Sections in this article

• What is a merge file?
• Using your provided GoDataFeed FTP folder
• Uploading and updating your merge file using FTP/SFTP
• Configuring your merge file settings in GoDataFeed
• When to use Stack Merge
• Review and verify your merged product data

What is a merge file?

Merge files – or supplemental data files – are secondary data sources that allow you to add additional products or product data attributes to your catalog without adding or modifying data in your store platform.

Please see this article for help creating a merge file: Merging supplemental files with your primary source upon import

Once you have created your data file and are ready to merge, you will need to host the file so our system may retrieve is either from FTP/SFTP or HTTP. Please note, you can also easily use a published Google Sheets CSV and merge using HTTP.

When importing a merge file via FTP/SFTP, you’ll be configuring GoDataFeed to pull the file from your preferred FTP folder. 

Using your provided GoDataFeed FTP folder

FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol and is one method to send files over the web. You can use any FTP folder, but if you don’t have one, GoDataFeed provides one for every store. Your FTP address, username and password can be found by doing one of the following:

• Start a new merge file, select "FTP" for method and then click on Apply GoDataFeed FTP Settings
• For single-store users: Stores > Details > GoDataFeed FTP
• For multi-store users: Stores > “Store Name” menu > Edit > GoDataFeed FTP

Uploading and updating your merge file using FTP/SFTP

Once your file is ready to upload, you will need to use an FTP client like Filezilla or WinSCP to upload the file to the FTP folder.

• Using FileZilla to upload/download from FTP
• Using WinSCP to upload/download from FTP

Configuring your merge file settings in GoDataFeed

After you upload your file to the FTP server, follow these steps to complete the merge file settings in GoDataFeed:

1. Go to Products > Merge files
2. Create a new merge file using the plus button
3. Select “FTP” as the method
4. Enter the “SKU merge field name” which is the column name for your unique identifier mapped to SKU seen on the Products > Mappings table. 
• This is the previously mentioned header/column name in the merge file that matches your source’s unique product identifier field (e.g. sku)
5. Enter the file name of your merge file exactly as it appears in your FTP location (e.g. MyMergeFile.csv)
6. Enter the FTP details including Host address, username, password and port number
• You can auto-populate your GoDataFeed FTP settings here if you’re hosting your file(s) on our servers
7. Set the security protocol, typically this is set to Default

8. Optional settings: 

   • Enable stack merge - if enabled, product rows that cannot be merged will be appended at the end of the product catalog, this is not recommended unless desired, for example when you are combining multiple product files from suppliers. Please see  When to use Stack Merge below for more information.
   • Enable SSL - used with FTPS
   • Enable passive mode - used in situations where the FTP server is not able to establish the data channel (not needed with GoDataFeed FTP)
9. Save
10.  Run the import to update your product data in GoDataFeed

When to use Stack Merge

If we cannot match a SKU from the merge file to a SKU in your source data, then we will append it to the end of your imported catalog and only the merge data will be available in GoDataFeed. 

This might happen if a SKU is no longer being imported from your source data or if the merge file is using a different unique identifier than what is mapped to the system field 'SKU' in GoDataFeed. 

We do not recommend enabling stack merge unless it is required for what you are trying to do with merge files, like if you are combining multiple product files from suppliers. If left enabled, appended rows of old SKUs may cause you to reach your product allotment max.

Review and verify your merged product data

Remember, you should download and review your product catalog after the import is complete (Products > Catalog, click “Download”) to make sure all of your data has merged as intended. You will also find the merge file fields (column names) are automatically mapped to the next available custom fields in the import mapping table (Products > Mapping).

Now, you should be able to use the data you have merged.

If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out to our support team!

Related articles about merge files

Merging supplemental files with your primary source upon import

Importing a merge file using FTP/SFTP

Importing a merge file using Google Sheets