Learn how to make your digital catalogs more interactive by automatically adding elements like videos, product tags, pop-up frames, and slideshows using Flipsnack Automation.
Overview
Manual integration of interactive elements creates operational inefficiencies and consistency challenges. Instead of spending hours manually integrating interactive elements into your flipbook, you can now automate this entire process through data feeds.
Table of contents
Available interactivity elements
Add the multimedia elements to your flipbook
Key benefits
- Operational Efficiency – Reduce the time spent manually embedding multimedia elements.
- Consistency Across Publications – Ensure branding, product data, and interactive elements remain uniform.
- Seamless Data Synchronization – Update multimedia elements in real-time by syncing with a centralized data source.
- Improved Buyer Engagement – Make your digital catalogs more interactive, improving conversion rates.
Use Cases
B2B Sales & Digital Catalogs
A sales team utilizes automated product tags, slideshows, and interactive buttons to present real-time product catalogs with up-to-date pricing and availability.
E-Commerce & Wholesale Distributors
A wholesale distributor streamlines catalog updates by adding product tags, eliminating the need for manual redesigns.
Marketing & Branding Teams
A marketing team improves interactive storytelling by embedding automated multimedia elements into brand catalogs, brochures, and digital sales presentations.
Requirements:
- Plan: Enterprise
- Ideal for company size: Mid-market and Enterprise
- Data product spreadsheet
Schedule a consultation with our product experts for personalized assistance
Which multimedia elements can you automate?
You can improve your digital catalogs and flipbooks with a variety of interactive elements. Automating these interactions saves time, provides consistency across your publications, and ensures any updates whenever product details change.
In Flipsnack, instead of adding interactive elements manually, you can automate the integration of the following elements:
- Product Tags – Quick insights about a product, such as its category, features, or promotional status.
- Pop-up Frames – Additional product information, embedded videos, or interactive content (requires an iframe code).
- Slideshows – Multiple product images or variations (up to 10 images per slideshow).
- Shopping Lists – Interactive purchase buttons that transform digital catalogs into sales channels.
- Videos – Embed product demos, tutorials, or promotional videos directly into your catalog to provide an immersive shopping experience.
Step-by-Step Guide
1. Create the CSV for your multimedia elements
By setting up a simple CSV or XLSX file in Google Sheets or a similar program, you can automate the entire process in just a few steps.
To get started faster, go to the Automation panel in Flipsnack and click Import Feed → Download Templates.
From there, you can download and customize one of our pre-made templates, which include:
- Simple Product Feed – for catalogs without variations.
- Variant-Rich Product Feed – for catalogs with multiple variants, such as size, color, or material, and for setting up shopping buttons.
We recommend using Google Sheets because it’s easier to update your data later. Any change you make can be automatically synced in Flipsnack when you refresh the feed.
Tip: If you’re not sure which template to start with, choose the Simple Product Feed — it’s flexible and can easily be adapted for multimedia automation.
Here is an example of how a spreadsheet for multimedia elements can look:
Important: The SKU column is mandatory and acts as the unique identifier that links your multimedia content to your flipbook. Do not delete or rename the SKU column after uploading the feed.
For images, all URLs must be placed in the same cell of your feed, separated by semicolons (;). If you encounter difficulty finding the correct URL for your images, you can upload them directly to the Design Studio, hover over the image, and select Copy Link to retrieve the URL. Additionally, you can include up to 10 images per slideshow and up to 3 images per product tag or shopping list.
If you haven’t prepared a spreadsheet, you can download and customize one of our pre-made templates to include the necessary information.
Note: You can include multiple interactive elements in a single CSV file by organizing them into separate columns or choose to automate just one, depending on your needs. This flexible approach allows you to manage various interactions in one feed, ensuring a structured, efficient, and easily updatable workflow.
2. Upload your data
On the main dashboard, go to Automation, on the bottom left side, click on Import feed.
You have two options: Upload CSV file or Google Drive.
Note: For this example, I will connect to my Google Drive, because it will be easier to update it later on if I make any changes to my spreadsheet, if needed.
Click on the Connect Google Drive. You will have to log in to your account. From your account, you can pick your spreadsheet and wait until it's being imported.
After the upload is complete, the mapping modal will open, called Set unique ID, allowing you to connect your spreadsheet with our platform.
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The mapping modal now uses AI mapping. If your column headers differ slightly from the template (for example, “Product Title” instead of “Name”), Flipsnack will detect and match them automatically. Just review and confirm that everything is mapped correctly before saving.
Important: It’s mandatory to have a valid column with the SKU in the spreadsheet because that is how it will help to sync your catalog ig have any changes. If it’s not valid an error will appear.
After you make sure that the feed columns are properly mapped, click on Save Changes.
3. Add the multimedia elements to your flipbook
Then, go back to the Home page, and from Flipbooks, choose the catalog in which you want to add the products or start one from scratch in Flipsnack.
For this article, I uploaded a PDF catalog. To edit, click on the Edit button on the left side of the flipbook card.
On the left-hand panel, you’ll see the Automation tab, where your connected feed is listed.
From the Interactivity tab, choose the element you want to add (e.g., video, product tag, slideshow, or pop-up frame).
Then, select the interactive element you want to automate (e.g., video). Click Connect with Feed (top-right corner).
In the modal that appears, map the element to the corresponding column in your data feed and select the specific information you want to display in the product tag. Click Save Changes.
Tip: You can use Ctrl+D on Windows or Cmd+D on Mac. A duplicated product tag will already be connected to the feed.
Return to your spreadsheet in the Automation tab drag and drop the elements over the specific product tag. They will connect automatically if mapped correctly.
Click on the Preview button in the upper-right corner to test your catalog.
Note: The same process goes for the other elements as well.
If you need to update any information regarding one of the multimedia elements, simply open your spreadsheet from Google Drive, make the necessary changes, and use the synchronize option for the changes to apply.
Filter by used or unused products in the catalogs
You can easily filter products to see which ones are already used in your catalog in the Automation tab and which ones are not. This is especially helpful if you're unsure which elements you've already added.
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If you need to update any information regarding one of the multimedia elements, simply open your spreadsheet from Google Drive, make the necessary changes, and use the synchronize option for the changes to apply.
Next steps
Useful resources
Take your digital content strategy to the next level with data-driven insights and best practices to improve your processes:
- Prepare your spreadsheet for Flipsnack automation
- Automation for product variants
- How to create a product catalog using the Product Catalog Generator
- How to use synchronization for Automation in Flipsnack
- How to create product catalogs from scratch using a product feed
- How to turn your PDFs into shoppable catalogs and automate the process
Need expert support?
Our team is here to help. Connect with our team experts or message us via the in-app chat for personalized assistance.