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Import Products

A WooCommerce plugin that handles product data import and updates using CSV files with automated 30-minute import cycles.

by Your Name · github.com/atashinbar/import-products · website

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Install

No release zip yet. The repository archive installs, but the folder name will carry the branch suffix and updates will not flow:

wp plugin install https://github.com/atashinbar/import-products/archive/refs/heads/main.zip
Readme github.com/atashinbar/import-products ↗

Import Products - WooCommerce CSV Import Plugin

A comprehensive WooCommerce plugin that handles automated product data import and updates using CSV files with scheduled 30-minute import cycles.

Features

  • Initial Product Import: Import all products from the initial CSV file (1.csv)
  • Automated Updates: Automatically check for and import new CSV files every 30 minutes
  • Stock & Price Updates: Update existing product stock levels and prices
  • New Product Creation: Automatically create new products found in update files
  • Category Management: Automatically create product categories and subcategories
  • Product Attributes: Handle product attributes like brand, color, size, material, season, and gender
  • Image Import: Download and assign product images from URLs
  • File-Specific Logging: Track all import activities with detailed, file-specific logs
  • Admin Interface: User-friendly admin panel for monitoring and manual imports
  • CSV Structure Validation: Automatically detect and prevent invalid CSV imports
  • Email Notifications: Configurable email alerts for import failures and new products
  • Complete Reset Function: Permanently delete all WooCommerce products, categories, attributes, and brands
  • Error Handling: Comprehensive error tracking and reporting with automatic fixes

CSV File Structure

The plugin uses exact field mapping from CSV columns to WooCommerce fields:

WooCommerce Field CSV Column Description
Product Name DSArticoloAgg Product display name
SKU Main Product Modello Main product SKU (unique identifier)
SKU Variable CodArticolo Variable product SKU/Barcode
Brand Name DSLinea Brand/Line name
Brand ID IGULinea Brand identifier
Parent Category DSRepartoWeb Main category (Department)
Category DSCategoriaMerceologicaWeb Subcategory
Gender (Main Category) DSSessoWeb Gender classification
Price PrezzoIvato Product price (including tax)
Quantity Disponibilita Stock quantity
Product Weight Peso Product weight
Attributes 1: Model No. Modello Model number attribute
Attributes 2: Size Taglia Size attribute
Attributes 3: Color DSColoreWeb Color attribute
Attributes 4: Material DSMateriale Material attribute

Additional supported columns:

  • URLImg1 to URLImg10: Product image URLs
  • DSStagioneWeb/DSStagione: Season information
  • CodEsterno: External reference code
  • ArticoloDescrizionePers: Product description

Installation

  1. Upload the plugin folder to /wp-content/plugins/
  2. Activate the plugin through the 'Plugins' menu in WordPress
  3. Ensure WooCommerce is installed and activated
  4. Place your CSV files in the csv files/ directory within the plugin folder

Usage

Initial Setup

  1. Place your initial product file as 1.csv in the csv files/ directory
  2. Go to WooCommerce > Import Products in the WordPress admin
  3. Click "Import Initial File (1.csv)" to import all products

Automated Updates

  1. Upload update files with incremental names: 2.csv, 3.csv, 4.csv, etc.
  2. The plugin will automatically check for new files every 30 minutes
  3. When found, it will import updates and new products automatically

Manual Import

Use the admin interface to manually trigger imports:

  • Import Initial File: For the first-time import of all products
  • Import Next Update File: To manually import the next available update file

Reset Functionality

The plugin includes a reset feature that allows you to return to the initial state:

  • Reset Plugin: Clears all import history and resets file counter to 0
  • Confirmation Required: Displays a confirmation dialog before proceeding
  • Complete Reset: Removes all import logs and reschedules the cron job
  • Use Case: Useful for testing, troubleshooting, or starting fresh with new data

File Naming Convention

  • Initial file: 1.csv
  • Update files: 2.csv, 3.csv, 4.csv, etc. (sequential numbering)

Admin Interface

The admin page provides:

  • Current Status: Shows last imported file, current status, and next scheduled import
  • Manual Import: Buttons to trigger imports manually
  • Detailed Logs Viewer: View comprehensive import logs by date for troubleshooting
  • Reset Function: Reset plugin to initial state (clears all history)
  • Import Logs: Detailed history of all import activities with success/failure counts

Detailed Logging

The plugin creates comprehensive logs in the logs/ directory with file-specific logging for better organization and debugging:

File-Specific Log Structure

Each CSV import creates its own separate log file:

  • File-Specific Logs: import-details-YYYY-MM-DD-[filename].log
    • import-details-2025-06-28-1.log (for 1.csv import)
    • import-details-2025-06-28-2.log (for 2.csv import)
    • import-details-2025-06-28-3.log (for 3.csv import)
  • General Logs: import-details-YYYY-MM-DD.log (legacy format)

Enhanced Log Viewer Features

  • 📋 Separate Log Files: Each CSV import is logged independently
  • 📊 File Information: Shows log file size, CSV source, and modification time
  • 💾 Download Capability: Direct download of log files for external analysis
  • 🔍 Quick Selection: Dropdown shows all available logs with file details
  • 📈 File Metrics: Display file size in KB and line count for each log

Log Content Details

Each log file contains comprehensive information:

  • Import start/completion times and file processing details
  • Product creation/update operations with SKU tracking
  • Scientific notation conversion tracking (for Excel-exported CSVs)
  • Duplicate SKU detection and processing counts
  • Variation creation and update operations
  • Attribute and brand assignment operations
  • Error messages with detailed debugging information
  • Performance metrics and timing data for optimization

Benefits of File-Specific Logging

  • 🎯 Easier Debugging: Find logs for specific CSV files instantly
  • 📊 Better Organization: No more mixed logs from different imports
  • 🔍 Quick Issue Identification: See which CSV file caused specific issues
  • 💾 Export Capability: Download logs for sharing or external analysis
  • 📈 File Insights: See log file sizes and content overview at a glance

Product Data Handling

Product Type Detection

The plugin automatically determines whether to create simple or variable products based on the CSV data:

Variable Products are created when:

  • CodArticolo (SKU Variable) differs from Modello (Main SKU)
  • Product has size (Taglia) or color (DSColoreWeb) attributes
  • Multiple rows share the same Modello but have different CodArticolo values

Simple Products are created when:

  • CodArticolo is empty or identical to Modello
  • Product has no size or color variations
  • Single product entry without variations

New Products

  • Variable Products: Creates variable products when SKU Variable differs from main SKU or has size/color variations
  • Simple Products: Creates simple products for items without variations
  • Sets up stock management for both parent products and variations
  • Assigns categories (creates if they don't exist)
  • Adds product attributes with proper term assignment
  • Downloads and assigns product images
  • Stores additional metadata (barcode, brand, model, etc.)
  • Creates product variations with individual SKUs, prices, and stock levels

Existing Products (Updates)

  • Variable Product Updates: Creates new variations or updates existing ones based on SKU Variable
  • Simple Product Updates: Updates stock quantities, prices, and attributes
  • Updates stock quantities and stock status for both products and variations
  • Updates prices for products and individual variations
  • Updates product descriptions and attributes
  • Updates categories and images if provided
  • Maintains existing product data not in CSV

Categories

  • Automatically creates main categories and subcategories
  • Maintains category hierarchy (subcategories under main categories)
  • Uses web-friendly names when available

Brands

The plugin automatically creates a Product Brand taxonomy:

  • Brand Name (from DSLinea column) - Creates brand terms automatically
  • Brand ID (from IGULinea column) - Stored as custom meta
  • Brands appear in Products > Brands in WordPress admin
  • Brands can be used for filtering and product organization

Attributes

The plugin creates the following global WooCommerce attributes based on exact field mapping:

  • Model No. (from Modello column) - Global attribute pa_model-no
  • Size (from Taglia column) - Global attribute pa_size (variation-enabled)
  • Color (from DSColoreWeb column) - Global attribute pa_color (variation-enabled)
  • Material (from DSMateriale column) - Global attribute pa_material
  • Season (from DSStagioneWeb/DSStagione column) - Global attribute pa_season

Note: Size and Color attributes are enabled for variations, allowing for product variants.

Custom Meta Fields

The plugin also stores additional data as custom meta fields:

  • SKU Variable (from CodArticolo column) - _sku_variable
  • Brand Name (from DSLinea column) - _brand_name
  • Brand ID (from IGULinea column) - _brand_id
  • Model No. (from Modello column) - _model_no
  • External Code (from CodEsterno column) - _external_code

Logging and Monitoring

The plugin maintains detailed logs including:

  • File name and import date
  • Number of products imported, updated, and failed
  • Error messages for failed imports
  • Import status (completed, completed with errors, failed)

Cron Job

The plugin uses WordPress cron to schedule imports every 30 minutes. The cron job:

  • Checks for the next sequential CSV file
  • Imports the file if found
  • Updates the system status
  • Logs all activities

Invalid CSV Structure

Problem: CSV files missing required columns or having incorrect format.

Solution: Automatic structure validation:

  • Validates required columns before processing
  • Provides detailed error messages for missing columns
  • Sends email notifications for structure issues
  • Logs validation results for troubleshooting

CSV Structure Validation

The plugin automatically validates CSV structure before processing:

Required Columns

  • Modello (SKU Main Product)
  • DSArticoloAgg (Product Name)
  • PrezzoIvato (Price)
  • Disponibilita (Stock quantity)

Important Columns (warnings if missing)

  • CodArticolo (SKU Variable)
  • DSLinea (Brand Name)
  • DSRepartoWeb (Parent Category)
  • DSCategoriaMerceologicaWeb (Category)
  • Taglia (Size)
  • DSColoreWeb (Color)

Validation Features:

  • ✅ Automatic Detection: Checks for required columns before processing
  • ✅ Error Prevention: Stops import if critical columns are missing
  • ✅ Warning System: Logs warnings for missing important columns
  • ✅ Email Alerts: Sends notifications for structure validation failures

Email Notification System

The plugin includes a comprehensive email notification system:

Notification Types

  • 📧 Import Failures: Get notified when imports fail or have errors
  • 🆕 New Products: Receive alerts when new products are automatically added
  • ⚠️ CSV Issues: Notifications for structure validation failures

Configurable Settings

  • Enable/Disable: Turn notifications on/off globally
  • Custom Email: Set a specific email address for notifications
  • Selective Alerts: Choose which events trigger notifications
  • Admin Interface: Easy configuration through WordPress admin panel

Email Content

  • Detailed Information: Error messages, product details, timestamps
  • Direct Links: Quick access to edit products or view logs
  • Context: Source CSV file and import type information

Default Settings

All email notifications are enabled by default with the following settings:

  • Email Address: WordPress admin email
  • Failure Notifications: ✅ Enabled
  • New Product Notifications: ✅ Enabled
  • Global Notifications: ✅ Enabled

Complete Reset Function

The plugin includes a powerful Complete Reset feature for situations where you need to start completely fresh:

⚠️ WARNING: DESTRUCTIVE OPERATION

This function permanently deletes ALL WooCommerce data from your site:

What Gets Deleted

  • ✅ All Products: Including variations and their data
  • ✅ All Categories: Product categories and subcategories
  • ✅ All Attributes: Product attributes and their terms
  • ✅ All Brands: Product brands (if using brand plugins)
  • ✅ All Import Logs: Complete import history
  • ✅ Plugin Settings: Reset to initial state

Safety Features

  • Double Confirmation: Requires typing "DELETE ALL" to proceed
  • Clear Warnings: Multiple warning dialogs before execution
  • Detailed Results: Shows exactly what was deleted
  • No Undo: This action cannot be reversed

When to Use

  • 🔄 Fresh Start: When you want to completely restart your product catalog
  • 🧪 Testing: After testing imports and want to clean up
  • 🚫 Data Corruption: When product data becomes corrupted
  • 📝 Migration: Before importing from a different source

How to Use

  1. Navigate to the Import Products admin page
  2. Scroll to the red "🗑️ Complete Reset - Delete ALL Products" button
  3. Read the warnings carefully
  4. Confirm by typing "DELETE ALL" exactly
  5. Wait for the process to complete (may take several minutes)

Results Display

After completion, you'll see:

  • Number of products deleted
  • Number of categories deleted
  • Number of attributes deleted
  • Number of brands deleted
  • Status of logs and settings reset
  • Auto-import disabled status: Prevents immediate re-import

Auto-Import Control

After a complete reset:

  • 🛑 Auto-import is automatically disabled to prevent immediate re-import of data you just deleted
  • ⚠️ Warning notification appears showing auto-import is disabled with timestamp
  • 🔄 Re-enable button allows you to resume scheduled imports when ready
  • Manual control gives you full control over when imports resume

To resume auto-imports:

  1. Click the "🔄 Re-enable Auto-Import" button
  2. Confirm you want to resume scheduled imports
  3. Auto-imports will resume every 30 minutes as normal

Requirements

  • WordPress 5.0 or higher
  • WooCommerce 5.0 or higher
  • PHP 7.4 or higher
  • Sufficient server resources for processing large CSV files

File Structure

import-products/
├── import-products.php          # Main plugin file
├── includes/
│   ├── class-csv-importer.php   # CSV import functionality
│   ├── class-admin-page.php     # Admin interface
│   └── class-scheduler.php      # Cron job management
├── templates/
│   └── admin-page.php          # Admin page template
├── csv files/                  # Directory for CSV files
│   ├── 1.csv                   # Initial product file
│   ├── 2.csv                   # First update file
│   └── ...                     # Additional update files
├── logs/                       # Detailed import logs (auto-created)
│   ├── import-details-YYYY-MM-DD-1.log    # File-specific log for 1.csv
│   ├── import-details-YYYY-MM-DD-2.log    # File-specific log for 2.csv
│   ├── import-details-YYYY-MM-DD-3.log    # File-specific log for 3.csv
│   ├── import-details-YYYY-MM-DD.log      # General/legacy logs
│   └── ...                     # Additional log files
└── README.md                   # This file

Support

For support and troubleshooting:

  1. Check the import logs in the admin interface
  2. Verify CSV file format and naming
  3. Ensure proper file permissions
  4. Check WordPress error logs for detailed error messages

License

GPL v2 or later