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How to sync your product feed automatically in Flipsnack

Update prices and stock in one catalog, or in every catalog that uses the same feed at once

Overview

Sync keeps a catalog up to date with its product feed. When prices, descriptions, stock or images change in your CSV file or Google Sheet, a sync puts the new data into the catalog, so you do not edit each product by hand.

There are 4 ways to sync, and each one starts in a different place: Update all catalogs on the Automation page, Replace feed for a CSV file in Design Studio, Sync feed for a Google Sheet in Design Studio, and the collection.syncCatalog action in the API. Use the first one when a new CSV changes many catalogs at once.

Important: For a catalog built from All products, a sync updates existing products (titles, descriptions, images and prices), adds the new products in the feed and removes the products that are no longer in the feed.

A catalog built from selected products syncs with its feed too: its products get the new data, such as prices and stock. The sync does not add new feed products to it or remove products that left the feed, because you chose its products by hand: it only updates.

👥 Where AutoSync is helpful
  • Company size: Mid-market and Enterprise

Requirements

Connect a feed to your catalog

A catalog can sync only with a feed it uses. Catalogs made with the Product Catalog Generator use their feed already. To connect a feed to another catalog:

  1. Open the catalog in Design Studio.
  2. In the left panel, click Automation, then click Add feed.
  3. Check the columns in Map feed content. If you have AI mapping, it maps the columns for you, so you only check the result.

The Feeds used in this catalog section shows the feeds the catalog uses and how many products come from each. It updates when the catalog saves. To refresh it at once, press Ctrl+S.

The Automation panel in Design Studio, with the Feeds used in this catalog section highlighted

Note: Sync matches products by their product ID (SKU) and columns by their names. Keep the same SKUs and column names in every new version of the feed.

Update all catalogs from a feed

When you replace a product feed, every catalog built from it can take the new data in one action. You do not need to open and sync each catalog.

  1. Click Automation in the icon rail on the left. The Imported data sets list shows each feed, how many catalogs use it (Used in) and whether they are up to date (Catalogs status).
  2. In the feed's row, click Replace and select the new version of your CSV file. The Update catalogs window opens and lists every catalog that uses the feed.
  3. To publish the updated catalogs at once, turn on Publish after updating. Catalogs that are not published stay unpublished.
  4. Click Update all, or click Update next to each catalog you want to update.

The Update catalogs window after a feed was replaced, with Publish after updating and Update all highlighted

When every catalog has the new data, the window shows All catalogs are up to date, and Catalogs status shows All up to date. Until then, it counts the catalogs done, for example 0 of 8 updated. To return to the window later, click the number of catalogs under Used in.

Replace a CSV feed in Design Studio

Use this way to update one catalog from a new version of a CSV file you uploaded from your device.

  1. Open the catalog in Design Studio and click Automation in the left panel.
  2. Under Feeds used in this catalog, click the feed. Its products open.
  3. Click Replace feed at the bottom of the panel and select the new CSV file.
  4. In the Apply updates window, click Update products. If you click Cancel, only the feed changes and the catalog keeps the old data.

The products of a feed in the Design Studio Automation panel, with the Replace feed button highlighted

The Apply updates window in Design Studio, with the Update products button highlighted

Sync a Google Sheet in Design Studio

Use this way when the catalog uses a Google Sheet and you changed the sheet.

  1. Open the catalog in Design Studio and click Automation in the left panel.
  2. Select the Google Sheet you changed, then click Sync feed.
  3. When the window asks, choose to update the products in the catalog too. If you do not, only the feed changes and the catalog keeps the old data.

The product list of a feed in the Design Studio Automation panel with the Sync feed button highlighted

Sync through the API

If your products live in an ERP, a PIM or your own application, your system can start a sync with the collection.syncCatalog API action, right after your data changes. You decide when it runs, for example on a schedule in your own system.

The catalog is locked while the sync runs. A published catalog needs a republish afterwards before readers see the new values.

For the request format, the response and the full workflow, see How to connect your product data to Flipsnack via API.

What a sync updates

Every way to sync updates the same 2 kinds of product content:

  • Products on the pages. Product details placed on the catalog pages, usually in catalogs made from scratch or with the Product Catalog Generator. The new values show on the pages.
  • Shopping list items. Products behind a button or an area that opens a window where readers add them to a list or a wishlist. This is common in catalogs made from a PDF. The new values show in that window.

To add a feed product to the Shopping list, drag it from the Automation panel onto the page. Depending on the feed data, it shows as a button or as an area. If the feed does not say which, Flipsnack adds an area.

Important: If you reorder your products in the feed › after sync, they will be reordered in the Automation panel too. We do not reorder elements on the page (yet), only in the Automation panel, so if you create a new catalog, the products will be in the new order, but the layout in the old flipbooks will not change. 

Troubleshooting

1.  I added a new product/column, but It doesn’t sync.

For a catalog built from All products, new products in the feed are added on the next sync. For a catalog built from Selected products, new products in the feed are not added.

2. Sync isn’t working after I made changes. 

Make sure that you haven’t modified the Product code/SKU or column headers. Changing these will disrupt the sync process. Use the same file structure as before.

3. The sync updates only some data. 

Double-check the mapping of your columns and ensure all relevant data fields are mapped correctly in the Automation tab. You might need to manually redo some mappings.

But, for those who have access to the other AI features too, with AI mapping you don't need to do anything, just make a quick check to ensure that everything is mapped as you wanted. Everything you mapped will appear in the Shopping list element when you add it to the page from the Automation panel. 

Next steps

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