First Steps: Import Products and Publish

This article explains a simple end-to-end workflow in Sales Layer:

• Import 10 products
• Assign categories
• Add 1 product image
• Publish to 1 channel

By the end, you will have real items in your catalog and at least one item ready to be sent to a channel.

Before you start

Make sure you have:

• An Excel or CSV file with at least 10 products
• A basic category structure in mind, or a file ready to import categories
• One product image ready in JPG or PNG format
• Access to at least one channel, or permission to create one

Step 1: Import 10 products

Open the Products table

From the left menu, click Products. This is where you can import, edit, and manage your product table.

Start the import

Click Import below the search bar, or go to Actions > Import products.

Upload your file and map the fields

Choose your import format and upload your file. Sales Layer supports Excel and CSV for this workflow.

After uploading the file, Sales Layer will try to match your columns with existing fields automatically. Review the mapping before importing.

For a basic product import, make sure you include at least:

• Product Reference, which is the unique identifier
• Product Name

You can also include other useful fields such as category reference, description, attribute set, or image name.

Run the import

Once the field mapping looks correct, run the import.

If this is your first test, keep it simple. You only need enough information to create the products successfully. You can enrich the records later.

Confirm that 10 products were created

Return to the Products table and check that at least 10 products now appear in the list.

Step 2: Assign categories

You can do this in two different ways depending on whether your categories already exist.

Option A: Assign existing categories to products

• Open one of your imported products by clicking its name.
• In the product form, locate the category field.
• Select the correct category, then save the product.
• Repeat this for a few products, or use bulk editing if available in your account.

Option B: Create or import categories first

If you do not have categories yet, go to Categories from the left menu.

From there, you can import them in a very similar way to product imports.

A simple category file usually includes:

• Category Reference
• Parent Category Reference, if you want a hierarchy
• Category Name

If a category has no parent category reference, it becomes a main category. If it has one, it becomes a subcategory.

Once your categories are available, go back to Products and assign them to the products.

Step 3: Add 1 image to a product

Open one of the products you imported.

Look for an image field such as Image, Main Image, or Product Image.

Use the field controls to upload the image from your computer, then save the product.

If you prefer, you can also upload images from the Images section and then link them to the product later.

If you need to add more than one image in the future, Sales Layer supports multiple images in image fields.

30-minute checklist

• Imported 10 products successfully
• Created or confirmed categories exist
• Assigned categories to products
• Uploaded 1 image to a product

Common issues and quick fixes

I cannot see the Import option

You may not have permission to import products or categories. Ask an admin to review your user permissions.

I do not see an image field on the product

The image field may not be included in the current product form or attribute set. An admin can add it through the form editor.

Best practices

For your first workflow, keep the setup simple. Start with a small product file, a clear category structure, and one test image. Once you confirm that products import correctly, you can expand the structure, enrich more fields, and automate more of the process with confidence.