Manuals Data Integration: CSV/FTPS Import Action Products from CSV/FTPS

Import Action Products from CSV/FTPS

Import Action Products from CSV/FTPS allows automatic import of action products into Quant from the FTPS server. Through this import, actions can be created in Quant when products are planned to be discounted. You can use this option, for example, if you use shelf labels printing from Quant. Stores can then print the changed shelf labels before the sale of the discounted products begins. The import of actions can also be used for automatic orders, where we expect an increase in demand for discounted products during a planned action.

You can learn more about creating actions in Quant here.

1. Preparing the file for import

First, you need to create an Excel file with information about each action product. The file must contain the primary product ID, the name of the action, the action type, the start of the action, the end of the action and the store(s) where the action takes place. Each row represents one action product at a specific store/stores and each column represents a specific feature of the action. Once the file is ready, it needs to be exported and saved as a CSV file.

Excel File with Action Data

2. Example of Import Setting

The following explanation uses the attribute names from the file shown above.

Mandatory attributes:

  • Product ID: the primary ID of the product to which the action relates.
  • Name: fill in the name of the specific action here (e.g. Leaflet 09/2023).
  • Action Type: a type of action that can be repeated again. If the action type is not yet created in Quant, it needs to be created manually before starting the import.
  • Store: one or more store IDs affected by the action. In case of multiple stores, the individual store IDs need to be separated by a list separator.

Optional attributes:

  • Shelf Labels Publishing Date: the date on which a new shelf label should appear in the Prepared Shelf Labels section of the store.

If multiple products have the same action name, action type, stores, start and end dates, a single action will be created for them in Quant. However, if they differ, for example, in the number of stores or start date, two separate actions are created with the same name but different number of stores or start date.

Example of setting

3. Uploading a file to FTPS server

Upload the file you want to import into the appropriate folder, e.g. actions on FTPS.

For more information, see the manual CSV/FTPS Introduction and Login.

4. Automatic Task Settings

In the Automatic Tasks section, create a new Import Action Products from CSV.

Import Action Products from CSV 

Before launching the import, you must edit the following attributes in the Settings tab:

  • Check the Enabled attribute to enable the task.
  • Fill the File Extensions.
  • Set the CSV File Format correctly to match your imported file, especially the character set and delimiters.
  • In the CSV Importable Action Product Attribute Mapping line, assign the appropriate attribute from Quant to all columns you want to import.
    Fill in the Address (Primary Server) line with "ftp.extech.eu", your Username (Primary Server) and Password (Primary Server) for the FTPS server.
    Fill in the Server Path (Primary Server) line with the name of the folder where you have the imported file stored on your FTP.

Automatic Task Settings

  • Attributes

Below is a list of other attributes that you can set as part of an automatic task:

Attribute 
 Description 
 Type 
Enabled 
Specifies whether the automatic task is active and data can be sent through it.
yes/no
Title 
Custom name of the automatic task.
text
Description 
Custom description of the automatic task function.
formatted text
Frequency
    Specifies when to import files from FTPS.    time
Notes 
Notes.
long text
Emails for Notifications 

One or more email addresses to which emails with error conditions will be sent.

list of strings
File Extension 
Write all possible extensions that the imported file can contain.
formatted text
Filename Pattern 
Based on the specified expression, the files to be imported are filtered from all files in the destination directory. If there is only one file in the specified destination directory, it is not necessary to fill in the file name format.
text
Extract Zips 
Check if you have uploaded a zipped file.
yes/no
Warn if No Files for Import Since 
If no data has been imported since the specified date, you will receive a notification.
date selection
Empty Value Strings 
Enter here the values from the imported file to be ignored, or treated as empty strings.
formatted text
Column Separator 
Select which column separator is used in your CSV file.
selection
Escaping 
Check if you use escaping in the file.
yes/no
Escape Character 
Select the escaping character you are using.
formatted text
Ignore Escape Character 
Check if the escaping character is to be ignored.
yes/no
CSV Importable Action Product Attribute Mapping 
Assign the appropriate Quant attribute to all columns you want to import.
formatted text
Character set 
Select the character set of your CSV file.
selection
Header Line Count 
Write the number of the lines with header.
number
Decimal Point 
Select the sign for the decimal point used in your CSV file.
selection
String Value for TRUE 
Write what value in the file represents "TRUE" e.g. 1.
text
Measure Unit 
Measure unit such as cm, mm etc.
selection
List Item Separator 
Select the list item separator which is used in your CSV file.
selection
Date Format 
Date entry format, eg 31.12.19.
selection
Primary Server Host 
By default "ftp.extech.eu", unless you use your own server.
text
Primary Server Port 
Standard 21.
text
Primary Server Username 
Your username in FTPS server.
text
Primary Server Password 
Your password in FTPS server.
text
Primary Server FTP Client Type 
Choose the FTP client type.
selection
Primary Server Implicit SSL 
Select if you want to use default SSL. If you do not check the box, explicit SSL for FTPS will be used.
yes/no
Primary Server Plain FTP 
Select if you want to use an unsecured FTP protocol.
yes/no
Primary Server Keep Source Files Untouched 
Select if you want the file to remain on FTPS after import.
yes/no
Primary Server Path 
Write the name of the folder in which the prices file is located. For example actions.
text
All Stores For Empty Store List
Check if you want the action to be set to all stores if no stores are filled.
yes/no

5. Launching the Automatic Task

Once you have set all the necessary attributes, you can import prices immediately via the Launch button or you can wait until the action products are imported automatically based on the set Frequency. If the automatic task is complete, a message will appear in the upper right corner indicating the successful import. In the Actions section, you can check if the action products have been correctly imported.

Launching the Automatic Task
Actions at individual stores
Actions at all stores

If the import has not succeeded, in the Execution Log you will find more details about why did the import fail.

6. Execution Log

In the Execution Log tab, you can view a summary of each execution of an automatic task, including statistics, errors, and warnings.

If you select a specific line of the log, you can view its detail via the Show Items button.

Execution Log
If a task ends with an error or warning, you can read the specific error or warning message using the Show Errors and Show Warnings buttons.
Show Errors and Warnings