Import

What is Import used for?

Import turns the current product data from a file, feed URL or connected store into active Smart Products. This guide explains the shared workflow. Also open Import below your source type and follow its source-specific guide where the behavior differs.

Check the preparation

Before starting, verify that the source is available, the required Smart Fields are mapped or centrally managed, a stable product identity such as id is available, categorization and rules are configured, and the import fits your subscription limit. If a required mapping is missing, Nifelo first directs you to Smart Fields.

Smart Update Import

A normal import is a Smart Update Import. New products are added, changed products are updated and unchanged products are recognized and skipped. Smart Rules are reapplied before Nifelo decides whether the effective result changed. Existing local improvements are merged field by field instead of rebuilding the entire product blindly.

How does Smart Update protect improvements?

Nifelo records the origin and ownership of every Smart Field.

Source values

A source-owned field follows the newest source value. A complete, authoritative snapshot may also clear a source-owned value that disappeared. A partial snapshot cannot prove deletion, so omitted values are retained.

AI-enriched values

Successful AI enrichment, AI super extraction, content optimization and dictionary enrichment receive protected ownership. A new import does not silently replace them with the original source value. This preserves approved improvements and the value of previously used AI credits. A normal Smart Update does not need to buy or generate the same enrichment again. A separately started AI operation may use credits. Failed AI processing does not claim ownership.

Customer changes

When a customer truly changes a field, only that field receives local ownership. For file and feed sources, that value remains protected. For connected stores, the central field contract determines the policy:

• local wins: the local value remains authoritative;
• local until successfully exported: the value remains protected until that exact change has been written back successfully;
• source wins: a technical or store-managed field may be refreshed from the source.

Opening and saving a product without a real visible change does not claim ownership.

Smart Rules

Active rules run again during every import. They can correct or supplement new source data but cannot break protected AI or customer ownership.

Protection is field-specific: an AI-owned title can remain while a source-owned price changes. In simplified order, Nifelo preserves protected AI, dictionary and customer values, applies active rules where no protected value wins, and uses new source values for source-owned fields.

Smart Update is a controlled merge per Smart Field, not a blind overwrite of the entire product.

Start the import

Click Start Import and do not start another run for the same source while processing is active.

When is an import successful?

A product is successfully imported when its source row was technically processed and stored or updated as a Smart Product. Missing fields and validation findings do not undo the import.

• Successfully imported: technically processed source rows;
• Not imported: rows that failed technically;
• Active Smart Products: the current active products for the source.

Data-quality findings are shown separately. Review them under Coverage & analysis.

Source rows and active products

Counts may differ because one source product can produce multiple sellable variants, several rows may form one structure, old products may disappear from a complete source, or a row may lack a stable identity. The run report shows what was added, updated, skipped or not processed.

What does Import not change?

Import reads into Nifelo. It does not automatically write to a store or sales channel. Publishing or writing back only occurs through a configured sales channel or an explicit export.

Recommended workflow

1. Check the source and Smart Fields.
2. Start the import.
3. Confirm that all rows were technically processed.
4. Investigate genuine failures in the run report.
5. Review field coverage and quality.
6. Resolve findings with Smart Fields, validation, rules, AI or normalization.
7. Review products before large-scale enrichment or export.