{"id":767,"date":"2023-06-07T11:48:23","date_gmt":"2023-06-07T08:48:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/presta.site\/blog\/?p=767"},"modified":"2026-07-22T09:12:33","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T06:12:33","slug":"quick-guide-to-importing-and-exporting-data-in-prestashop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/presta.site\/blog\/en\/quick-guide-to-importing-and-exporting-data-in-prestashop\/","title":{"rendered":"PrestaShop CSV Import: Easy Guide for Products & Customers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

PrestaShop CSV import<\/strong> is the Back Office tool for loading catalog and customer data in bulk – supplier price sheets, a new category tree, or products copied from another shop. This guide covers file prep, the Advanced Parameters \u2192 Import wizard, the options that matter, and the mistakes that usually break a run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Need to download<\/em> data from lists instead? That is a different workflow (there is no single \u201cExport all\u201d button). See how to export CSV data from PrestaShop<\/a> for the list\/gear-menu path. Here we stay on import.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What you can import<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Under Advanced Parameters \u2192 Import<\/strong> you can load categories, products, combinations, customers, addresses, brands, suppliers, aliases, and store contacts<\/strong>. With Advanced Stock Management enabled you may also see supply orders and supply order details. Aliases are search synonyms (Shop Parameters \u2192 Search). Store contacts live under Shop Parameters \u2192 Contacts \u2192 Stores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Import one entity type per file<\/strong>, and one language at a time. If you need French and English names, prepare two files (or two runs) and set the language on the form for each.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recommended import order<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dependencies matter. A practical sequence:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Categories<\/strong> (and brands\/suppliers if products will reference them)<\/li>\n
  2. Products<\/strong><\/li>\n
  3. Combinations<\/strong> (after the parent products exist)<\/li>\n
  4. Customers<\/strong>, then addresses<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Product rows usually point at category IDs that must already exist. Combination rows need a valid product reference or ID. Addresses need customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Prepare files for PrestaShop CSV import<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    From PrestaShop 1.7 onward (including 8 and 9), the importer accepts .csv, .xls, .xlsx, .xlst, .ods, and .ots<\/strong>. Older 1.6 shops were CSV-only. CSV remains the safest choice: easy to edit in Excel or Google Sheets, and easy to re-save as UTF-8 when accents break. Official docs still treat CSV as the canonical format even when spreadsheet uploads are allowed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    PrestaShop recommends a semicolon (;)<\/strong> as the field separator. If descriptions already contain semicolons, pick another separator in the form and use that same character in the file. Multi-value fields (for example several category IDs) use a separate multiple value separator<\/strong> – comma by default.<\/p>\n\n\n\n