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ONIX 3.1 Feeds in OnixFeed
ONIX (ONline Information eXchange) is the industry standard for book metadata. OnixFeed splits feeds into Outbound (you send XML to partners) and Inbound (you pull partner XML into the catalogue).
Open ONIX Feeds in the sidebar, then Outbound or Inbound. Outbound needs Edit catalogue. Inbound needs Run ONIX import.
Outbound feeds
Outbound feeds build ONIX XML from your catalogue. Open ONIX Feeds → Outbound.
Create a feed
- Click Create Feed.
- Fill in the form and click Create Feed.
| Field | What it is |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Which publisher the feed belongs to |
| Feed Name | A name you will recognise (for example a retailer or “full list”) |
| PDF template config | Optional template for PDF Catalog |
| ONIX Version | ONIX 3.1 (recommended), ONIX 3.0, or ONIX 2.1 |
| Default Language | Fallback language code |
| Default Currency | Fallback currency (for example ZAR) |
| Default Price Type | ONIX price type |
| Message Prefix | Optional identifier prefix |
Options:
- Include Covers - cover URLs in the XML
- Include Inventory - stock / availability
- Auto Validate - check generated XML
- Active - feed is in use
- Generate on schedule - automatic rebuilds
Delivery (Optional):
| Mode | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Download only | You download the file |
| URL (partners pull) | Partners fetch a URL |
| FTP (we upload) | OnixFeed uploads to FTP |
| URL pull and FTP upload | Both |
FTP fields (host, port, user, password, directory) appear when you choose an FTP mode.
Working with a feed
Row actions:
- Edit - change settings
- Manage Books - choose which titles are in the feed
- View XML - inspect the last file
- Generate - rebuild now
- Copy URL - share a pull URL when delivery includes URL
- Publish FTP - push to FTP when configured
- PDF Catalog - generate a multi-book PDF (see PDF catalogs)
- Delete
You can also add titles from Books with bulk Add to ONIX Feed.
Fix records in Books and Validate before you treat a feed as partner-ready.
Inbound feeds
Inbound feeds pull ONIX from a URL or FTP and import it. Open ONIX Feeds → Inbound.
Add an import feed
- Click Add import feed.
- Set Source type: URL (HTTPS) or FTP.
- Enter the source location (and FTP credentials when needed).
- Choose Collateral / media and Contributor biographies.
- Set Active if the feed should run.
- Save.
Hub administrators also see Import mode (same hub and spoke idea):
- Single publisher (spoke) - all records go to one publisher
- Hub - resolve from ONIX - publisher is taken from the file, with an optional fallback
Contributor biographies options include not importing bios (recommended), filling empty bios only, always updating the contributor bio, or saving bios on the book only.
Collateral / media options include using supplied URLs, skipping image collateral, using the ImageKit library, uploading to ImageKit staging, or uploading to the server (some modes depend on what the install supports).
Validate and import
The inbound page reminds you: Use Validate before import, or Import now (runs preflight automatically).
- Validate opens Validate feed - {name} (preflight).
- Import now runs preflight, then imports when allowed.
- If structure is acceptable but XSD warnings remain, you may see Import anyway.
After import, check Books and run book validation on priority titles. Cover and media work can continue in the background - wait for jobs to finish before you assume covers are missing.