Update a Product Catalog Dataset via SFTP

You can perform two types of updates for a product catalog:

  • Full update — Replaces the entire catalog with the next successfully processed full file that the platform ingests
  • Partial update — Adds rows or updates rows with the next successfully processed partial file that the platform ingests

You cannot add columns, also called attributes or fields, to a product catalog through a partial update sent via SFTP. See Update a Product Catalog Dataset for options to accomplish that type of update.

In addition to CSV and TSV files, you can upload Gzip (.gz) and ZIP (.zip) files via SFTP. If you upload a Gzip file, ensure that it has the .gz file extension because Monetate doesn't accept files with the .gzip file extension.

Because SFTP is a batch data ingestion interface, do not transfer more than one file per dataset per 10-minute period.

You can access these files on the Update History tab on the dataset's details page in the Monetate platform. Monetate retains dataset files for 180 days from the date it was uploaded. Once a file is out of this retention period, it still appears on the dataset's Update History tab, but you cannot download it.

The 'Upload History' tab of a product catalog dataset's details page. One file was uploaded via SFTP.

If a file is available for download, its filename appears in purple in the Update History table.

Setting Up Automatic Updates

To set up automatic updates for a product catalog, add the following information to your SFTP client.

  • Host — sftp://sftp.monetate.net
  • Port — 22
  • Protocol — SFTP

The username and password you can find within Monetate by selecting Sites from the settings cog in the platform.

Callout of the Sites option in the platform settings menu

From that same page you can create new SFTP credentials or change an existing SFTP user password. See Manage SFTP Users for more information.

You must have the Administrator role in the Monetate platform to set up SFTP users in the platform settings.

File-Drop Directories and Naming Conventions

There are two file-drop directories:

  • /datasets/full — Use this location for full file updates
  • /datasets/partial — Use this location for partial file updates

Follow this format when naming an update file: {datasetid}-examplefilename.csv

Replace {datasetid} with the unique ID for the product catalog you are updating. You can find this information in the platform by following these steps:

  1. Click DATASETS in the top navigation bar, and then, if necessary, select Product Data.
  2. Find the product catalog dataset that you want to update on the Product Catalogs view of the Datasets list page, click the upload icon for its entry, and then select SFTP Info.

    Callout of the 'SFTP Info' option option in the menu of the upload icon for a product catalog entry on the 'Product Catalogs' datasets list page

  3. Scroll to the bottom of the page to find the dataset ID.

    Callout of the required dataset ID prefix that must appear at the beginning of an update file's name

You must use a hyphen (–) between the dataset ID and the filename. The upload or update will fail if the dataset ID and filename are not separated by a hyphen.

You can change the portion of the filename that follows the hyphen from update to update. However, you cannot change the dataset ID.

Once you upload a file to the platform's SFTP server, it automatically updates the product catalog and all associated experiences.

Failed Updates

If the platform encounters an error with an update, you see UPDATE FAILED in multiple places within the platform:

  • In the LAST UPDATED column for the product catalog's entry on the Product Catalogs view of the Datasets list page

    Callout of the 'UPDATE FAILED' message for a product catalog on the Product Catalogs list page

  • In place of the last update's timeframe on the product catalog's details page, and the exact date and time of the failed update appears in red in the UPLOAD DATE column of the Update History table

    Callout of the UPDATE FAILED status and of the exact date and time that an update failed that appears in the UPLOAD DATE column on the Update History tab of a product catalog dataset's details page

Click UPDATE FAILED to view the File Upload Error modal, which contains a brief description of all errors that prevented the platform from performing the update.

The File Upload Errors modal for a failed product catalog dataset update. The first error listed is the invalid NULL value for the required 'image_link' attribute for multiple rows in the dataset. The second error listed is the invalid NULL value for the required 'description' attribute for multiple rows in the dataset.

See Common Product Catalog Validation Errors for more information about file upload errors, or submit a support ticket using the Monetate Technical Support portal (support.monetate.com).

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