Use cases combining imports
Combining data feeds can be useful in cases such as:
- If you want to add new products which are not in your first import feed.
- If you want to add information to your products such as EAN numbers.
- If you want to add the same information to all your products in a new field.
Combining data feeds is quite similar to importing a data feed.
Step 1: Setup Mapping
After you have set up an import feed, you can combine it with another import feed. Click on "+ Combine imports", choose your import type, and specify the type of the import feed you want to add (ensure that the file is available online).
You will be taken to ''Setup Mapping'' which you have seen before in the setup of your first import feed. Again, the fields in the left column (fields from your feed) will be mapped to fields in Channable. Normally you don't have to change these fields.
Step 2: Combining imports options
At the bottom of the fields list you can find the "More options" section
Depending on the desired outcome, you will need to select one of these 3:
-
Add as new items: This is the ‘standard’ way of adding new items. When using this option, the items will be added as separate items.
-
Combine on field: This option is used to combine imports based on a given field. If there is a match between the existing import field and the field in the new importer, the values from the new import will overwrite the existing field values in the existing import. Additionally; if fields are added in the new import that were not previously present in the existing import, these fields will be added.
- Item enrichment: This option should not be confused with the add as new items option. This option should be used when you want to add the same information to all products. This information will be stored in a new field. This option is different from combining on a specific field, Item enrichment will add the same imported information as a new field to all products, whereas combining on a specific field might give you different data for different products.
Hit "Save and Import" when you are done:
Important information for combining feeds
- If you choose to map something to a field in Channable that was already filled by the first import feed, it will be overridden. For example, if you want to combine multiple languages, make sure to rename all the translated fields so they are all unique. This way, you ensure that your product contains multiple translated fields without overwriting the original field. Example field names:
- NL: description_nl
- EN: description_en
- IT: description_it
- Combining imports is case sensitive: if the value in the combined field is not exactly the same in both imports it will not be combined.
- The order of imports is important. The first import is used to determine which items are imported. Then, if combined fields are found in subsequent imports, the data will be combined. Any IDs in the additional imports that are not in the first import are ignored and not imported.