Introduction

In this section of the documentation, we explain how to import data into a feed. Generally, Creatomate offers two methods for importing data, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.

• The first method involves creating an empty feed from a template. Your feed will be structured based on the template's dynamic fields. Then, by mapping the columns of the CSV and feed, you can import data from a CSV file. This is the recommended approach for simple use cases, and is used in the Quick Start guide.
• The second method involves creating a feed from a CSV file. Your feed will be structured according to the CSV, and you will have to manually map the columns to a template. The benefit of this approach is that you can subsequently export the feed in the same structure in which it was imported. Another advantage of this strategy is that data in a feed can be easily updated by importing a new CSV file with the same layout. Choose this method if you have a large set of data (such as a product catalog) that you want to update on a regular basis and want to use with multiple templates.

Method 1 – Create a feed from a template (recommended)

If you're not sure which approach to take, choose this method. Open a template you want to use, and click Use Template in the upper right corner of the template editor. Choose Spreadsheet to Video, followed by Create new feed. You'll be navigated to the newly created feed.

Click on Import in the feed editor. You can now browse for a CSV file on your device. After you've submitted your CSV, we can map the columns in our CSV to the columns in our feed, then click Continue. We can choose our merge column on the following page, but since we don't have any existing data in our feed to merge with, let's leave it at None. Finally, click Import Data to import the CSV data. Remember to click Save to save your feed.

Method 2 – Create a feed from a CSV

Go to your dashboard's Feeds page and click New. After you've chosen your CSV, you can select which columns to import. Make sure you import a column with a unique value per row (such as an ID, product SKU, or email address) so that you can use this column as a merge column to update your data later. When you're finished, click Create Feed.

Update your feed with new data

When data from your source changes over time, you probably want to update your feed as well. Perhaps your product catalog has changed, and you'd want to import new products while updating existing rows with new product information.

To do just that, go to the feed editor's Import button and submit your new CSV file. If the column structure of the CSV file matches that of the feed, the mapping should be detected automatically, so click Continue. If you want to make sure you don't import duplicate rows, choose the merge column on the next screen (for example, the SKU of your product). By doing so, Creatomate will know which rows are new or have been updated. Before the data is imported, you'll see a summary on the following screen. If everything is as you would expect, click Import Data. Remember to click Save to save your feed.