Mass Price and Product Updates from Google Sheets: Lifehacks for Stores with 10,000+ Products
Update prices, stock, and features of tens of thousands of products in just a few clicks. Direct Google Sheets integration, async import, auto field filling, scheduled import without human intervention, plus e-commerce API integration and support for other formats.
📄 Table of Contents
- The Problem: Price Lists Eat Up Your Time
- Google Sheets as a Data Source
- Update vs Add: Two Modes
- How to Prepare a Price List for Import
- Flexible Field Mapping
- Fine-Tuning Import Settings
- Saving Field Templates
- Asynchronous Import
- Scheduled Automatic Import
- Mathematical Markups and Formulas
- Variants: Sizes, Colors, Configurations
- Characteristics and Search Filters
- Lifehacks for Large Stores
- API — Full Automation
- Bonus: Importing Reviews
- FAQ
The Problem: Price Lists Eat Up Your Time Pain
If you have a store with 10,000+ products, you know the pain: a supplier sent a new price list, you need to update prices on 3,000 items, change stock on 1,500, add 200 new products, and adjust characteristics on 500 items. In a typical CMS, this means hours or even days of manual work.
Dropshippers and large retailers have to update their catalog daily. Supplier prices change, items disappear and appear, stock levels fluctuate. Without a powerful import tool, running such a store is practically impossible.
1. Google Sheets as a Live Data Source Key Feature
BooStore.pro supports direct Google Sheets connection as a data source for import. This means you don't need to download a file, upload it to the server, or repeat the setup every time.
Create a Google Sheet
Enter your data: SKU, price, quantity, name, description, category — any fields you need. Example Google Sheet for import.
Enter the sheet link in BooStore
In the import interface, select "Google Sheets" and paste the URL of your sheet. The system will load the data automatically.
Configure field mapping
Specify which column contains the SKU, price, name, etc. The system will remember the settings — everything will be ready for the next import.
Run import or set up auto-update
You can perform a one-time import or schedule automatic updates.
2. Update vs Add: Two Modes Flexibility
One of the strongest features of import in BooStore.pro is the ability to separate the request type. You can both update existing products and add new ones — in the same file.
🔄 "Update Only" Mode
Check the "Update Only" box — and the system will only update products that already exist in the catalog (by SKU or ID). Images, categories, and other "heavy" fields are not overwritten. Ideal for daily price and stock synchronization.
What can be updated:
- Price (retail, old, wholesale, purchase)
- Quantity in stock (+/- to balance)
- Availability (in stock/out of stock/on order/hide/disable)
- Name, description, characteristics
- Manufacturer, category, collection
- Labels, sort priority, new/bestseller/sale status
- Variants (colors, sizes) individually
📦 "Add + Update" Mode
Uncheck "Update Only" — and the import will start creating new products for rows where SKU is not found. If a product with that SKU already exists — it will be updated.
3. How to Prepare a Price List for Import Practice
Before importing, you need to understand the data structure. BooStore.pro offers two ways: export the current catalog as a template or configure fields manually.
📦 Export as Template — The Fastest Start
Export products from the BooStore.pro admin panel — you'll get a ready-made file with all the system columns. You can use it as a template: just fill in your data in the appropriate columns.
Export is flexibly configurable. The following field groups are available:
🔍 Search and Filters
Specify products, names, product types, categories, manufacturers, collections, suppliers, languages for export.
📄 Product Data
Short description, categories, images (including additional), brand, collection, related products, full description, tabs.
🔄 Variants
Export variants with the "Split Variant" option — each variant as a separate row for easy editing.
📈 Extended Data
Supplier and purchase price, wholesale prices, shipping data, product types and characteristics, access, ISO currency, UTM labels.
Quick Field Selection When Exporting
To avoid selecting dozens of fields one by one, use ready-made presets:
- Select Basic — basic set of fields for a quick start
- Select All (without Variant) — full set without variants
- Select All — all available catalog fields
File Structure for Import
When importing, you can use a file of any structure. The system will determine where the data is, or you can specify the mapping manually. Supported formats:
- Google Sheets — by URL, live data
- CSV / XLS (Excel) — file upload or via clipboard
- XML / YML — any structures with flexible mapping
- ZIP archives — with XML/CSV inside
4. Flexible Field Mapping — Configure for Your Price List
Each supplier sends a price list in their own format. One calls the column "Article", another — "SKU" or "Product Code". A third lists the price as "RRP" or "Online Store Price".
BooStore.pro lets you manually specify field mapping for any file. After loading data, you see a list of columns from your price list and choose the system field next to each one:
📋 Auto-Detection
The system automatically identifies standard fields: name, price, SKU, quantity, availability. Works in multiple languages (EN, UA, RU, PL, etc.).
✎ Manual Setup
Any field from your price list can be mapped to any system field. Even use "Notes" as "Meta-description".
📦 Export Template
Download a product export from your site — it will serve as a ready template. The system will automatically map all fields by headers.
💾 Clipboard
Copy rows directly from Excel or Google Sheets — paste into the import form. Data loads instantly.
Available import fields include dozens of parameters:
- Basic: Product Code/SKU, Product ID, Name, Price, Old Price, Markup, Purchase Price
- Stock: Availability (0-5 + text), Quantity in stock (+/- increment)
- SEO: Meta Title, Meta Description, Meta Keywords, SEO URL
- Descriptions: Short Description, Full Description, Description Tabs (up to 5 tabs with HTML)
- Categorization: Category (ID or title), Manufacturer, Collection, Supplier
- Variants: Variant Title, values, ID, update/delete
- Characteristics: Product type, characteristic values for search filters
- Images: Main + 16 additional, overwrite, Watermark protection
- Labels: Tags, New, Bestseller, Discount, Promotion (with timer)
- Commerce: Wholesale price, Minimum wholesale order, Related products
- Shipping: Parameters, cost, terms, dimensions, weight
- Additional: Sort priority, Access (on/off), Delete product, Price per unit
Essentially — all product card fields are available: comment settings, shipping parameters, minimum order restrictions, wholesale prices, promotion statuses, timers, labels, Watermark, and any other attributes. The system does not limit your choice of data for import.
5. Fine-Tuning Import Parameters Full Control
Before launching the import, BooStore.pro offers dozens of settings that give you full control over the process. Here is the complete list:
🔒 Row Filters
Skip first row, skip rows without product code, variants without code, product without category, product without photo.
🔄 Processing Modes
Update only (no images), add new only, update in other languages, auto-search in other languages.
📋 Encoding and Currency
File in Windows-1251 encoding, currency selection (₴ UAH, $ USD, € EUR, ₽ RUB, etc.), "Ignore currency" option.
📦 Images
Skip image check for previously uploaded, convert to WebP, check main image, overwrite images in text, split cell with images.
📈 Categories and Markups
Alternative category, specify categories for import, add markup, set "Out of stock" for others.
📊 Variants
Update variant by product code, consider variant, consider product types and characteristics.
📄 Additional
Auto text replacement, remove "New" for others, do not clear YML&RSS&XML cache, check title for duplicates.
💾 Presets and Limits
Remember field selection #1/2/3, shorten result display, limit of processed rows (from which row to which row to import).
🔄 Title Duplicate Check
During import, the system searches for products with the same name. If found — updates the card, if not — creates a new one.
📈 Overwrite Image Paths in Text
Automatically replaces image paths in descriptions with new ones — uploaded to your site. No links to external servers in the content.
6. Saving Field Templates — For Regular Suppliers
Imagine: you have 5 suppliers, and each sends a price list in their own structure. Setting up field mapping manually every time is painful.
BooStore.pro solves this problem: you can save up to 3 sets of field mappings ("Remember field selection #1", "#2", "#3") and load them with one click using the "Fill field mapping selection" button.
- Upload the price list from supplier "Horns and Hooves"
- Configure field mapping once
- Save the template as "Remember field selection #1"
- Next time — just select the preset and run the import
Templates work for both manual and automatic import. Set it up once — and the system uses this preset for every scheduled update.
7. Asynchronous Import — Work Without Blocking
When you import 10,000+ products, regular "synchronous" import makes you wait — the page freezes, the browser spins, you can't do other work.
BooStore.pro uses Asynchronous Import v1.0. The system starts processing in the background, and you can:
- Close the page — import continues working
- View execution logs in the "Import Products" section → "Show previous import result" — see the latest updated/added products, row numbers, a full report on updates, skips, and errors. More than 10 recent imports are available in the logs.
- Edit products, configure your store
- Receive a report by email upon completion
The asynchronous mechanism is especially important for stores with tens of thousands of products — import runs in the background without loading the admin interface.
8. Scheduled Automatic Import Auto
Key feature for dropshippers and large stores — fully automatic catalog updates without human intervention.
How to Set Up Auto-Import
Specify name and source
Set the source name and select protocol: FTP, HTTP, HTTPS, Google Sheet, or Windows-1251 encoding. You can also specify login and password for file access.
Configure the schedule
Update interval: from 4 hours to 30 days. You can add up to 30 sources with different intervals and priorities.
Choose mode and parameters
Automatic import (update) or upload new products. Configure filters: skip without code, without category, without photo; check title for duplicates; set "Out of stock" for others; remove "New" label.
Configure markup and images
Enable auto-markup with action priority (to purchase or retail price, with conditions). Configure WebP, "Overwrite images in text", "Split cell with images", "Specify categories for import".
Specify field mapping
Specify the order of columns separated by commas (find values on the import page) or use the saved preset "Remember field selection #2" for updates and "#3" for additions.
Save and forget
Up to 30 sources with different intervals, field settings, and priorities. Automatic import is available for sites with a parked domain and paid hosting.
Result Notifications
After each automatic import, the system can send a notification:
- Email — detailed report: how many updated, added, errors
- Telegram — brief summary to messenger
- Push notification — to browser
9. Mathematical Markups and Formulas
Often you need not just to set the price from the price list, but to apply a markup. BooStore.pro allows you to specify a markup as a mathematical expression directly in the import field.
Available operations:
This is especially convenient when working with suppliers who provide recommended retail prices — you can apply your markup right during the import.
10. Variants: Sizes, Colors, Configurations Flexible
For clothing, footwear, electronics, and any product-with-options stores, BooStore.pro supports variant import and update. You can update variants in the main price list along with other products, or in a separate file — the system recognizes them by a marker in the "Variant Update" column.
Two Ways to Update Variants
Method 1: In the main price list
Simply add rows with variants to the same file as the main products. Set the value 1 in the "Variant Update" column — the system will understand this is a variant of an existing product.
Method 2: Separate file
Upload a file with variants only. The system will update variants by SKU, price, stock. To do this, enable the "Update variant by product code" checkbox.
What can be changed in variants
- Price — individual price for each variant
- Availability and quantity — separately for each color/size
- SKU and ID — unique variant codes
- Priority (order) — variant sorting
- Wholesale price — for variants sold in bulk
- Old price — for promotions on specific variants
- Dimensions and weight — if sizes differ
- Access — hide a specific variant
Deleting Variants
If you need to delete a variant, enter any value in the "Delete" column: 1, delete, Yes.
Consider Variants
The "Consider Variant" option allows you to completely overwrite variant data (including name and styles). Use it when you need to radically update variants. Important: do not use it simultaneously with update by product code to avoid data conflicts.
Exporting Variants to a Separate File
When exporting products, you can enable the "Export Variant" option, then select "Split Variant" — the system will create a separate file with variants only. This is convenient when you need to give the supplier a clean template for filling in prices and stock for each variant.
11. Characteristics and Search Filters SEO+UX
You can bulk upload product type and characteristic values that will be used in the search filter on the storefront.
Two Methods for Importing Characteristics
Method 1: All characteristics in one cell
Each characteristic is specified on a new line within the same cell. This is convenient when you have many parameters and want a compact file:
Method 2: Characteristics in separate columns
When exporting, you can enable "Split Characteristics into Columns" — then each parameter will be in its own column. This is convenient for clarity and editing:
How to Prepare Characteristics for Import
- First, perform a product export — you'll get the cell structure with characteristics
- Fill in the characteristics in the price list (using either method)
- During import, the system will verify the values and link them to the search filter
12. Lifehacks for Large Stores Tips
📋 Multiple Sources
Set up different Google Sheets for different suppliers. Each has its own field settings and schedule.
⚡ Supplier Priority
Use different suppliers for the same product. Whoever gives the best price gets priority.
🔄 Combine Modes
One source set to "Update Only" (daily), another to "Add + Update" (weekly).
📊 Google Sheets Formulas
Use Google Sheets formulas for automatic price calculation. For example: =B2*1.25 (25% markup).
🔒 Pre-Import Validation
Enable "Do not import rows without SKU" and "Do not import products without category" — the system will skip invalid rows.
📦 ZIP Archives
If the file is very large — pack it into a ZIP. The system will unpack and process it as a regular source.
📄 Row Limit
Specify a range: which row to start from and which to end at. Convenient for limiting import to only the necessary rows or for test imports before full loading.
📈 Auto Text Replacement
Allows you to replace part of a phrase, image path, or category in descriptions. You can specify which fields to overwrite, not all of them.
📈 Overwrite Image Paths in Text
If the description has a link to an image from the source site, and the file name matches the one uploaded during import — the path is automatically replaced with your site's URL. No links to external servers in the content.
📦 Different Formats on One Platform
Google Sheets, CSV, XLS, XLSX, XML, YML, ZIP archives with XML/CSV inside — all these formats can be used simultaneously for different suppliers within one store.
13. API — Full Catalog and Order Automation For Developers
In addition to import from Google Sheets, Excel, and XML, BooStore.pro provides full-featured CommerceAPI v2.0 for complete store automation.
Through the API you can:
- Create, update, and delete products
- Manage categories, collections, manufacturers
- Update stock and prices in real-time
- Create and process orders from external systems
- Get sales statistics and reports
The API is ideal for integration with 1C, ERP, CRM, or your own warehouse system. You can set up two-way synchronization and fully automate catalog management.
14. Bonus: Importing Product Reviews Bonus
BooStore.pro supports fast review import with ratings for products. All reviews have proper schema.org structure, allowing Google to display rating stars in search results (rich snippets).
What can be imported:
- Review text and rating (1-5)
- Author name and date
- Link to a specific product (by SKU or ID)
Having reviews with star ratings increases CTR in search results and visitor trust in your store.
Video Tutorial on Product Import
Watch a detailed video tutorial showing all stages of product import on the BooStore.pro platform:
Summary: What Mass Import from Google Sheets Gives You
| Scenario | Without BooStore.pro | With BooStore.pro |
|---|---|---|
| Update prices on 5,000 products | 2-3 days | 3 minutes |
| Add 1,000 new products with photos | 1-2 days | 5 minutes |
| Daily supplier synchronization | Hours of manual work | Automatic on schedule |
| Update characteristics and filters | One by one in admin | Bulk from spreadsheet |
| Configure for supplier format | Start over each time | Saved templates |
| Import 50,000 products | Times out | Async, no timeouts |
| Update variants | Each variant manually | Bulk from price list |
| 1C / ERP integration via API | Requires custom development | Ready CommerceAPI v2.0 |
| Import reviews with ratings | One by one or not supported | Bulk import with schema.org |
The BooStore.pro platform is built for large-scale commerce. The ability to mass-update prices, characteristics, and variants from Google Sheets is not just an "import" — it's a full-fledged product catalog management system that saves hours of work every day.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the most popular questions about mass product import from Google Sheets
Can I update only prices without touching other fields?
Yes. In "Update Only" mode, the system only changes the fields for which you specified columns. If your file doesn't have a "Product Name" column — the name won't change. This allows you to selectively update prices and stock without affecting descriptions, SEO, and other data.
How often can automatic import run?
The interval can be set from 4 hours to 28 days. You can set different schedules for different sources. For example: check the main supplier every 6 hours, and the secondary one once a day.
What happens if the column structure in the Google Sheet changes?
The system will rely on the configured field mapping. If the column structure changes, you will need to reconfigure the mapping. That's why we recommend not changing the table structure after setting up the import — or doing a preliminary check.
Can I update variants with a separate file?
Yes. You can upload a separate file with variants only. Set the value 1 in the "Variant Update" column and enable the "Update variant by product code" checkbox. The system will update variants by SKU: price, stock, availability, wholesale price, priority, and other fields.
How to import characteristics — in one column or in different columns?
Both methods are supported. You can specify all characteristics in one cell, each on a new line. Or, using export with the "Split Characteristics into Columns" option, get separate columns for each parameter. During import, the system will correctly handle both formats.
Is variant import (color, size) supported?
Yes. You can update variants by product code (SKU), add new variants, delete existing ones. Everything is supported: variant price, stock, SKU, image, sort priority, wholesale price, availability status.
Can I import products with characteristics for the search filter?
Yes. During import, you can specify the product type and characteristic values. The system will automatically create or update filters for the storefront search. This eliminates manual characteristic entry for each product.
What if the supplier sends a price list in XML?
BooStore.pro supports XML / YML import of any structure with flexible field mapping rules. You can also upload ZIP archives with XML/CSV files inside. If you have an unusual format — the system allows you to configure conversion rules.
Is there a limit on the number of products when importing?
By default, the limit is about 20,000 products per import. This is enough for most stores. If you need to import more, there are two options: contact support to increase the limit, or use automatic import with "from and to" row limits, specifying the same source with different row ranges.
Can I import images and convert them to WebP?
Yes. During import, you can specify image links (main + up to 16 additional) — the system will download them itself. The "Convert images to WebP" option automatically compresses and converts all photos to the modern format. This speeds up your site and improves PageSpeed. Also available: Watermark overlay, existing photo overwrite, splitting cell with images, and overwriting paths in description text.
What is "Markup" during import and how does it work?
Markup is a mathematical expression applied to the price from the file. Available operations: +XX, -XX, *XX, /XX, XX%, +XX%, -XX%. For example, for a 25% markup, specify +25%. The result is rounded to two decimal places.
Can I set a row limit for a test import?
Yes. In the import parameters, there is a "Limit of processed rows" field. Set value 1000 for testing to verify everything works correctly. When you're satisfied — remove the limit (set 0) for the full import.