Easy Populate Product Update Issue

[matchlock]

I'm using Easy Populate 1.2.5.7.csv and this may just be user error (probably is), but i'm having an issue updating the price field on my products and possibly quantity (haven't gotten that far yet). I'm using two columns when i do this update v_products_model and v_products_price but it's erroring out on me.

SKIPPED! - Model: 736676003099 - No category provided for this new product
SKIPPED! - Model: 736676003198 - No category provided for this new product
SKIPPED! - Model: 736676003532 - No category provided for this new product

Do i have to provide a category? This will make life very difficult as i'm getting inventory and pricing from my distributor and trying to automate the process as much as possible (hence the model number is the UPC so i can use pricing and inventory qty from multiple sources if i need to).

Any insight would be great.. Thanks!

[matchlock]

No one has any pointers on this?

[DrByte]

Yes, you need a category.

All products need to be associated with a category. Categories are important factors in making your products accessible by your customers, and for managing those products yourself for many things including sales, specials, promotions, allowing easy navigation, and more.

How exactly did you expect things to work without providing categories?
If I were your customer coming to your site and discovering that you don't know how (or care) to categorize things so I can find them easily, I'm gonna go to some other store that does.

Assuming that your "this will make my life very difficult" comment is suggesting that you wish to categorize at a future date instead of up-front, some shopowners work around this by creating a new category, grab its category number, and then assign that category to all their new products during their imports. You can of course go and move them around at a later date.

[matchlock]

Yes, you need a category.

How exactly did you expect things to work without providing categories?
If I were your customer coming to your site and discovering that you don't know how (or care) to categorize things so I can find them easily, I'm gonna go to some other store that does.

It's a good thing you'll never discover that I don't know how "or care" how to categorize things. If you read my post you would understand that these items are already in my store and neatly categorized. I'm simply trying to update the item prices and qty available.

[schoolboy]

EP 1.2.5.7 is known to be a bit "shaky". 1.2.5.4 is still the most "stable" version.

Anyhow... even with EP1.2.5.4 you may still have difficulties, because if you try to update products using just the product_model and products_price fields, EP will erase all the product_descriptions.

You'll end up with correct prices... but your product description text will have evaporated.

1.2.5.7 may also do this... it is a derivative of 1.2.5.4

There are two possible solutions that will provide the upload reliability you need.

1. Export (via EP) all your product data, then open it in Excel in the "normal" way. On SHEET 2 of the spreadsheet, bring in your list of updated prices. Make sure BOTH sheets are data-sorted in ascending order of UPC. Then, use excel's VLOOKUP formula to find the UPC on sheet2, and bring its price into Sheet 1, against the matching UPC on sheet 1.

2. Use a bit of SQL...

UPDATE products SET products_price = XXX where products_model='7374737473747';

Now... you need to create a separate UPDATE line for each UPC... so how do you do it.

Again in Excel, use the CONCATENATE function (ie, joins up text / cells)

On your NEW PRICES list you will have 2 columns. The first, (column A, cell 1), should be the PRICE and the second, (column B, cell 1), should be the UPC.

In the third column, cell C1, (first cell where your data rows start), type:

=CONCATENATE("UPDATE products SET products_price = ",A1," where products_model='",B1,"';")

Move the cursor out of the cell, and you will see your neatly formed SQL query.

Now, use excel COPY function to COPY cell C1 to PASTE all the way down the C column, to the end of your data.

Now you have a SQL query for ALL new prices.

Highlight the column C, and again use <Ctrl+C> to copy the column.

Open EMERALD EDITOR (or notepad++) and PASTE.

You have the SQL needed to update the prices.

You can use the Install SQL patches under your admin TOOLS menu to load the new prices.

WARNING!
* Backup your dbase First
* do another full EP data dump, as a further backup
* Run just ONE sql update line to start with - check the result, both in catalog>>> categories/products, and in the live. If all OK, you can run the remainder.

[matchlock]

EP 1.2.5.7 is known to be a bit "shaky". 1.2.5.4 is still the most "stable" version.

Anyhow... even with EP1.2.5.4 you may still have difficulties, because if you try to update products using just the product_model and products_price fields, EP will erase all the product_descriptions.

You'll end up with correct prices... but your product description text will have evaporated.

1.2.5.7 may also do this... it is a derivative of 1.2.5.4

There are two possible solutions that will provide the upload reliability you need.

1. Export (via EP) all your product data, then open it in Excel in the "normal" way. On SHEET 2 of the spreadsheet, bring in your list of updated prices. Make sure BOTH sheets are data-sorted in ascending order of UPC. Then, use excel's VLOOKUP formula to find the UPC on sheet2, and bring its price into Sheet 1, against the matching UPC on sheet 1.

2. Use a bit of SQL...

UPDATE products SET products_price = XXX where products_model='7374737473747';

Now... you need to create a separate UPDATE line for each UPC... so how do you do it.

Again in Excel, use the CONCATENATE function (ie, joins up text / cells)

On your NEW PRICES list you will have 2 columns. The first, (column A, cell 1), should be the PRICE and the second, (column B, cell 1), should be the UPC.

In the third column, cell C1, (first cell where your data rows start), type:

=CONCATENATE("UPDATE products SET products_price = ",A1," where products_model='",B1,"';")

Move the cursor out of the cell, and you will see your neatly formed SQL query.

Now, use excel COPY function to COPY cell C1 to PASTE all the way down the C column, to the end of your data.

Now you have a SQL query for ALL new prices.

Highlight the column C, and again use <Ctrl+C> to copy the column.

Open EMERALD EDITOR (or notepad++) and PASTE.

You have the SQL needed to update the prices.

You can use the Install SQL patches under your admin TOOLS menu to load the new prices.

WARNING!
* Backup your dbase First
* do another full EP data dump, as a further backup
* Run just ONE sql update line to start with - check the result, both in catalog>>> categories/products, and in the live. If all OK, you can run the remainder.

WOW schoolboy .. this is a one heck of a response. I will attempt to follow your instruction. Thank you very much for a detailed response!

[DrByte]

I'm using Easy Populate 1.2.5.7.csv and this may just be user error (probably is), but i'm having an issue updating the price field on my products and possibly quantity (haven't gotten that far yet). I'm using two columns when i do this update v_products_model and v_products_price but it's erroring out on me.

SKIPPED! - Model: 736676003099 - No category provided for this new product
SKIPPED! - Model: 736676003198 - No category provided for this new product
SKIPPED! - Model: 736676003532 - No category provided for this new product

Do i have to provide a category? This will make life very difficult as i'm getting inventory and pricing from my distributor and trying to automate the process as much as possible (hence the model number is the UPC so i can use pricing and inventory qty from multiple sources if i need to).

Any insight would be great.. Thanks!

It's a good thing you'll never discover that I don't know how "or care" how to categorize things. If you read my post you would understand that these items are already in my store and neatly categorized. I'm simply trying to update the item prices and qty available.

With all due respect, you did NOT say those products were already categorized.
AND the error message which you posted specifically says "No category provided for this new product". And, when it says "new product" I take that to mean that that product is NOT "already in my store and neatly categorized".

In short, when you are adding a "new product" you need to supply a category.
It's rather different for *existing* products.