Plugin update: Even more flexible data imports in Pimcore

When it comes to importing large amounts of data quickly and easily into Pimcore, our BB Import plugin is the tried-and-tested solution. In order to adapt the Pimcore plugin to the current requirements of our customers and other online retailers, we are constantly developing it further. In addition to improvements to the performance and user interface, numerous new functions have been added in recent months that allow even more flexible data imports.

The new features of the import plugin include

• Support for additional data types: Object blocks, field collections, objects/multihrefs with metadata (including filling metadata columns) and quantity values can now also be imported.
• Dynamic definition of the parent element/object path: It is possible to import object hierarchies (i.e. objects hanging below each other) and map them accordingly in the Pimcore backend (e.g. category tree analogue to the display in the online shop).
• Dynamic definition of the object key: The object key can now be named as desired.
• Skip individual data records: In the case of incomplete import files or if certain data should not be imported, you can simply specify the data records to be skipped during import. The import source therefore does not need to be customised and can be used for different imports.

Pimcore import plugin supports additional data sources

Previously, the Pimcore BB Import plugin allowed the simple and automated import of XML, BMEcat or CSV data. The new version now also supports Excel files and URLs as import sources.

In addition, data can now be imported from folders with multiple files. To do this, enter a folder path under "Path to XML file". The files contained in the specified folder and subfolders are processed one after the other - one file per import. Files that have already been processed are moved to an archive folder in the specified folder.

No data loss when subsequently changing data types

It often happens that the originally designed data model no longer perfectly matches the company and the services offered after a few months. So that you can change data types of existing object fields at any time without losing data, the new import plugin now also allows Pimcore objects as a data source for the import.

An example: You create a "Customer" class with an "Email" input field. Later you realise that it would be practical to be able to store any number of email addresses per customer. So instead of a simple input field, you need a collection of fields. However, if you change the type of the e-mail field from input field to field collection using Pimcore on-board tools, all previous data will be lost. To prevent this loss of data and save yourself the time-consuming, manual updating of data, you can set up an import with Pimcore as the data source. You then read out all user IDs and email addresses as raw data, make the changes to the data model and import the data again later.