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Selection Catalog Import

Import your product selection catalog to give customers choices during the design process.

Overview​

The selection catalog contains products and options that customers can choose from during the selections process. Importing your catalog saves time compared to manual entry.

What Gets Imported​

  • Selection Items - Products customers can choose
  • Categories - Organization groups for selections
  • Options - Variations within a selection (colors, styles, etc.)
  • Pricing - Standard and upgrade costs
  • Images - Product photos (via URL references)

Template Download​

Download the Selection Catalog Import Template from Readybuild:

  1. Go to Admin → Estimating Database
  2. Click Import → Selection Catalog
  3. Download the template file

Template Fields​

Required Fields​

FieldDescriptionExample
categorySelection category nameKitchen Cabinets
nameSelection item nameBase Cabinet Style
skuUnique identifierCAB-BASE-001

Optional Fields​

FieldDescriptionExample
descriptionDetailed description36" base cabinet with soft-close drawers
manufacturerManufacturer nameKraftMaid
standard_priceBase/allowance price450.00
upgrade_priceAdditional cost for upgrade150.00
unitUnit of measureeach
image_urlProduct image URLhttps://example.com/image.jpg
option_groupGroup related optionsCabinet Finish
option_nameSpecific optionMaple Natural
option_skuOption identifierCAB-FIN-MAPLE
option_priceOption price adjustment75.00
notesInternal notesLead time 4-6 weeks
activeActive status (TRUE/FALSE)TRUE

Preparing Your Data​

Categories​

Organize selections into logical groups:

  • Kitchen Selections
  • Bathroom Selections
  • Flooring
  • Lighting
  • Hardware
  • Exterior Finishes

Naming Conventions​

  • Use clear, customer-friendly names
  • Be consistent with capitalization
  • Avoid abbreviations customers won't understand

Pricing Structure​

Standard Price:

  • The base cost included in the allowance
  • What the customer gets "for free"

Upgrade Price:

  • Additional cost above standard
  • Shown to customer as upgrade amount

Options​

For selections with multiple variations:

category,name,sku,option_group,option_name,option_sku,option_price
Kitchen,Countertop,CT-001,Material,Granite,CT-GRANITE,0.00
Kitchen,Countertop,CT-001,Material,Quartz,CT-QUARTZ,500.00
Kitchen,Countertop,CT-001,Material,Marble,CT-MARBLE,1200.00

Import Steps​

  1. Prepare Your File

    • Fill in the template
    • Ensure required fields are complete
    • Save as CSV

  2. Upload

    • Go to Admin → Estimating Database
    • Click Import → Selection Catalog
    • Select your CSV file
    • Click Upload

  3. Review Mapping

    • Verify column mapping is correct
    • Adjust any mismatched fields

  4. Process Import

    • Click Import
    • Wait for processing
    • Review results

Field Formatting​

Text Fields​

  • No special formatting required
  • Avoid leading/trailing spaces
  • Escape commas in descriptions with quotes

Prices​

  • Numbers only (no currency symbols)
  • Use decimal point (not comma)
  • Example: 1250.00 not $1,250.00

Boolean Fields​

  • Use TRUE or FALSE
  • Or 1 or 0
  • Or Yes or No

URLs​

  • Full URL including https://
  • Publicly accessible images
  • Supported formats: JPG, PNG, GIF

Handling Updates​

New Items​

Items with new SKUs are created as new records.

Existing Items​

Items with matching SKUs update existing records:

  • All fields are updated
  • Options are merged
  • Pricing is replaced

Removing Items​

To deactivate items:

  • Set active field to FALSE
  • Or remove from catalog manually after import

Common Issues​

Duplicate SKUs​

Each SKU must be unique:

  • Check for duplicates before import
  • Use consistent SKU format
  • Include category prefix in SKU

Missing Categories​

Categories are created if they don't exist:

  • Spell category names consistently
  • Review categories after import
  • Merge duplicates if needed

Image Issues​

  • Verify URLs are accessible
  • Check image format is supported
  • Images load after import completes

Price Formatting​

Common errors:

  • Currency symbols in price field
  • Commas as thousands separators
  • Text in numeric fields

After Import​

Verify Data​

  • Spot-check imported selections
  • Review option groupings
  • Verify pricing is correct

Organize Catalog​

  • Arrange category order
  • Set display preferences
  • Mark featured items

Test in Estimate​

  • Create test estimate
  • Add selection items
  • Verify customer view

Best Practices​

Data Quality​

  • Clean source data before import
  • Remove discontinued products
  • Update pricing to current
  • Verify manufacturer names

Organization​

  • Use consistent category names
  • Group logically for customer experience
  • Consider selection workflow order

Images​

  • Use high-quality product images
  • Consistent image sizes
  • Host images on reliable server

Maintenance​

  • Import updates periodically
  • Remove obsolete items
  • Keep pricing current