Prepare products and check a catalogue import

Step 1

Choose a small representative starting set

Start with a few products that cover your main categories and enquiry types. Include a product with detailed specifications and, where relevant, a sales item and a rental item. Keep an unchanged master copy of the source data.

Expected result: a manageable sample that exposes mapping problems before you process a large catalogue. Do not start with thousands of records before checking whether one representative product is imported correctly.

Step 2

Create one consistent record per product or distinct variant

Prepare a stable product identifier, product name, manufacturer/model, category, description, specifications with units, approved images and associated documents. Identify sales or rental conditions separately. If variants have different capacities or compatibility, preserve the distinction instead of blending their specifications.

Keep price and availability fields explicitly unconfirmed when that is the business reality. Do not use zero as a missing price or invent a stock quantity. Expected result: every record can be checked against one identifiable product.

Product ID: [stable identifier]
Product name and model: [exact name]
Category: [approved category]
Specifications: [named values with units]
Application and limitations: [approved facts]
Sales / rental conditions: [applicable terms]
Images and manuals: [matching source references]
Price / availability: [confirmed value or confirmation required]

Step 3

Prepare the source for the available entry method

For a spreadsheet, use clear column headings and avoid merged cells or multiple meanings in one field. For a catalogue PDF, identify the pages belonging to each model and check that specification tables can be read. For a website, use only content you are authorised to reuse and check whether it is current.

Before upload, inspect the actual import feature and its format requirements. If it provides a template, use that template rather than assuming the example above is an accepted schema. If no import tool is available, leave import pending until the authorised product-entry method is confirmed.

Step 4

Review mappings and a sample before committing

If the available importer offers field mapping or preview, compare each destination field with its source column. Check identifiers, units, decimal values, category names and image links. Do not assume an automatic mapping is correct because the column names look similar.

Use the tool’s actual validation result. Resolve reported errors before proceeding, and verify whether the action creates new records or updates existing ones. If this behaviour is unclear, stop before submitting a bulk change. Expected result: the sample has no unexplained mappings or overwrite risk.

Step 5

Inspect saved products and reconcile errors

After an authorised import or entry action, open representative product records in the actual catalogue interface. Compare the model, key specifications, images and conditions against the master source. If the tool reports a record count, reconcile it with the intended sample.

Do not blindly repeat a failed batch: some records may already have been created. Identify what succeeded and what failed, then follow the supported retry method. Expected result: an accurate sample without unintended duplicates, missing variants or incorrect units.

Step 6

Verify the agent and customer view separately

A saved catalogue record does not prove it is published or available to the agent. Check the product’s customer-facing page where applicable, then test a known-product question and a requirement-based recommendation in Playground.

If the agent cannot find the product, confirm the actual connection or approved knowledge source instead of uploading repeated copies. Only expand the import after the sample passes these checks. The exact catalogue-to-agent connection still needs a verified screen walkthrough.

Troubleshoot common onboarding problems →

Completion checklist

• The master catalogue has stable identifiers, complete units and approved product material.
• The supported entry method and create/update behaviour are confirmed before a bulk action.
• A saved sample is checked in the catalogue, customer view and agent separately.

Common questions