FAQ
Which CSV files are supported?
Use “Prepare supplier file” for non-standard supplier columns (it recognizes typical supplier column headers in 12 languages; the interface is in English), “Check Woo CSV” for a file already in WooCommerce columns, or “Update catalog” for price and stock changes by SKU. CSV must be UTF-8, with a comma or semicolon delimiter. Each file can contain up to 50,000 records and 50 MB; generated parents count toward the record limit.
The structural check supports new variable products with their variations in the same file, parents referenced by SKU and local attributes. Global attributes, “Any” variations and references by database ID need checks outside this workflow (the free WordPress plugin compares global attributes and terms with your store). Output is for Products → Import, the built-in WooCommerce importer, not WP All Import or other importers.
Can I use an Excel workbook instead of CSV?
Yes: .xlsx and .xlsm. Choose the sheet, header row and range, preview the rows and optionally skip hidden rows. Formula cells use their saved values; formulas are not recalculated, macros are never run and external workbook links are not followed. Old .xls, .xlsb, .ods and password-protected workbooks are not supported.
Do I have to set up the same supplier every week?
Save your column mapping, cleanup rules and variation grouping settings as a reusable supplier profile in this browser. Profiles can also be exported and imported as JSON to move them to another browser. They contain settings, not product rows. If the supplier changes the headers, review the detected changes and confirm the mapping again. A downloadable mapping log shows which cell values were changed.
Will Excel pictures appear in my store automatically?
No. Download the pictures placed on the selected sheet as a ZIP with manifest.csv, which links each resolved picture to its row and SKU. Review ambiguous matches; unresolved pictures are flagged without a SKU. Upload the pictures to your media library or image hosting yourself, then fill the Images column with filenames or public URLs. “Place in Cell” pictures and pictures generated by Excel’s IMAGE formula are not extracted.
The Images report also distinguishes web URLs, media-library filenames and local file paths. Recognizing a URL is not proof that the image is reachable or that WooCommerce can download it.
How do safe batches help with import timeouts?
The import ZIP contains numbered CSV files and IMPORT-ORDER.txt. Import them in that order. The target is 500 records per batch; a parent and all its variations stay together, so a single group larger than 500 remains in one larger file. Smaller imports reduce the risk of a 504 Gateway Timeout, but cannot guarantee that your hosting will complete an import.
What can Update catalog change in my store?
Compare a fresh export from the same store with the supplier’s new price list. Downloads contain only SKU and changed Regular price, Sale price or Stock fields, in separate files for each set of changed fields. Descriptions, images, categories and reviews are not written. Empty cells keep current values by default; only Sale price has an explicit option to clear it. Zero is a value, not an empty cell. Missing products are not created, deleted or set to zero stock.
Review the comparison report, then import with “Update existing products” enabled. The tool does not connect to your store or run scheduled syncs: you export, compare and import each time. It does not switch stock management or backorder settings. Update files also come as a ZIP of parts of up to 500 records, with import instructions. Downloading update files is free for up to 50 changed products; updates with more than 50 changed products use the CatalogDock Pass.
Is my file uploaded to a server?
No. Files are read and processed by JavaScript in your browser tab (in a background worker). The page does not send their contents anywhere and has no analytics scripts. The contact buttons only open your email app; they never attach your file. Online purchase sends an order number, your access key and the SHA-256 fingerprint of the result to our server. If the optional network image check is enabled and you start it, image URLs are sent too. See the Privacy Policy for payment and data details.
What is included in the free sample?
For “Prepare supplier file” and “Check Woo CSV”, up to 50 records of the result, as whole groups: a parent with all of its variations (generated parents included), or a standalone product. A group larger than 50 records is never cut, so it cannot be in the sample; the page says so. Only groups that pass every check after the automatic fixes are included, and the sample is re-checked before download. The report covers the whole file. If the sample holds the whole result, there is nothing to buy. If “Check Woo CSV” finds nothing to change, your original file is free to download in full, byte for byte, whatever its size.
What should I do about problems the tool does not fix?
Each one is listed with its record number, SKU, field and a recommended action. Correct them in your source data and check again. Full processing applies the automatic fixes to the whole file; problems that need a decision stay your decision, and the report shows exactly where they are. Unsupported scenarios are valid WooCommerce features this tool cannot verify from the file — test them on a staging copy of your store.
Is there a companion WordPress plugin?
Yes. CatalogDock — CSV Repair for WooCommerce is free on WordPress.org. It runs in your WordPress admin (Products → CatalogDock); the file is processed in your browser tab and not uploaded anywhere.
Every plugin feature is free, with no pass: file checks, comparison with your store’s products, global attributes and terms, price and stock update files, upload of chosen Excel pictures to the Media Library and full corrected CSV downloads, within the same 50,000 records and 50 MB per file. This website is for work outside WordPress: mapping supplier price lists (headers in 12 languages), building parents and variations from flat rows, reusable supplier profiles and import batches. See plugin or website.
Does a passing check guarantee the import will work in my store?
No. It confirms the structural checks for the supported scenario. The import workflows were tested with WooCommerce 11.1.2 (on WordPress 7.1.2); other versions were not tested, which does not mean they fail. When building parents and variations, you can supply a store export or SKU list to detect conflicts with existing SKUs. This checks the supplied snapshot, not the live store. Global attribute settings, database collation, plugins, server limits, image availability and the importer’s column mapping still need checking. Always test on a staging copy first.
