Best practices: Change the import in an active project

Safely change an active project import without breaking existing setups.

Why this matters

Is your webshop going to change from the e-commerce platform it is running on? This will also impact your Channable account if you import directly from your e-commerce platform to Channable. Even though you will import the same products, it can still cause problems because every e-commerce platform is different.

This article gives recommendations and best practices for customers switching their e-commerce platform in Channable.

General recommendations

Start in a test project

Start with a test project.

• Add the import connection with your new e-commerce platform there first.
• This lets you check how products import without affecting active export channels.
• Keep the test project inactive so it does not affect subscription usage.
• Only switch your live project when the new import works properly.

Review the old and new mappings

Review both mappings before you switch your live project.

• Compare the old import mapping with the new one.
• Fields may have different names, even when they contain the same information.
• This can cause errors in Rules, Build, Finalize, and Attributes.
• The old fields used there may no longer exist after the switch.

Keep field references working

You can solve this in two ways:

1. Adjust the mapping of your new import so internal Channable fields keep the names of the old fields used in the project.
2. Change the fields used in your export channels to the new fields.

Channable will show errors where fields are used that no longer exist. Check all export channels for errors after switching the import in your live project.

Check field values, not only field names

Also check fields that keep the same name but use different values.

• Example: a field called visibility might be true/false in the old import and yes/no in the new one.
• Rules that rely on the old values may stop working after the switch.
• For example, a rule that excludes visibility = false may no longer work.
• Verify that your feeds and APIs still send the correct number of products.

Recreate custom fields

Recreate any custom fields you added manually in the old import mapping.

• Add the same custom fields in the new import connection.
• A screenshot of the old custom fields can make this easier.

Verify categorization

Check categorization in your export channels after the switch.

• Categories in the new e-commerce platform may be structured differently.
• Category names may also differ.
• They will likely still import into standard fields like categories, category, or category_path.
• Products may still end up categorized incorrectly, so verify the result carefully.

If you use order connections

If you have one or more order connections, there are extra points to check.

• Contact us for assistance when switching imports.
• We will remove the old order connections and set up the new ones.

Product IDs also need extra attention.

• The id field is likely different in the new import.
• This identifier is generated by the e-commerce platform.
• Order connections identify products by ID.
• Orders to your new back-end will fail if products still contain the old ID as Unique ID per item.
• You can find Unique ID per item in the Settings of an API export or in the Finalize step of a feed export.
• In feed exports, this setting may have a different name.
• Ensure the new IDs are sent to all marketplaces that have an order connection.

Switch APIs safely

To make sure you send the IDs from your new import to all APIs you have an order connection for, follow this process:

1

Clear the APIs

Clear the APIs so all listings with the old ID as 'unique ID per item' are removed.

(Note: Go to APIs > Settings > [gear icon] > Clear API.)

2

Switch the import(s)

After clearing your APIs, switch the import(s) in the project to the new import.

3

Verify setup

Check the project and make sure everything is set up correctly using the general tips above (mapping, custom fields, categorization, rules, etc.).

4

Run the APIs again

If everything looks good, run your APIs again so all listings re-appear with the correct unique ID per item.

Important: If you clear your APIs, there is a risk of losing some product reviews on marketplaces, especially if you are the only seller of the products you list. Also consider possible listing costs, for example on eBay. Clearing and re-running the API will re-list all products. Check with the marketplace first to confirm that clearing and re-running the API is safe. If you are unsure, contact us for advice.