Methods

Scripts & API

For seasoned developers, you might find it easier to transfer from one system to the next via an API or between databases. This has the added benefit you can keep in sync whilst preparing a new site or system.

Import Export Tools

There are many around. Our preferences are

• Firebear Import Export

• Extento

• MagManager

Firebear Import Export

Extremely powerful and flexible. Has some quirks and can require significant power with certain actions.

Google sheets are not powerful enough to prepare the size of sheet needed. You need Excel as software as the number of lines and size of Vlookups can get pretty meaty.

The file sizes can get pretty huge with lots of orders. Firebear does not like a 60MB CSV being imported. Use a CSV splitting tool to get the file sizes below 6-7MB for best performance. A Google of “CSV splitter” or “split CSV” will find a number of softwares. You can also do it over the command line.

OS X supports the Linux-like split command.

Extento

We have always found their import and export tools robost.

They also offer a service of creating the templates for you for a fixed cost. If you can produce a good brief, acceptance criteria and provide an example of the format the data needs to be in their team will often produce exactly what you need very quickly.

MagManager

A very useful tool in itself. We have found it ok for a small amount of simple orders. If you’re looking to bring over lots of data it doesn't do as good a job as the other important tools.

It is however very good at doing an export of orders and a backup of them.