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This article provides step-by-step instructions for updating product data using Cahoot's Import/Export functionality.

To update existing products in Cahoot, you'll export your current product data, make changes to the exported CSV file, and then re-import the updated file. This process ensures data integrity and prevents accidental data loss.

 

Step-by-Step Guide

 

Step 1: Export Your Current Product Data

Always export your existing product data before making updates to ensure you have a complete baseline.

  1. Navigate to Products > Export Products
  2. Leave the top filter fields blank to export your entire product catalog
  3. Click Download to export the CSV file

 

Step 2: Edit the Exported CSV File

Open the exported CSV file and make your desired changes.

Critical Guidelines for CSV Editing:
  • Do not modify column headers - Any changes to headers will cause import errors

  • Maintain complete data integrity - Fill out all existing columns with current data. Empty cells will overwrite existing product information with blank values

  • Handle scientific notation carefully - SKU or Barcode values may display in scientific notation (e.g., 810098572774 appears as 8.10099E+11). Convert these back to their original format before importing

  • Preserve leading zeros - Excel often removes leading zeros from number fields (e.g., 0123456789 becomes 123456789). This is particularly important for barcodes. Format these columns as text to preserve leading zeros

  • Set the action column correctly - In the last column of the file:
    • Use "U" for updating existing products
    • Use "I" for inserting new products that don't exist in the system

 

Step 3: Import the Updated CSV File

  1. Navigate to Products > Import Products
  2. Select your updated CSV file
  3. Click Submit to begin the import process

Tip: You can view the Import Legend from this page to reference required fields (marked with red asterisks).

 

Step 4: Monitor the Import Process

Once the import begins, Cahoot will process your file and update the product data. This process can take up to 30 minutes depending on the size of your catalog.

An alert icon will appear if there were any errors in the file. Click Download Report to find out what caused the error. 

 

Best Practices 

  • Always keep a backup of your original export file
  • Test updates with a small batch of products first
  • Double-check formatting for SKUs and barcodes before importing
  • Verify that all required fields (marked with asterisks in the Import Legend) are properly filled out 

 

Troubleshooting

If you encounter import errors, common causes include:

  • Modified column headers
  • Scientific notation in SKU/barcode fields
  • Missing data in required fields
  • Incorrect action values in the last column

 

Import Fields Legend

* denotes a required field

 

Field

Description
SKU*

Product SKU value
Cahoot: SKUs are unique per sales channel. SKUs can be any values excluding special characters
Channel Name*

The SKU's Sales Channel. This must be from this list of currently allowed values:
"Acenda", "Amazon", "B2B", "BigCommerce", "ChannelAdvisor", "Custom", "eBay", "eBay US", "Flxpoint", "GeekSeller", "Google Shopping", "Inventory Transfer", "Linnworks", "Macys", "Magento", "MagentoV2", "Nordstrom", "Pulse Commerce", "Sellercloud", "Shopify", "Walmart", "Woocommerce", "Zentail"
Item Name*

This is the Name of the item. 
Max character limit is 2000 characters. 
ASIN

Amazon ASIN value for the product
UPC

Product UPC
Any value excluding special characters. Best practice is to enter using a barcode scanner instead of manually entering values
Barcode

Barcode for the product. 
Any value excluding special characters. Best practice is to enter using a barcode scanner instead of manually entering values
Alternate Barcode

Alternative Barcode for the product. 
Any value excluding special characters. Best practice is to enter using a barcode scanner instead of manually entering values
Bin Location

Used to show product location on packing slips.
Length

Enter in inches, up to 2 decimal places. 
Any numeric value.
Width

Enter in inches, up to 2 decimal places. 
Any numeric value.
Height

Enter in inches, up to 2 decimal places. 
Any numeric value.
Weight

Any numeric value, up to 2 decimal places.
Weight Unit*

"lbs" or "oz" (required if adding weight)
Preferred Packaging

Select preferred packaging for the product.

  • Poly Bag
  • Bubble Mailer
  • Box
  • Ready to Ship As Is
Units Per Master Case

Enter number of units per master case.
Special Storage Instructions

Enter special storage instructions, if any.
Sale Price

Enter sale price.
Manufacturer Product manufacturer name.
Brief Product Description

Enter product description.
Harmonized Code

This is harmonized code for the product.
This is necessary for international shipping; this field is needed before the product can be shipped internationally
Country of Origin

Enter country of origin for product as two letter code. See here for a full list
This is necessary for international shipping; this field is needed before the product can be shipped internationally.
Open for Label Generation

Default is "Yes"
Disable 3D Packaging Label Automation

Default is "No"
Disable from MLMQ Auto-Label Generation

Default is "No"
Size Name

Cosmetic description value. Examples: "X-Large", "Size 9"
Color Name

Cosmetic description value. Examples: "burgundy", "gray"
Flavor Name

Cosmetic description value. Examples: "strawberry", "savory"
Scent Name

Cosmetic description value. Examples: "citrus", "lavender"
ChannelAdvisor SKU

Enter ChannelAdvisor SKU if any.
Magento SKU

Enter Magento SKU if any.
Shopify SKU

Enter Shopify SKU if any.
Bigcommerce SKU

Enter BigCommerce SKU if any.
Product Description

Enter product description.
Condition Type

Enter item condition.

  • New
  • Used
  • Collectible
  • Refurbished
  • Preorder
  • Club
Brand Name

This is brand name of the product.
Main Image URL

Enter image URL for the product
URL must be complete or full length; no partial URLs
External Product Id

Enter any additional product IDs associated with the product. This is a descriptive field; primary ASIN, UPC values should be entered into the dedicated fields earlier in the template.
External Product Id Type
  • ASIN
  • UPC
  • EAN
  • ISBN
  • JAN
  • GTIN
  • MPN
  • SKU
Hazmat
  • Dangerous Goods
  • Lithium Batteries (UN3090)
  • Lithium Batteries (UN3091 - Packaged with Equipment)
  • Lithium Batteries (UN3091 - Packaged in Equipment)
  • Lithium Batteries (UN3480)
  • Lithium Batteries (UN3481 - Packaged with Equipment)
  • Lithium Batteries (UN3481 - Packaged in Equipment)
  • Biological Material
Standard Price

Enter standard price for product.
List Price

Enter list price for product.
Generic Keywords

Enter generic keywords to describe the product.
Master Case Length

Enter in inches, up to 2 decimal places. 
Any numeric value.
Master Case Width

Enter in inches, up to 2 decimal places. 
Any numeric value.
Master Case Height

Enter in inches, up to 2 decimal places. 
Any numeric value.
Master Case Weight

Enter in Pounds, any numeric value, up to 2 decimal places.

lbs.
Action *

Used to Insert or Update products
Please specify one of these 2 values.

I, U

If action is 'I', then the Product Details will be added in the database.


If action is 'U', then this Product Details will be updated in the database.

 

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