File Center Overview

The File Center is Ecommerce's centralized hub for importing and exporting data across your account. From bulk pricing updates to eBay listing management, the File Center handles CSV-based data operations that would be impractical to perform one-by-one in the interface.

Important: Accuracy is critical when working with CSV files. Minor errors — a trailing space, a misspelled catalog name, or an incorrect SKU format — can cause entire rows to fail. Always download the provided template, follow the formatting requirements exactly, and review your Processing Report after each job.

1. Accessing the File Center

Navigate to Ecommerce Home Page > File Center from the main navigation bar.

The File Center interface has two sections:

• Left Panel: Available job types organized by category (Price Overrides, Cost Overrides, Shelf Quantities, Image Overrides, eBay Listings, Amazon, Webstore, Orders, Catalog).
• Right Panel: A list of your running and previously executed jobs, showing Job Type, Created date, and Status.

Click any job type on the left to start a new import or export. Click any completed job on the right to view details or download results.

2. How the File Center Works

All File Center operations follow the same general workflow:

For Imports (Uploading Data)

1. Select the import job from the left panel.
2. Download the template by clicking the blue "Compatible File Template" link. This gives you a properly formatted CSV with the correct column headers.
3. Populate the template with your data following the formatting requirements in the developer notes.
4. Upload the file — click "Choose File," select your CSV, optionally enter an email for completion notification, and click Submit.
5. Monitor the job — jobs typically take 30–60 minutes depending on file size.
6. Review the Processing Report — once complete, click the blue "Processing Report" link to download a report showing success or failure for each row.

For Exports (Downloading Data)

1. Select the export job from the left panel.
2. Submit the job — optionally enter an email for notification, then click Submit.
3. Monitor the job — wait for the status to show "Complete."
4. Download the file — click the Processing Report link to download your CSV.

Job Statuses

File Requirements

• Format: CSV (comma-delimited)
• Maximum file size: 12 MB
• Encoding: UTF-8 recommended

3. Working with CSV Files: Best Practices

Template Downloads

Always start with the Ecommerce-provided template. Download it from the File Center job page and review the developer notes before populating data.

Formatting Rules

Copy/Paste Best Practices

When copying data between spreadsheets, always use:

• Paste Special > Text Only
• Paste Values
• Paste Unformatted Text

Standard paste operations can carry over hidden formatting that corrupts CSV data.

Common Failure Reasons

1. Trailing spaces after cell values
2. Misspelled catalog names (e.g., "aftermarket" instead of "AFTERMARKET")
3. Misspelled marketplace names
4. Invalid SKU format — missing distributor prefix
5. Dollar signs in price/cost fields
6. Hidden formatting from copy/paste operations
7. Commas in data fields — can break CSV column alignment

After Upload

Always review the Processing Report after every import. It shows success or failure for each row, helping you identify and fix any issues before re-importing corrected rows.

4. FAQ

Q: How long do File Center jobs take to process?

A: Most jobs take 30–60 minutes depending on file size. Larger files with thousands of rows may take longer.

Q: Can I cancel a running job?

A: Yes. Select the job in the File Center and use the cancel option. However, any rows already processed will retain their changes.

Q: My import failed. What should I do?

A: Download the Processing Report to see which rows failed and why. Fix the errors in your CSV and re-import only the corrected rows.

Q: Where do I find the proper distributor SKU format?

A: Refer to the "SKU and MPN Definitions" help article. Each distributor has a specific prefix that must be included (e.g., the distributor prefix followed by the SKU number).

Q: Can I import data for multiple marketplaces in one file?

A: For Price Overrides, yes — list the same SKU on separate rows with different marketplace names. For other import types, check the template requirements.

Q: What happens if I upload a file with the wrong columns?

A: The import will fail. Always use the provided template to ensure correct column headers and order.

Q: Is there a row limit for CSV imports?

A: The file size limit is 12 MB. There's no explicit row limit, but very large files may take longer to process.

Q: Can I schedule recurring imports?

A: Manual imports are on-demand only. For recurring inventory/price updates, consider the FTP File Automation option or the Lightspeed Integration for automated synchronization.

Q: Will an export include data from all catalogs?

A: It depends on the export type. Most exports are scoped to the specific data type (e.g., Price Override export shows all price overrides regardless of catalog). Check the exported file to confirm scope.

Q: I got a "Complete (Warning)" status. What does that mean?

A: The job finished, but some rows had issues. Download the Processing Report to see which rows succeeded and which had warnings or failures.