How to reimport listings without duplicating them

Introduction

Managing a website with multiple listings often requires making updates across numerous entries. Editing each listing individually can be a tedious and time-consuming task. Fortunately, you can efficiently update your listings by reimporting them without creating duplicates. This guide will walk you through the step-by-step process to achieve this.

Why Reimport Listings?

There are many reasons why you might need to reimport your listings. Whether you’re correcting a widespread typo, updating contact information, or adding new details, manually editing each listing isn’t practical. Reimporting listings provides a faster, more effective way to ensure that your site’s content remains accurate and up to date.

Step 1: Export Your Current Listings

To begin, navigate to "Content" and select "Export." This will generate a file containing all your current listings.

Step 2: Open the Exported File

Once the export is complete, download and open the Excel file to access your listings.

Step 3: Update the Necessary Fields

With the listings in an editable format, you can now make the required changes. You can modify any field while leaving others unchanged.

Note: On this step, you can update any field on the file. If there are fields you would not like to update, it is not necessary to take any step, simply leave the fields the way they are. If you would like more details on how to fill out the eDirectory template file fields, please check our article: How to fill out the import fields.

Step 4: Verify the "Listing Db Id" Field

Ensure that each listing has a unique "Listing Db Id" field. This field prevents duplicates during the reimport process. The ID is automatically included when you export listings, but it’s essential to confirm that all listings have this identifier before proceeding.

Step 5: Save the Updated File

Once you’ve made the necessary changes and verified the IDs, save the updated Excel file.

Note: If your file contains more than 5,000 listings, split it into smaller files before reimporting, as eDirectory only supports importing up to 5,000 listings at a time.

Step 6: Start the Import Process

Navigate to "Content", select "Import", and then choose "Listings."

Step 7: Upload the File

Click "Choose your file" and upload the saved file to your eDirectory website.

Step 8: Select "Overwrite Matching Items"

On the final page of the import process, select "Overwrite matching items." This step is crucial to ensure that your listings are updated without duplication.

Step 9: Complete the Import

After selecting the overwrite option, click "Next" to complete the process. Your updated listings will now be reflected on your site without any duplicates.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can efficiently update your listings without worrying about duplication. Keeping your listings current is essential for providing users with accurate and reliable information. Reimporting listings streamlines this process, saving you valuable time and effort while maintaining consistency across your site.