Import Validation

Definition

Import validation is the systematic process of checking and verifying product data during the import process to ensure it meets quality standards, business rules, and system requirements before being accepted into the PIM system. This includes format validation (checking that data conforms to expected formats and structures), content validation (verifying the quality and completeness of the information), reference validation (ensuring that references to existing entities like categories or attributes are valid), and business rule validation (applying company-specific standards and requirements). Advanced validation systems provide detailed error reporting, data cleansing capabilities, and preview functionality to resolve issues before they enter the production database.

Why It's Important for E-commerce

Robust import validation is critical for e-commerce success as it serves as the first line of defense against poor quality data entering your product information ecosystem. It prevents costly errors from propagating to customer-facing channels where they can damage brand reputation and sales, ensures new product data meets marketplace requirements to avoid listing rejections, maintains catalog consistency by enforcing standards during data onboarding, saves significant time by identifying and addressing issues early in the process, protects system integrity by preventing invalid references or data types, and ultimately results in higher-quality product presentations to customers.

Examples

• Validating that all required attributes for new products are present in the import file
• Checking that SKUs in an import match the expected format and don't duplicate existing ones
• Verifying that category assignments in an import reference valid categories
• Ensuring imported prices fall within acceptable ranges based on business rules
• Validating that imported product data complies with channel-specific requirements

How WISEPIM Helps

• **Pre-Import Simulation:** Test imports before committing changes to see potential issues.
• **Custom Validation Rules:** Create company-specific checks beyond standard validations.
• **Intelligent Error Handling:** Detailed explanations and suggestions for resolving issues.
• **Partial Imports:** Accept valid rows while flagging problematic ones for review.
• **Validation Reporting:** Comprehensive summaries of validation results for documentation.

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