Import and export properties

  • Updated

You can import and export your Optimizely Product Information Management (PIM) data in bulk.

Format data for import

You can import new properties and values or update details of existing properties using an import file. You can also import properties without values in the file and add them later.

Although the PIM import template is multi-sheet, the previous single-sheet template file is still supported.

The import template provided in the PIM has two sheets: Properties and Property Values. 
An asterisk (*) denotes a required column on the sheets detailed below.

Properties

You can provide information in the following columns on the Properties sheet:

  • Name* – Identifies the property in the application. This value must be unique and any spaces are converted to underscores.
  • Display Name – Identifies the property throughout the PIM. The display name is used on the website if the property is a customer-facing attribute. If no value is entered, the value from the name field is used.
  • Property Group* – Used to visually group similar properties together when editing product data in the PIM. The property group will display as a fieldset when editing products. If the property group listed doesn't exist, then it is created.
  • Description – Describes the property and displays as a tooltip when editing products in the PIM.
  • Globally Required – Indicates whether or not this property is required for all products. If no value is entered, this defaults to No.
  • Externally Managed – Indicates whether this property is managed within the PIM or if the data is pushed from Commerce via a recurring integration job. If no value is entered, this defaults to No.
  • Control Type* – Determines the control type that is used to edit this property within the PIM. (Options: Text Feld, Text Area, Radio Button, Multi Select, Dropdown, HTML, Decimal, Date Picker, Date/Time Picker, Toggle)
  • Default Value – Used by default for this property for products created or imported with no data for this property. (Optional for Text Field, Text Area, and Radio Button control types and Number data type.)
  • Minimum Character Length – Defines the minimum character length allowed. Only valid for text field and text area control types. If no value is entered, this is set to 0. (Optional for Text Field and Text Area control types)
  • Maximum Character Length – Defines the maximum character length allowed. If no value is entered this will be set to 250 for Text Field and 1000 for Text Area. (Optional and only valid for Text Field and Text Area control types)
  • RegEx – Can be used to add property specific validation rules. (Optional and only valid for Text Field and Text Area control types.)
  • Template Specific Values – Determines whether or not each template uses the full list of values, or if they are restricted to using a subset of these values. If no value is entered, this defaults to No. (Optional for dropdown, radio button and multi select control types)
  • Allow Adhoc Values – Determines if users can add additional values when editing products or importing data or if they can only select from pre-defined ones. If no value is entered, this defaults to No. (Optional for Dropdown control type)
  • Minimum Value – Defines the minimum value allowed for numbers. If no value is entered, this defaults to 0. (Optional for Number data type)
  • Maximum Value – Defines the maximum value allowed for numbers. (Required for Number data type)
  • Number of Decimals – Defines the number of decimals allowed for numbers. If no value is entered, this defaults to 0. (Optional for Number data type)
  • Boolean Label – Defines the label for boolean controls. Options are Yes/No, True/False and On/Off. (Required for Boolean data type)
  • Mapped to Commerce Field – Defines what this property maps to in Commerce. Data that will not be published to Commerce should not be mapped.
  • Attribute is Filterable –  Determines whether the attribute displays as a filter on product lists. If no value is entered, this defaults to Yes.
  • Attribute is Comparable – Determines whether the attribute can be used for product comparisons. If no value is entered, this defaults to Yes.
  • Include Attribute on Product – Determines whether the attribute displays for the product on the product list and product detail pages. If no value is entered, this defaults to Yes.
  • Attribute is Searchable – Determines whether search results on the website include matches for the attribute values. If no value is entered, this defaults to Yes.

Property Values

You can provide information in the following columns on the Property Values sheet:

  • Property Name* – Provide the name of the property to which the value is being added. Must match a Property Name established on the Properties sheet.
  • Values* – Defines the available options for properties with Radio Button, Multi Select, and Dropdown control types. Values must be 255 characters or less.

Import properties

  1. Click Imports. The Imports list page appears. 
  2. Click Import Template and Download the Properties template if you have not already formatted your import file.
  3. Drag and drop the file onto the Imports page. You can also click Import, locate your file, and click Open. The system automatically detects the file and sets the Import Type to Properties. If it selects a different import type, verify the file matches the template and reupload the file.
  4. Click Import. If you receive any validation errors, resolve them before importing again. You can download the provided file to view error messages that are specific to each row.
  5. View your import progress on the Imports list page. A log of the import also displays on the page when it is complete.

Export Properties

You can export the property information for all properties, a filtered list, or selected properties.

  1. Click Configure. The Properties list displays. You can select properties that you want to export from here.
  2. Click Export, and then select either All properties, Filtered list, or Selected properties.
  3. Click Continue. The export window appears. Do not close the window before the file is ready for download.
  4. Click the Download exported file link to download the file.