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Product Import Export Plugin For WooCommerce – Setup Guide

Last updated on October 3, 2023

Product Import Export Plugin For WooCommerce is an ideal plugin for exporting and importing all the products and their related data either from the WooCommerce store or e-commerce platforms. With this plugin, you can easily import/export :

  • Products
  • Product Review
  • Product Tags
  • Product Categories

Features Offered

  1. Migrate products and product reviews using the same plugin.
  2. The main migration methods are:
    • Quick import/export
    • Based on a Pre-saved template
    • Advanced import/export
  3. Import/export data processing in batches, ensures successful import/export irrespective of its size/count. 
  4. One can automate migration via FTP profiles and schedules. 
  5. Detailed history, debug logs and cron schedules are other main peculiarities.

Pre-requisites

Getting Started

To begin with the plugin, download, install and activate. Once the plugin is activated, from your WordPress admin dashboard, navigate through the WebToffee Import/Export(Pro) menu.

WebToffee Import Export(Pro) menu
WebToffee Import Export(Pro) menu

The plugin consists of six different sub-menus :

  • Export
  • Import
  • History
  • Logs
  • Scheduled actions
  • General settings

Let us have a look at each of these sub-menus in detail.

Export

Products and product reviews can be exported in just 5 steps:

  1. Select a post type: The available post types are Product, Product Categories, Product Tags and Product Review.
  2.  Select an export method: Quick export, Pre-saved template and Advanced export are the provided export methods.
  3. Filter data: One can filter data with respect to the chosen post type.
  4. Map and reorder export columns: To map, edit and reorder export columns.
  5. Advanced Options/Batch Export: Provides advanced options for export and scheduling export.

Import

Products and product reviews can be imported in just 4 steps:

  1. Select a post type: The available post types are  Product, Product Categories, Product Tags and Product Review.
  2. Select an import method: Quick import, Pre-saved template and Advanced import are the provided import methods.
  3.  Map and reorder import columns: To map, edit and reorder import columns.
  4. Advanced Options/Batch Import: Provides advanced options for import and scheduling import.

History

The History tab lists the runs and the status corresponding to every import/export with options to: 

  • Re-run: re-run the action will take the user to the respective screen.
  • Details: view a detailed history.
  • Delete: delete the entry.
History section in WebToffee Import/Export(Pro)

To look into the History section:

  1. Click on WebToffee Import/Export(Pro) >  History
  2. You can sort the list with these available Filter options:
    Post type: Product, Product reviews
    Action type: All, Export, Import
    Status: All, Finished
    Sort by: Date descending, Date ascending
    Max record/page: The maximum records to be included in a page

The actions will be listed in following statuses:

  • Success: Process completed successfully.
  • Failed:  Failed process triggered due to connection/permission or similar issues(unable to establish FTP/DB connection, write permission issues etc.).
  • Running/Incomplete: Processes that are running currently or that may have been terminated unknowingly(e.g, closing a browser tab while in progress etc).

Logs

The Logs tab lists developer logs mostly required for debugging purposes with options to perform the following actions:

  • View: to view detailed logs 
  • Delete: to remove the log
  • Download: to share the log report with the support team in case of issues

To look into the Logs section, click on WebToffee Import/Export(Pro) > Logs.

Logs section in WebToffee Import/Export(Pro)

To save the import Logs:

  1. Click on WebToffee Import/Export(Pro) > General Settings.
  2. Expand Advanced options.
  3. Enable the option Generate import log option.
  4. Click on Update Settings to save the changes.
Enabling the option Generate import log
Enabling the option Generate import log

Scheduled Actions

The Scheduled Actions tab lists all the scheduled processes for import and export. One can disable or delete unwanted scheduled actions to:

  1. Reduce server load 
  2. Reduce the chances for failure of actively scheduled actions.
Scheduled Actions tab in WebToffee Import/Export(Pro)

General Settings

The General Settings helps to configure all the basic settings of the plugin.

Let us navigate through this section:

  • Click on  WebToffee Import/Export(Pro) > General Settings

This tab consists of four different sections: 

  1. General
  2. FTP settings
  3. Help Guide
  4. Other Solutions
  5. License

General

Here, you can configure the basic settings.

  • Default import batch count : Provide the default number of records to be imported in a batch.
  • Default Export batch count : Specify the default number of records to be exported in a batch.
  • Switch to website timezone: By default, the timezone will be in UTC.
General tab in the Product Import Export plugin for WooCommerce
General tab in the Product Import Export plugin for WooCommerce

The advanced options include:

  • Maximum execution time: Increasing this will reduce the chance of export/import timeouts.
  • Block third party plugin hooks while importing: Increase speed by disabling do_action calls in wp_insert_post during import. If enabled, verify your imported posts are working properly.
  • Generate Import log : Enable to save the import log as a text file. This action will make the file available in the logs section. 
  • Default Import method : Choose an import method from three options: Quick import, Pre-saved template and Advanced import.
  • Default Export method : Choose a default export method from the three options: Quick export, Pre-saved template and Advanced export.
  • PHP code editor in advanced export: Enable code editor for advanced PHP custom functions to be applied during export.
  • Enable ChatGPT: Enable to automatically generate product descriptions from product titles. The descriptions will be generated only when there are none in the importing CSV.
    • ChatGPT API Key: Enter the ChatGPT API Key.
    • ChatGPT Tone: Choose the tone that best suits your product descriptions from formal, casual, flowery and convincing.
  • Auto delete history: Enable auto-delete of import/export history by selecting the option.
  • Maximum entries : Specify the maximum records to retain in history. It will limit the number of records with the status ‘Finished’ to the number you have specified. E.g: if you input a count of 50 the system will retain only the most recent 50 number of records with the status ‘Finished’. All other records of any other status e.g In Progress (that may be active as a part of the cron operation) will not be impacted by this count.
Advanced options in General tab
Advanced options in General tab

Once you are done with the configurations, click Update Settings.

FTP Settings

The plugin is equipped to handle multiple FTP profiles. These dedicated FTP profile settings can be used to manage and manipulate easy scheduled import/export.

Adding a new FTP profile

Help guide

Provides direct links to resources like documentation, support and sample CSVs.

License

After you have installed and activated the Product Import Export Plugin for WooCommerce on your website, you need to activate the plugin licence to get notified about the plugin updates.

To do so, from the WordPress admin dashboard:

  1. Click WebToffee Import Export(Pro)> General> License.

Know more about : Products, Product reviews, Product Tags and Product Categories.