Appearance
OnixFeed CSV Standard
OnixFeed has its own spreadsheet language. Column names follow ONIX (isbn_13, title, product_form_code). Export always uses this layout. Import accepts this layout, or a legacy BDS sheet.
This is the catalogue in and out of OnixFeed. It is not the WooCommerce shop CSV and not a partner ONIX XML feed.
You need Edit catalogue to export and Run ONIX import to import. Open Books.
How to export
- Open Books.
- Click Export in the header (whole active catalogue), or select rows and Export Selected.
- In Export catalogue, choose the publisher.
- Choose Spreadsheets (or ONIX XML if you want XML).
- Tick All spreadsheets when you want every file - book sheet, resources, text, related products, subjects, contributors, awards, promo, sales rights, and stock.
- Click Download zip. One spreadsheet downloads as a single CSV; more than one always comes as a zip named with the publisher and the time.
All spreadsheets is the full catalogue pack. The book file alone is not the whole record - awards, extra pictures, extra people, and the other extras live on their own CSVs. Tick that option before you edit and re-import, or when you want a complete copy.
The downloaded book file is the template: keep those header names. Re-import stock from Supply, not as an OnixFeed extra CSV.
Warning: import replaces what is on the book
CSV import writes over matching ISBNs. For every column in the file, the spreadsheet wins.
- An empty cell clears that field on the book. Do not blank a column unless you mean to remove the value.
- A column you leave out of the file is left as it is.
- Extra CSVs add or update the rows you send. Awards, events, pictures, and other rows you leave off the sheet stay on the book. To wipe that kind of data, put a blank prize name, event name, subject code, person name, sales-rights type, picture link, or related ISBN.
- Titles that do not appear on the book sheet are not deleted.
Safest path: Export with All spreadsheets, edit that zip, then import the files back. Do not blank a key cell unless you mean to clear that data.
How to import
- Open Books and click Import ONIX (the same modal accepts CSV or Excel).
- Drop the file. OnixFeed detects OnixFeed CSV, a BDS sheet, or an extra CSV from the headers.
- Review options (full import vs sectioned update), then import.
Import the book file first. Extra CSVs only update titles that already exist.
A row does not have to be a perfect ONIX record to be stored. Usable rows are saved; skipped rows and warnings are reported. Shop and PASA checks stay on Validate.
Book file
One row is one product, usually one ISBN-13. Required to create a book: isbn_13, title, and publisher (that imprint must exist on this OnixFeed).
| Group | Columns |
|---|---|
| Identity | isbn_13 (required, valid check digit), isbn_10, gtin_13, record_reference, proprietary_id, work_id |
| Title | title, subtitle, series, series_number |
| People | author_1–author_3 and bios, illustrator_1, translator_1, editor_1 |
| Description | language_code, product_form_code, product_form_detail_code, page_count, height_mm, width_mm, thickness_mm, weight_grams |
| Text and cover | short_description, long_description, contents, cover_url (front cover only) |
| Publishing | publisher, imprint, publishing_status_code, published_on, country and edition columns |
| Subjects | thema_code, thema_heading, six thema_*_qualifier columns, custom_subjects |
| Supply (ZA) | availability_code, price_zar_excl_vat, price_zar_incl_vat, tax_rate_percent, tax_rate_code |
Put ONIX codes in code columns (04, BC, eng, 20), not words like Active or Paperback. Look codes up on EDItEUR or ONIX reference. Thema codes: Thema browser.
Prices: leave both ZA price cells empty if the title is unpriced. Do not put 0, 0.00, or notes in a price cell. UK/US prices stay on the book in OnixFeed; this sheet does not replace them.
Custom subjects: your own categories in one cell, separated by | (semicolon or comma also work on import).
HTML: descriptions, contents, author bios, and edition statement may use simple ONIX markup (p, br, bold, italic, lists). Other tags are stripped.
Extra CSVs
Use these when one cell on the book row is not enough. The ISBN must already be in the catalogue. These files never create a book.
title and language_code on extra files are labels so the sheet is readable. Import ignores them. Change the title or language on the book file.
| Export label | What each row is | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| OnixFeed CSV | The book | Create or update the title |
| Resources CSV | One picture or file | Front cover type 01 is the same as cover_url. Empty link removes that picture |
| Text content CSV | One text block | Short/long/contents plus review quotes and other types |
| Related products CSV | One related ISBN | The other ISBN does not have to be in the catalogue |
| Subjects CSV | One non-Thema subject | Thema stays on the book file |
| Contributors CSV | Extra people | Beyond the author / illustrator / translator / editor slots on the book row |
| Awards CSV | One prize | Blank prize name removes every award on that book |
| Promo CSV | One event | Blank event name removes every event on that book |
| Sales rights CSV | One sales right | Countries that share terms stay in one list (ZA ZW) |
| Stock CSV | One ISBN + market | Different file. Re-import from Supply, not as an OnixFeed extra CSV |
Import extra files the same way (Import ONIX). OnixFeed picks the sheet type from the headers.
Rules that save time
- Keep header names exactly as exported. Do not rename
isbn_13to ISBN. - If you leave a column out, the current value stays. If the column is there and the cell is empty, that value is cleared.
- Duplicate ISBN in one file: last row wins (you will see a warning).
- Empty ISBN: that row is skipped.
- Invalid codes are not stored as-is; the rest of the row can still import.
publishermust match an imprint on this install.
Sectioned import on a book CSV does not replace the book record. It updates only the sections you tick, and only columns that exist in the file. Extra CSVs are always updates.
BDS sheets (import only)
Older 79-column BDS / PASA-style files (headers such as ctitle and za_vat_price) still import. OnixFeed maps them into this standard. Export never writes BDS headers.
If you still use that layout, keep those header names. Prefer OnixFeed CSV for new work.
What this is not
| File | Use instead |
|---|---|
| Partner ONIX XML | ONIX Feeds → Outbound or Export catalogue ONIX XML |
| Woo shop products | Store collections Woo channel |
| Shopify | Shop Connector |
| Stock-only refresh | Supply Import Stock CSV |
| Browse a file as cards | XML Viewer (XML, not CSV) |