Steps below are for older product report, new LSI setups should use the new IC Interface above.
If you are only wanting to export inventory you have on hand / available for sale then using the steps below will be the easiest setup if you have a single store. If you require multiple store uploads, custom store products and other types of product exports to Indie Commerce then use our Advanced Indie Commerce Import / Export Module.
Message from Indie Commerce:
For uploading inventory via FTP, our recommendation is to upload files every hour
(not more frequent than that).
Getting Started
First off you will have to request FTP credentials from IndieCommerce.
To do so email [email protected]
- once they receive your email they will send you your credentials
You have two options for supplying your data to IndieCommerce.
- You can have IndieCommerce just pick up your data from Treeline
- You can set up an Export from within iMerchant
- The benefit to setting this up to export is that you can schedule it to run more frequently and your inventory levels will be better represented online
- Go to IndieCommerce XML to download the .xml format that IndieCommerce is looking for
File Format from Indie Commerce:
LSI FILE TYPE AND FORMAT
Files uploaded via the ‘Manual upload’ or ‘LSI via FTP’ methods should follow the following format guidelines. Files should be in either one of the 2 formats listed here - ISBN, Price, and Quantity are required, Location is optional.
- File Type 1: ISBN, Price, Quantity, Location
- File Type 2: ISBN, Quantity, Price, Location
- Read More Details from Indie Commerce Documentation
If you have multiple store locations, you will need to use the Indie Commerce interface.
This report will only generate the code for a single store (yourfile_1).
File Set Up
To set up a new export to IndieCommerce
Begin by building the report you are going to export
Go To: Reports > Reports > Inventory Status > Product Report
Enter a Name for your new report
Click on the IMPORT button and select the XML format provided by Computac
Click on the Open button
You are now brought into the Report Designer.
Click on the Save button and the format will be saved to your system.
- The file format IndieCommerce is looking for is (=iM field): ISBN (Product Number), Price (Retail Price), Quantity (Available for Sale), Location (Department Category)
Once you have the format loaded, you will now need to develop the filters for what will go into the file
- we suggest you filter based on
This Store
Has Stock On Hand
New Used = New (indiecommerce currently does not handle used books very well)
Add any kind of other filter you'd like to put in place.
Click on the Manage Saved Queries button and save your query
Click on the Submit button to test your query and make sure you will be submitting the correct information
When you are all set click on Cancel and leave the Reports module.
Export Set Up
Go To: File > Exports
Click on the New Export button
A New Export Report window will pop up
Click on Export Type drop down and select Product
Click on the Next Button
In the Select Report on File drop down, choose the report you just built
In Export Name enter something like IndieCommerceExport
In Select Saved Queries choose the query you saved previously in the reports module
On the right hand side of the window you will set up the output file
For Indie Commerce:
leave Include a Heading Now unchecked
Field Delimiter = ,Comma
Date Format = System Date Format
Folder to Save Exported File = choose a folder on the PC running the file, this where the file will be FTP'd out of.
File Name = dbprefix_YYYY_MM_DD_HH_MM_SS_OutledID.txt
- the DB Prefix will supplied by IndieCommerce
- the outlet ID is for those of you running multiple stores
Check the Add the date and time to the end of filename box
Uncheck Append the file if it already exists
Send File Via = FTP File
A new box will pop up allowing you to set up the FTP settings
- click on the binoculars and you will brought to the FTP settings window
- click on the NEW button and enter in the FTP credentials shared from IndieCommerce
- click on Save and you should be good to go.
- If you'd like to the Test the FTP connection click on the Test FTP button
You are set, back in File > Export you can click on the Run Export button to send the file
Or you can set up the file to be run through your scheduler, IndieCommerce currently processes files every 4 hours if you are on SAAS or are uncomfortable with the Task Scheduler please contact [email protected]