osCommerce Customers Importing

This section describes how to perform customers import to osCommerce from .csv file - bulk update customers.

Pay attention to each Wizard's page when importing customers. Import is rather complicated procedure and it may be destructive if performed incorrectly. Create Database backup before importing customers especially if you do it first time.

To import customers to osCommerce follow few steps:

1. First of all prepare a .csv file for import. Make sure it contains all necessary fields and all data you are going to import is listed in the table.

   If you have customer's list in Excel, you can convert your Excel files to the CSV format within the Microsoft Excel or OpenOffice application by using the Save As option. You can then access the Save As dialog box which contains a list of alternative file formats. Among the file extensions offered, you can find Text CSV file format. By saving your file into CSV format, Microsoft Excel or OpenOffice will export the first active worksheet with the correct delimiters.

2. Select "Import" and click "Next >" to proceed.

   

3. Specify the .csv file path and name or use browse button to select one.

   

   You can load previously saved import configuration on this step.

4. Source file preview shows a part of .csv file selected to import. There are no options to set, but you should pay some attention to this page. What's so important to look for on this page is fields delimiter and quote character, if some is used.

   

   If you carefully check the very first line of the example, you'll notice that some words enclosed in quotes (") and are separated by comma (,) symbol. That are two important options you have to pay attention to - you will have to setup these settings on the next page. Usually it is enough to see first line, no need to investigate entire file.

   Also you can enable and set the row # you want to start import from.

5. Select fields delimiter and quote character. If you specify wrong values, import may not work.

   
   • Delimiter Character. Most popular delimiters are comma (,), semicolon (;) and tab character ( ) however other symbols can be used as well.
     Note. CSV file contains data in row-column format and delimiter character is used to separate one column from another. If you specify incorrect delimiter, file will not be parsed properly and osCommerce customers import will not be performed.
   • Quote string values delimiter will be used to separate strings in .csv file. This delimiter can be disabled if none are used.
     On previous sample page we have noticed that comma symbol was used as delimiter and values were quoted with " symbol. Specify two first settings as shown above.

6. The next page allows you to Link columns from .csv file to appropriate database fields.

   

   Specify the following options:

   • First row in .csv file contains field names but not values - Obviously it should be unchecked if first row of .csv file contains data, otherwise check this option.
   • Customer identification method - Import will search for customer using selected method of identification. The customer will be modified if found, if not - new customer will be added.

   To link columns from .csv file to appropriate database fields simply click on any database field in the left pane "Database Fields" and after that click on appropriate column from .csv file. the Database Fields pane shows the list of fields in your database that can receive import data.  So, to assign .csv column to database field you should select a field at the left pane and then click a column at the right pane.

   Source .csv file can contain multiple records, you can assign few fields only that you would like to update.
   Note that sometimes one of key fields may be blank. Obviously blank fields contain the same value for all records. It is required to assign .csv columns for key fields (used by Customers Identification Method option, see above).

   Database Fields contains such columns:

   • Rec ID - contains database field ID.Field - contains database field name. Some values in this column contain actual field name, whereas other are "translated". Anyway these names are clear enough to figure out how to use them.
   • csv col # - the number of the column in .csv file corresponding to this field - the link between database field and .csv column. Delete the value in order to unassign database field.
   • Set Null - indicates that this field should not contain any data but should be set to Null. You can either specify column name or check this option, but not both of them at the same time.
     
   • Update - used to set some default value to the field, similar to Set Null, but in this case some value can be assigned to the field.
   • Default value - enter the value assigned to a field (is used only if "Update" option is enabled).

   [Auto Fill...] button - try to set correspondence automatically for all fields. Auto fill option will work only if .csv column name is the same as database field name ("translated").
   [Clear] button - clear all "csv col" values at the left pane

7. Base Formats and Separators are used to convert text values from .csv file to numerical and date values. You can just set default values using appropriate button.

   

8. Customers were not imported to your database yet. On Import Preview page you can see how .csv file was processed using import settings, which you specified at previous steps. Check whether all columns that you want to be imported are filled with data: some of them may be blank. This means that either you haven't assigned .csv column or it is empty in source (.csv) file. Columns that were not assigned will not be imported whereas empty values will overwrite existing.

   

   Red blinking arrow  will be shown to draw your attention if any errors occurred.

9. Import options pagemay affect Import results. Please read and check your selection carefully.

   

   Create new customer using ID from source file (Not recommended) - allows you to import osCommerce customers with their original IDs.

   Save Import Configuration

   All import settings can be stored under some configuration. You can load it next time you decide to import customers to osCommerce from a file with similar formatting, column names etc.

   Attention! Import process will start, when you press "Import" Button! Proceed only if all settings are made, otherwise press "Back" Button and check settings once more!

10. Here you see a number of items imported and if any errors occurred during the import.

    

    Most frequent import errors are date, time and number conversion issues, caused by invalid format settings (specified at previous pages) or improperly assigned column (i.e. if you assign column containing text data to numeric database field). Date/time conversion errors might be ignored whereas other errors has to be fixed.

    Now osCommerce Customers Importing is finished.