Knowledgebase
Import status report #
Whether files are uploaded using the admin portal, or by putting them on your company’s eCat FTP site, every file is thoroughly checked for errors and and a log entry is entered for future reference. Check the import log periodically to be sure your data imports are working correctly. We recommend selecting the option under company settings to have error report links automatically emailed to selected administrators. This enables you to address problems promptly. It's also a great troubleshooting tool that can save a lot of time during your eCat implementation!
Import validation #
To ensure reliability, many different aspects of your data files are checked during the import process. When errors are discovered during a file import, a detailed error report will be generated and the date/time stamp in the import log displays as a blue link. Click the link to view the report.
There are three types of errors, 'Fatal Error', 'Error', and 'Warning'.
| Type | Reason | Handling |
| Fatal | A problem is detected that may prevent accurate processing of the file. | The file is rejected. No data is updated. A description of the fatal error is listed in the import error log. |
| Error | A required field on the file is missing, contains an invalid entry, or has some other issue that could cause instability or incorrect behavior. | The file is imported, but fields with errors are omitted. An import log entry for each problem field lists the field number and describes the reason for the error. Server database records for the fields with warnings are not updated. If there are import errors on the file, the server database is not updated to remove records omitted from the file. |
| Warning | A relatively minor problem is found that does not affect reliability, like fields that exceed length requirements. | The file is imported, including fields with warnings. An import log entry for each problem field lists the field number and describes the reason for the warning. Server database records for the fields with warnings are updated. If there are only warnings on the file and no errors, the server database is updated to remove records omitted from the file. |
Files Waiting for Validation (where are my files?) #
After you have uploaded your files and before they have been processed, your files may be removed to a separate, dedicated location for processing. As a result, they might disappear from your FTP upload directory. After they are processed, the .bak and .failed files will be transferred to your FTP upload directory, as appropriate.
The "Files Waiting for Validation" section will list where your files are. Please be aware that it might be slightly out of date with where your files actually are at any given moment. Please give the system at least 5 minutes to notice your files before contacting support.
Tips & Tricks #
- Adding or removing records from a data file causes them to be added or removed from the server database. They will then be removed from eCat the next time users update.
- Column headers must match the field names shown in the file specifications.
- Carriage returns and line feeds (CR/LF) are not supported in eCat data fields and will cause an "Unclosed quoted field" error
eCat
eCat Online
eCat Sales Portal
eCat Admin Console