (or updates existing) product data into the database. So it loads the primary image reference associated with the product, but the actual image is uploaded as a binary file using FTP.

    Fundamentally, it uses key ID data to ensure that a product is either NEW, or is an EXISTING product that needs UPDATING. Principally, this key ID field is the product MODEL number.

    So, if you had a range of products where the price increased by 10%, you could use easypopulate to EXPORT your product data (in this case, I would select "Price & Qty" - see table above).

    Then, using MS Excel, apply new prices to all relevant products (much easier in a spreadsheet) and DELETE all remaining products in the spreadsheet (remember, you've exported your entire product dbase).

    Save the spreadsheet as a tab-delimeted file, and re-import via easypopulate into your dbase. Easypopulate will recognise that the product MODEL number already exists in the database, and will overwrite the old price with the new price. It then reports what it has done (product line by product line) and flags any errors.

    As far as DELETING products is concerned, you would use the STATUS field to do this; I think the selectors are "0" = inactive product, "1" = active product and "9" = delete product. (Please check this first!)

    Believe me, this mod does what it says on the box! It's well worth the few $ if you have a large store with complex product parameters. It has saved me hundreds of hours over the years which must equate to a couple of thousand pounds in time alone!
    19 years a Zencart User

  6. #6
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    Default Re: Easy Populate vs Easy Populate Advanced

    BTW...

    I would advise that you set up a TEST shop first, try all the features of EP in the test environment, then when you know how it works, use it in your live store.

    (As always, do a backup of your shop before modifying the dbase - and as EP modifies the dbase, a prior backup is simple common sense.)
    19 years a Zencart User

  7. #7
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    Default Re: Easy Populate vs Easy Populate Advanced

    Quote Originally Posted by bestfoot View Post
    I am not yet finding a clear explanation of what exactly Easy Populate does. Maybe I just need to download and try it. But is Easy Populate Advanced (apparently $65) worth the extra money? If I understand correctly, Advanced will add AND delete products. Does un-advanced not delete?

    I am familiar with delimited files and understand that I can take my data and upload my images using it. All sounds reasonable, but before I spend a lot of time, I hope more experienced users can tell me the features of each and compare a little.
    You may wish to read a note I posted here

    TO summarize, unless you are absolutely certain you need what it can do,

    and are fully confident you can "do it yourself"

    You may wish to give further thought to the investment.

    Wheat

  8. #8
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    Default Re: Easy Populate vs Easy Populate Advanced

    Suggest you try Easy Populate FREE version first,
    rather than spend dollars on something you may not require.

  9. #9
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    Default Re: Easy Populate vs Easy Populate Advanced

    Quote Originally Posted by wheat View Post
    You may wish to read a note I posted here

    TO summarize, unless you are absolutely certain you need what it can do,

    and are fully confident you can "do it yourself"

    You may wish to give further thought to the investment.

    Wheat
    I'm really sorry to hear that you experienced problems with easypopulate... All I can say is that I have been using it (standard and advanced) for several years, and it has always behaved impeccably for my needs - I've never had problems.
    19 years a Zencart User

  10. #10
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    Default Re: Easy Populate vs Easy Populate Advanced

    I cannot get advanced to work. I understand that it isn't supported here ... but I cannot load the advanced site due to a current firewall limit (in a 3rd party location and for some reason they block it). I find the message I am getting most confusing.

    No Primary Index defined

    Before you can use Easy Populate you must set your primary index in the configuration area. The primary index is the reference that you use to manage updates to your store. You can chose from either the product model value (products_model in Zen Cart) or the Zen Cart product data table index (products_id).
    I cannot for the life of me figure out where this is in the "configuration area". What configuration area?

 

 
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