How to import and export WooCommerce Product Categories

Import and export all the product categories of a WooCommerce store using the premium version of the Product Import Export Plugin for WooCommerce. The plugin helps you to export and import product categories as a separate post type in a quick and efficient manner.

To export WooCommerce product categories:

• Click on WebToffee Import/Export(Pro) > Export.

As a first step, you need to choose the post type as Product Categories.

Choose from the below options to continue with your export:

• Quick export : exports the basic/standard fields.
• Based on a pre-saved template : exports data as per the specifications(filters, selective column, mapping etc) from the previously saved file.
  This export method will be visible only if you satisfy both of these:

  • exported data using the Advanced export method in any of your previous exports.
  • saved the selections as a template for future use.
  
  Note: The template will be listed in the drop down only if you have saved it in previous exports, if you go through the Advanced export, at Step 5 you will get an option to save the template. Once you save that, next time when you want to export a pre-saved template, it will be populated within the drop down.

Advanced export: Takes you through a detailed process of filtering/column selection/advanced options that may be required for your export.

Note: You can also save this file as a template for future use.

Filter the data on the basis of:

1. Sort Columns: Select the column on the basis of which you want to sort the export data.
2. Sort: Sorts the selected sort column in ascending or descending order as specified.

• Click on Step 4 to proceed further.

In the export mapping screen, you can edit all the default export column names appearing in this section. The preferred names and choices that were last saved can be viewed by choosing a pre-saved template. You can also move the columns to reorder the arrangement.

On reaching Step 5, the following window will appear, from where you can:

• Specify the Export file name.
• Choose the Export file format between CSV and XML.
• Select the required delimiter among: Comma, Semicolon, Tab, Space and other.

• Enable FTP export by selecting Yes.
  • Select an FTP profile
  • Use the default export path or specify a new one as required.
  • Click on Schedule button.
    

On expanding the Advanced options, you can :

• Include BOM in export file by selecting the Enable option. This will help the applications like Microsoft Excel to read your export file, even if it contains non-English characters.
• Export in batches based on the number specified. This value specifies the number of records the server will process for every iteration within the configured timeout interval.
  
  NOTE: If the export fails due to timeout, you can lower the batch count and try again.

• Save the template file for future export as shown below(if needed).
  
• Click on Export to finish.

To import WooCommerce products categories:

• Click on WebToffee Import/Export(Pro) > Import.

As a first step, you need to choose the post type as Product Categories.

Choose from the below options to continue with your import:

•  Quick import : Preferred if your input file was exported using the same plugin.
•  Pre-saved template : Retains the previous filter parameters and other column specifications as per the chosen file and imports data accordingly.
  This import method will be visible only if you satisfy both of these:

  • imported data using the Advanced import method in any of your previous imports.

  • saved the selections as a template for future use.
  Note: The template will be listed in the drop down only if you have saved it in previous imports, if you go through the Advanced import, at Step 4 you will get an option to save the template. Once you save that, next time when you want to import a pre-saved template, it will be populated within the drop down.

The mapping screen of import process lets you to edit the column names if needed. The preferred names and choices that were last saved can be viewed by choosing a pre-saved template.

This field is used to append a value/expression to an existing item while importing. It basically selects/maps any column from the input file and compute the values with expressions and creates output.

• Expression: Any of the operators +*/-()&@ or string constants can be used along with the attributes to manipulate the respective value. 
• Input: Select the column from the dropdown which has to be modified.
• Output: Sample value will be created based on the first record from input file.

• Click on Step 4 to proceed.

On reaching Step 4, the following window will appear, from where you can either Skip or Update the entry, if the category exists in the store. On expanding Advanced options, you can :

• Import in batches of: Specify the number of records the server will process for every iteration within the configured timeout interval.
  NOTE: If the import fails due to timeout, you can lower the batch count and try again.
• Block third party plugin hooks while importing: Enabling this will increase speed by disabling do_action calls in wp_insert_post.
  The do_action call includes: ‘transition_post_status’, ‘save_post’, ‘pre_post_update’, ‘add_attachment’, ‘edit_attachment’, ‘edit_post’, ‘post_updated’.

• Save the template file for future imports as shown below(if needed).
  
• Click on Import/Schedule to finish.

You can either import the products directly into your store or schedule the import using FTP.

To schedule the import:

1. Hit the Schedule option, and you will be taken to the cron schedule window as shown below:

The plugin supports two different schedule types:

1. WordPress Cron: Upon a visit, WordPress Cron will check to see if the time/date is later than the scheduled event/s, and if it is– it will fire those events.
   • schedules your job at the specified time. 
   • is dependent on your website visitors.
2. Server Cron: You may need to trigger the URL every minute depending on the volume of data to be processed.You can use this option :
   • to generate a unique URL that can be added to your system in order to trigger the events. 
   • if you have a separate system to trigger the scheduled events.

Also, the import/export can be scheduled on a daily, weekly, monthly, custom basis. One can also configure the time at which the import has to be scheduled.

To directly import:

1. Hit on the Import option

Once the import is completed, a pop-up will be displayed showing import status which contains the number of successful imports and failed imports (if any).

Following the above mentioned steps, you can export and import all the WooCommerce product categories with ease. Do share your queries in the comment section.