How to Automate Product Import Export in WooCommerce

Manually importing and exporting WooCommerce products is overwhelming. That’s why automating the process is a real lifesaver! This article will guide you through scheduling product imports and exports in WooCommerce, helping you save time and effort.

Managing WooCommerce products manually can quickly become daunting, especially as your store expands. Handling data imports and exports manually is labor-intensive and prone to errors. Automating these processes in WooCommerce can simplify your workflow and enhance efficiency. Whether dealing with hundreds or thousands of products, automation will help you reclaim valuable time and effort.

The easiest way to do this is with plugins. With just a few clicks, you can effortlessly schedule your import and export processes. There are numerous plugins, but we will highlight one of the top choices in this article: the Product Import Export plugin by WebToffee. Using this effective tool, we will guide you through an easy step-by-step process for automating and scheduling product imports and exports.

We will use the premium version of the Product Import Export Plugin by WebToffee.

The Product Import Export plugin by WebToffee is one of the most advanced and feature-rich import export plugins. Using this plugin, you can do much more than automate the import and export of products. Now, let’s delve into the process of automating the export of products in your WooCommerce store.

Before we begin, make sure you have purchased the premium version of this Product Import Export Plugin.

Refer to this documentation on installing and activating the plugin.

Step 1: Select Product as Post type for Export

Once you have completed the installation and activation,

• Go to WebToffee Import Export (Pro) > Export from your WordPress dashboard.
• From the dropdown menu, choose Product as the post type to export.

Then, proceed to the next step.

Step 2: Select Advanced Export Method

There are two types of export methods: Quick export and Advanced export.

Let’s choose Advanced export as the export method.

Then proceed to the next step.

Step 3: Filter Product Data for Export

Here, you have different product export filters. You can choose to include or exclude products for export specifically.

After choosing the product filters, proceed to the next step.

Step 4: Map and Reorder Export Columns

From here you can manually rearrange the columns in the export file using the drag-and-drop handle.

Step 5: Advanced Export Options

Here, we have some advanced export options.

• Enter an export file name.
• Choose an export file format.
• Enable the FTP export option and select an FTP profile from the dropdown.

If you have not added an FTP profile, click on the Add new FTP profile button to add a new FTP profile.

Learn more about creating FTP profiles by referring to this documentation here. 

• Choose whether you want to export using the default export path from the FTP profile.
• Click on Export/Schedule and select Schedule.

Both Server Cron and WordPress Cron are used for scheduling and automating website tasks, but they work differently.

The main difference between Server Cron and WordPress Cron is that Server Cron is executed at the system level, while WordPress Cron is executed within the WordPress environment. Server Cron is generally considered more reliable, as it does not depend on user traffic to trigger task execution.

However, WordPress Cron is easier to use, as it is built into WordPress and does not require any server-level configuration.

• After choosing the required Cron, enter a file name and select an interval and start time to automate the process.
• Then, click on Schedule Now.

This will then schedule the import process for the set time and interval.

Automating the product import process in WooCommerce is similar to the export process. Follow the below steps to automate product import in WooCommerce.

Step 1: Select Product as Post Type for Import

• Go to WebToffee Import Export (Pro) and choose Products as the post type to import.

Now, proceed to the second step.

Step 2: Select Quick Import Method

• Now, choose an import method from here. You can either choose Quick import or Advanced import.
• Let’s choose Quick import here.
• Then, choose Local as the import location.
• Now, upload the products file to import the products.
• Choose a Delimiter and Date format.
• Click the Advanced options/Batch import/Scheduling button.

Step 3: Advanced Import Options

Here, you can update existing products, set batch import limits, or schedule imports. You can also save the template for future use.

After choosing the necessary options, select Schedule from the Import/Schedule button.

• Choose the schedule type as either WordPress Cron or Server Cron.
• Then, select an interval and start time to schedule the import and export process.
• Click on Schedule now to schedule the process.

This will then schedule the import process to run automatically at the specified time and interval. The plugin will then handle the rest without requiring any manual input.

In conclusion, the Product Import Export Plugin is a valuable tool for WooCommerce store owners. It simplifies the import-export process to help you save time and reduce errors. This plugin allows you to efficiently handle large volumes of product data without the burden of manual updates.

The WordPress Product Import Export plugin we mentioned in this article also has a free version. Although the free version includes some helpful features, the scheduling function is only accessible through the premium upgrade, which is worth considering if you’re looking to enhance your workflow even more.

We’d love to hear your thoughts or answer any questions you may have. Drop a comment below, and we’ll be happy to help!