posted on January 18, 2004 11:00:51 PM new
Is it possible to take infomation from Microsoft Access and have it interface with SMP. We would like to start using our own forms in Access to allow employees to input auctions quicker. Our forms would replicate how we gather information and then we would export to SMP. Please let us know the process we would need to follow in order for this interface.
posted on January 21, 2004 08:36:46 PM new
Hi Immages. A tip that will save you time and bunches of groans is that SmPro works great for this but is very sensitive to errors, and if there is a single error or anything anywhere it doesn't like it will bounce all your imports back to square one, even rematching all the fields all over again. There is no way to permanently set the field matches--it has to be done new every upload. There is a screen to tell you what the errors were, but no way to save the imported data for the ones that had no mistakes. If you match fields and upload 50 items and even one had 1 letter over the 45 character title limit or one field/column for postage in your table headings was not worded just like Pro wants it, or a single typo in an image name, etc.--then first it's back to the database to make the change(s), then you have to start over with the whole import. Spend some time tweaking your table structure to match Vendio's as close as possible and upload several 2-3 item batch tests--once you get it to work consistently for you, you'll love it!
1. Actually, you can save your field matches and reuse them with new imports. To do this, once you've finished the matching operation for the first import, enter a suitable name in the "Use field matching association" drop-down and check "Save as new association".
For future imports, just use the drop-down to pick the saved association.
2. I would recommend using the Batch Importer. It works similarly to the Inventory Importer, but of course it will create batches that you can then upload directly.
posted on January 22, 2004 10:00:43 AM new
Perhaps your suggestion is more than just a recommendation. Less than a year ago I was told by customer service that this feature only worked with the batch importer--not the inventory importer-- and that was why I could not get the save field matches to work with my inventory imports. Has that changed now so it works with both import tools? Thanks.
posted on January 22, 2004 09:05:01 PM new
Evidentally that upgrade has sneaked in since that email from customer service several months ago. Thanks so very much!!!
Perhaps now someone could suggest to product development that the categories in the inventory importer be more consistent with those in the batch importer. Many auction friendly items like auction duration are in the batch importer but not the inventory importer. I still can't make the batch importer work for my workflow because I have too much html that needs tweaking on a case by case basis to get it into my database. It works better for me if I can roll it into the description field once the rest is uploaded and I can toggle between the html and the preview. The batch importer still does not allow upload if there is no description in the database.
Perhaps you could also suggest to product development that selection of field matching be optional instead of mandatory. A pop-up message as a reminder that there was no description with a way to check "OK" or "Go Back" could serve the same purpose as a "mandatory description is missing" screen to prevent accidental oversight.
posted on January 26, 2004 02:43:13 AM new
Hi Passedtothepresent,
Indeed, currently you cannot use the Batch Importer without matching the Description field. But, I'd suggest this simple workaround: map Description to an empty column. Thus, you will be able create batches directly, and then you will just have to enter and tweak the actual description for each individual listing.
Thanks for your suggestions, I have passed them on to Product Development for review.
posted on January 26, 2004 01:45:06 PM new
What a great workaround!
The batch importer is preferable to the inventory importer for me both because the fields content for matching is better and I don't use the inventory features for anything except uploading so I can do a batch. Yesterday I thought of adding a description column and putting "xxx" in it for very item, then erasing that or pasting over it. But if a blank column would work that's even better!
