Tips on How to Import .XML to Magento

Magento xml import is quite a paradoxical phenomenon for lots of its users and developers. On the one hand, xml is the second most popular file format, on the other hand, its import is still not included in the admin of the biggest and, let’s admit, the most developed shopping platform.
So, how can this be done, and what is required from you to transfer your data from xml to your store catalogue? In this article you’ll see the most common problems connected with Magento xml import and how to resolve them.

One of the biggest questions - is it possible to import .xml to Magento in the first place?!
Basically using .xml is better. It is easier to create and manage than the good oldies like .csv or .txt. But unfortunately Magento cannot import .xml out of the box.

The first solution that comes to mind is to convert your .xml into a format that Magento supports, like a .csv or .txt file. But considering all the csv requirements Magento, you should probably be ready for long editing before you can use it for data import. Another way is to write a script, on your own or hire a programmer to do that. Surely, if you know how to connect the database to your store manually, using different codes in PHP, MySQL, etc. you can do it yourself.

There is also a number of software solutions that you can purchase and install to perform your Magento xml import. You can find some on the official Magento website.
So there are three ways out of this:

• convert .xml to .csv (which takes a lot of time) and afterwards import it to your store database. But even in this situation you can face a lot of problems. Your .xml can contain hierarchical data, while .csv - only tabular data. So it really depends on your .xml file.
• write a script or hire a programmer to do that
• search for additional extensions

As Magento .xml import cannot be done by Magento itself, you can use File2Cart to make it possible. You can easily import products, product images, categories and manufacturers to your magento shop. For successful import make sure that your .xml files meet File2Cart requirements. Your xml file should have UTF-8 encoding. Also there are a few fields that have to be filled: Product ID, Product Name, Product Description, Price.

Here is an example of common .xml file.

You can download sample XML files (zip, ~2kB):
XML with absolute image URL | XML with relative image URL | XML with image name only

For detailed information about the requirements for your .xml files read here.

Only six simple steps and your .xml files will be transferred to your Magento store:

1. First of all you have to register an account. For your convenience you can log in with your existing Google or Facebook account.
2. Fill in your Cart type, name and URL. Then to connect your store with the server download Connection Bridge. To find more info and a video tutorial visit this page.
3. Select the entities you want to import and upload your .xml file.
4. After that you will have to pass field mapping.
5. For your convenience and safety you can perform the Demo Import of 10 products. Of course you can skip this option, if you want, but it is highly recommended to perform it just to ensure that the service works fine.
6. Now you can check the results on your Magento store. Now you can start your Full Import!!!

And that's all. Simple. Isn’t it?
With File2Cart your data will be transferred to your Magento store easily and quickly. So don’t wait up and register an account right now.