How to fill out the import fields

Introduction

If you are seeking to import a substantial number of listings into your eDirectory platform, utilizing a CSV (Comma-Separated Values) file is the most efficient method. This format enables you to structure your data for a streamlined and effective upload. Additionally, using a CSV file allows for easy manipulation and handling of data, making it a popular choice for data import processes.

It is important to comprehend the proper method of populating the import fields to ensure a smooth import process. Understanding the specific requirements and formatting guidelines for each field is essential in order to avoid errors and complications during the import procedure.

This guide will comprehensively lead you through each field, providing detailed explanations and practical examples to guarantee a seamless data import experience. By following the instructions meticulously, you can confidently navigate the import process and successfully integrate a large volume of listings into your eDirectory platform.

1. Listing Title

This is the main title of your listing. It is a required field for the import process.

2. Listing SEO Title

Provide an SEO-optimized title for your listing to improve its visibility on search engines.

3. Listing Email

Enter the email address associated with the listing.

Note: Be careful when typing the email, because if the email is in the wrong format, the import will display an error. Please, refer to the below screenshot for an example.

4. Listing URL

Enter the listing’s website URL, if applicable.

Important: Ensure the URL starts with either "https://" or "http://". URLs typed with just "www" or without these prefixes will not work correctly and will cause a 404 error.

Correct format: https://www.edirectory.com ✅

Incorrect format: www.edirectory.com ❌

5. Listing Address

Provide the primary address of the listing.

6. Listing Address2

If needed, add any additional address details.

7. Listing Country

Enter the country where the listing is located.

8. Listing Country Abbreviation

Provide the abbreviation for the listing's country.

9. Listing Region

Enter the region or area where the listing is located.

10. Listing Region Abbreviation

Provide the abbreviation for the region.

11. Listing State

Enter the state associated with the listing.

12. Listing State Abbreviation

Provide the abbreviation for the state.

13. Listing City

Specify the city where the listing is located.

14. Listing City Abbreviation

Enter the abbreviation for the city.

15. Listing Neighborhood

Input the neighborhood or district of the listing.

16. Listing Neighborhood Abbreviation

Add the abbreviation for the neighborhood.

Note: When filling out the location for your listings, it is fundamental to take into account your site location settings, only add the location data which is enabled in your site. For example, under Settings → Language & Geography, check which locations are enabled:

In the example above, the site has Country, State and City enabled, so when filling out the CSV file, this site owner will fill out only the Country, States and City fields to match the location settings with the site, and leave blank the other locations.

It is also important to be attentive when typing the locations because it is needed to type the data for all enabled locations. If there is a listing which misses one of the enabled locations, the site will not import the file, and it will display an error related to the location. Here is one example:

If there is a missing location as demonstrated above, when trying to import, the site will display in which row the error is and display the following message: "Location hierarchy doesn't match the system settings. One or more locations are missing (for instance, city without state)"

17. Listing Postal Code

Include the postal code for the listing’s address.

18. Listing Latitude

Enter the latitude coordinates, if applicable.

19. Listing Longitude

Provide the longitude coordinates, if applicable.

20. Listing Phone

Enter a contact phone number for the listing.

21. Listing Short Description

Provide a brief description of the listing (up to 250 characters).

22. Listing Long Description

Enter a detailed description of the listing.

23. Listing SEO Description

Provide an SEO-friendly description to improve search engine visibility.

24. Listing Keywords

Add relevant keywords separated by "||" to help improve search engine ranking.

25. Listing Renewal Date

Specify the renewal date for the listing.

26. Listing Status

Indicate the listing's status (e.g., Active, Suspended, Pending).

27. Listing Product

Enter the level of the listing, making sure it matches the level names configured under Settings → Products & Plans → Manage Products on your site.

28. Listing Categories (1-5)

Specify up to five categories that apply to the listing. If you’re adding subcategories, format them as "Main Category -> Subcategory."

Note: Ensure the category names are exactly the same as they appear on your site. Any discrepancy will create new categories during the import.

Note: If you are importing categories which already exist in your site, be careful to type the categories exactly the same way as they are spelled in your site. If the category you typed has at least one different character from the site, the site will interpret it as a new category, and it will duplicate the category. When the category already exists in your site, make sure to match it with the existing category.

For example, if the site has the main category "Travel", and its subcategory "Resorts" when importing listing under these categories, it is needed to type them exactly as they are spelled in the file:

29. Listing Template

Specify the template for the listing, ensuring it matches the names of the listing templates you’ve configured under Content → Listings → Listing Templates.

30. Listing DB ID

This is the database ID for the listing. You don’t need to fill this out if you are importing listings for the first time, as it’s auto-generated by the system. This field is useful for updating existing listings in bulk.

31. Custom ID

Optionally, assign a custom ID to the listing.

32. Account Username

Enter the email address of the listing owner to create an account for them on your site.

33. Account Password

Provide a password for the listing owner to log in to your site.

Note: The fields "Account Username", and "Account Password" are used to give the listing owner a login access to the site, if you do not intend to provide the listing owner with a login when importing, these fields are not required, and you can leave them blank.

34. Account Contact Information

Fill in the contact details for the account holder, including First Name, Last Name, Company, Address, Phone, Email, and URL.

Note: The fields for Account Contact information are also not required, and if you did not fill out the fields "Account Username", and "Account Password" to provide the listing owner with an account in your site, it is not needed to fill out the Account Contact information fields since they are directly attached to the user's account in your site.

34. Image Upload Columns

If your eDirectory license is 13.6 or above, you'll be able to import images to your listings.

Columns AX to BJ are designated for adding image URLs to your listings, including the Logo, Cover, Gallery Main, and Gallery Additional images. Ensure that the URLs you provide are valid and properly hosted. We recommend using a reliable image hosting service that allows you to upload images from your computer and generates shareable URLs. Once uploaded, simply insert the generated URLs into the corresponding columns.

Here are some free image hosting websites that generate direct URLs for your images:

  1. Imgur (https://imgur.com) – Easy to use, supports multiple formats, and provides direct links.
  2. PostImage (https://postimages.org) – No registration required, allows bulk uploads, and generates direct URLs.
  3. ImageBB (https://imgbb.com) – Free and user-friendly, with an option to generate direct image links.
  4. Catbox (https://catbox.moe) – Allows hotlinking and supports large files.
  5. FreeImageHosting (https://freeimage.host) – Simple upload process with direct URL generation.
  6. Google Drive (https://drive.google.com) – Requires setting images to “public” and modifying links to create direct URLs.

For seamless importing, ensure the generated URLs end in an image format like .jpg and .png to avoid errors.

Note: To correctly import the listings on your site, we do not recommend changing the names of the fields in the first row of the CSV file.

These fields are default in the system's database, and during the import process, the site will map the fields to check if they exist in the database. If there are any changes to these fields, the import may display errors. Therefore, do not alter the field names, do not delete columns, and do not add new columns to avoid errors during import. Always use the standard import file available for download on your site.

If there are fields that you do not need to use to import your listings, don't worry, only the field "Listing title" is required when importing listings, and the others are not. You can simply leave the fields that you do not need blank.

Conclusion

By carefully adhering to the steps outlined in this guide and accurately completing the import fields, you will be able to effortlessly and efficiently upload your listings to your eDirectory platform. This will result in streamlining the entire process, ultimately guaranteeing a seamless experience for both you and your users.

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