Identifier Column for Variant-Level Spreadsheet
It can be important to understand how Ablestar Bulk Product Editor handles the first column identifier on spreadsheet edits for Variants.
When you export or import any store data, we want to make sure we can easily identify if you are trying to update all products, or specific variants, or both.
Importing and exporting spreadsheets is simple if you keep in mind the Variant-level and Product-level identifiers:
1. Exports
From the export view, choose which column you would like as the "identifier" to be noted in the first column of your export. This helps as a reminder that when you are editing a variant-level identifier, the edit will change all specified variants, by line item.
If you are using a product-level identifier with variants included in the data, the modification might unintentionally change the variant for all products.
Each dropdown option is considered either product-level or variant-level (and sometimes both):
- Barcode: product level
- Product Handle: product level
- Product ID: product level
- Product Title: product level
- SKU: Both variant and product-level (as long as each SKU is unique)
- Variant ID: variant level only
When you choose a 'Variant ID' export, we configure the first-column identifier to be the 'Variant ID' so the export has 'Variant ID' in the first column:
2. Configuring Spreadsheets
When you are bulk importing spreadsheet data for variant detail, the identifier should be either:
- Variant ID
- SKU (only if SKU is unique)
This format ensures that each variant will be updated accurately, by line item. If you were to use a Product-level identifier, you might unintentionally update all product variants with the same info.
From the 'Configure spreadsheet' view, click 'Advanced options' to update the Identifier:
If you are unsure of the Variant ID for your products, try exporting a copy of your store data and looking for the 'Variant ID' column in the spreadsheet.
3. Special Case Exception
There could be times when you want to update all products and product variants to the same value. In the example of changing all price (variant) fields to $19.99 you could use a product-level import as:
| Product Handle | Price |
| my-product-1 | 19.99 |
| my-product-2 | 19.99 |
✅ Tips and Troubleshooting
- Get an overview of Variant-level and Product-level identifiers.
- Learn specific info on file formats
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