A spreadsheet containing product names and prices is a starting point, not an import-ready catalogue. Before sending a supplier file to a developer, agree which products it represents, whether it creates or updates records, and who will resolve missing information. A short preparation review can reveal the decisions that an import button cannot make for you.
Use this checklist to agree the input file, the intended changes and the checks that will determine whether the catalogue is ready for the full import.
1. Define the job before changing the spreadsheet
Write a one-sentence brief: “Create these new products” or “Update these specific fields on existing products.” If the request contains both, separate the groups for review. Record who supplied the file, the date it was exported and which file is the approved working version.
For an update, identify the fields that must remain unchanged. A stock refresh and a catalogue rebuild need different acceptance checks. Do not let a developer infer whether descriptions, photographs or existing categories should be replaced merely because the supplier included those columns.
WooCommerce’s built-in tool works with CSV files; its documentation recommends UTF-8 and provides export/sample formats. Review the column mapping rather than assuming a supplier’s headings mean the same thing as WooCommerce’s fields. An XML feed needs a separately verified workflow; renaming a file does not convert its structure.
2. Make identity a business decision
Choose a consistent way to identify the items and agree how it relates to products already in the shop. Keep an untouched copy of the source. Flag repeated identifiers, missing identifiers and items that appear under more than one supplier name for review.
For variable products, WooCommerce allows separate variation prices, stock and images. A shopper selecting a particular size or colour needs to receive the intended item. The preparation task is therefore to clarify which combinations actually exist, not to generate every mathematically possible combination.
Illustrative example, not a client project: a supplier lists a blue shirt in two sizes but a green shirt in only one. A reviewer should mark the three saleable combinations explicitly. Otherwise, someone may mistake the list of colours and list of sizes for permission to offer all four.
3. Check the information a buyer will need
Read a small sample as a customer would. Can someone tell what is being sold, which option to choose, what is included and what the image depicts? Keep technical source facts separate from promotional copy. If a supplier has not supplied a dimension or material, ask for it instead of filling the gap with plausible text.
Create a short decision list beside the working file: inconsistent size labels, unclear units, repeated descriptions, products with no usable photograph and uncertain category assignments. Give each item an accountable reviewer. This is more useful than sending an apparently finished file whose unresolved questions are hidden in blank cells.
4. Review images as a separate workstream
WooCommerce needs images already uploaded or downloadable from an accessible image source. Its core CSV importer does not maintain image alt text. Include image suitability, permission and accessibility in the review plan rather than assuming successful file processing completes them.
Agree which photograph belongs to each product or option. Check that the files are the approved ones and that the business has permission to use them. A supplier catalogue URL does not itself establish image rights. Avoid putting private sharing links or credentials in a product file.
5. Choose a representative pilot
Before the full job, propose a small test set on an appropriate test site: a straightforward product, a product with several options, an item with multiple images, and one deliberately incomplete record. Agree what should happen to the incomplete record before running anything.
Suggested acceptance checks:
- The intended records were created or updated without unrelated products changing.
- Product names, option labels and image assignments match the approved sample.
- Each test variation shows the expected availability and product information.
- The business can manage the resulting catalogue without re-entering the same data.
- Errors and skipped records have an explicit follow-up owner.
These are recommended review criteria, not a report that your store passed them. Confirm backup and recovery arrangements with the person performing the import. A product export is useful evidence, but it should not be assumed to replace a complete site-recovery plan.
6. Agree the handover
Ask for the approved input file, mapping decisions, pilot results and unresolved-record list. Record what counts as completion: “all rows processed” is different from “all intended products reviewed and usable.” Schedule a proportionate check after the real import and decide how later supplier updates will be handled.
If your project needs an ongoing feed rather than a one-off catalogue upload, describe the frequency, source and fields involved. The scope should identify what is automatic and what still needs human review. Do not assume a one-time import includes continuing synchronization.
Frequently asked questions
Can I send the supplier file exactly as received?
Yes, as source material for assessment. Label it as unreviewed and include the intended outcome. Do not describe it as import-ready until its structure and a representative sample have been checked.
Should every spreadsheet field be imported?
Only the fields agreed for the job. The business should know which existing information is preserved and which changes are intended.
Does importing products also complete product SEO?
No. Treat catalogue transfer, useful product copy, images and accessibility, internal navigation and search metadata as separate review tasks.
Plan the catalogue before the build
If you are planning a new store, use the catalogue review to define the project rather than discovering those questions at launch. Discuss product structure and import requirements through our WooCommerce development service.
