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This thread is resolved. Here is a description of the problem and solution.

To import multilingual variable products with WP All Import and WPML, you need to start with adding a Unique Identifier column to your spreadsheets. This allows WPML All Import to link your variable products with their translations. It is important that you use an ID number, not the SKU or other custom fields.

Next, you should import any taxonomies, including variable attributes, to your site. After this you can import the multilingual variable products.

You can see a step-by-step guide on the page about importing variable products in multiple languages.

This is the technical support forum for WPML - the multilingual WordPress plugin.

Everyone can read, but only WPML clients can post here. WPML team is replying on the forum 6 days per week, 22 hours per day.

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This topic contains 31 replies, has 2 voices.

Last updated by Laura 4 years ago.

Assisted by: Laura.

Author Posts
October 14, 2019 at 9:10 am

jaakI

Import variable products using WP Import All, Woocommerce Add-on and WP All Import Multilingual.

Import to main language (Estonian) works correctly:

hidden link - Estonia lang - all variations are imported correctly. I have run an import template 3 times to mimic updates. (wp import all pro and Woocommerce add-on are beta versions because of the flaw in the previous version).

Import to the second language (English):

Then ran English lang import template the 1st time all is correct:
hidden link - English lang - all 3 variations are imported, all custom fields are correctly populated

Then ran English lang import template second time:

hidden link - For variation 50g in the example import two new variation product_id's were created, The original product variation for 50g disappeared.

October 14, 2019 at 2:44 pm
October 14, 2019 at 3:50 pm #4751735

Laura
Supporter

Languages: English (English ) Italian (Italiano )

Timezone: Europe/Rome (GMT+01:00)

Hi,

I understand you have this test site, but if there is a compatibility issue we need to test in a fresh installation.

Could you see if you can reproduce the issue here? hidden link

October 15, 2019 at 7:35 am #4755009

jaakI

Hello Laura,

I reproduce my import on a sandbox you kindly have provided. The issue then import generating additional variations while importing the second language is still in place (hidden link)

October 15, 2019 at 11:06 am #4756475

Laura
Supporter

Languages: English (English ) Italian (Italiano )

Timezone: Europe/Rome (GMT+01:00)

Hi,

I can see the issue. I see also you are using the SKU as unique identifier. We suggest using a completely new column for this value, not an existing one because it can lead to errors.

Could you try to add another column, give it a value for each variation and see if in this was you still have the issue?

October 15, 2019 at 11:34 am #4756653

jaakI

Hello,

I read your suggestion and have made changes in the import template. I'm using field "product_id" in the import file (ERP system ID which in live import will populate one custom field, but here in sandbox test installation have not any use. And this field value is common for both languages).
Unfortunately running import with a new unique identifier made no difference. The second run of the second lang creates additional variation.

October 16, 2019 at 11:38 am #4765235

Laura
Supporter

Languages: English (English ) Italian (Italiano )

Timezone: Europe/Rome (GMT+01:00)

Hi,

thanks for the additional testing. The ticket is now escalated to the 2nd tier, I'll let you have news as soon as possible.

October 17, 2019 at 6:37 am #4770401

jaakI

Hello,

As remark about your concerns, then SKU was used as common connector between translations. Often the product file will come as is (what fields are included in file) and I can't change that. Therefore if SKU is the only possible common connector between langs then importing translations have to work in the same way as with separated connector.

October 17, 2019 at 8:48 am #4771321

Laura
Supporter

Languages: English (English ) Italian (Italiano )

Timezone: Europe/Rome (GMT+01:00)

Hi,

the person behind WPML All Import is checking this and he asked for a screencast of the whole process (both imports and update). Could this be possible?

October 18, 2019 at 7:07 am #4778879

jaakI

Hello,
I created the screencast: hidden link
I hope that now you have all the required information.

October 18, 2019 at 2:09 pm #4783155

Laura
Supporter

Languages: English (English ) Italian (Italiano )

Timezone: Europe/Rome (GMT+01:00)

Hi,

thanks for the video, I sent everything to the 2nd tier and I'll update here as soon as I have news.

October 25, 2019 at 2:22 pm #4827537

Laura
Supporter

Languages: English (English ) Italian (Italiano )

Timezone: Europe/Rome (GMT+01:00)

Hi,

we watched your video, but you are running the import from a file that is already on your site, so it's not possible to establish if there is an incorrect workflow.

Also, I have some other observations:

-- this duplicated variation might be here because we see variation with status pending and created news ones during the second import. This might happen because you started editing the translation with the Classic Translation Editor then switched to the default WordPress interface

-- you started second import while being on Eesti admin screen and after clicking "run import" language changed to English (because in second tab you changed language). this might be causing issues.

-- on the beginning of the process you deleted products with some custom plugin and we don't know if this plugin deleted all products (in both languages) and associated with the metadata

Would it be possible to have a video with the full process from scratch?

October 28, 2019 at 7:00 am #4836359

jaakI

Hello,

I will try to follow your suggestions and create new screencasts.

I understand that software development is a complex process.

1. What settings do you suggest to change in the import template and/or WPML (and are there some questionable settings in my template/WPML) to avoid possible problems from your first point?
2. How that is relevant at all? The import process has to take parameters from the template and the admin screen lang should not have any impact on the import process and if that has the impact then the software should be able to deal with that.
3. In the new demo, I will use only Woocommerce product delete options.

October 28, 2019 at 11:30 am #4838853

Laura
Supporter

Languages: English (English ) Italian (Italiano )

Timezone: Europe/Rome (GMT+01:00)

Hi,

Thanks for your understanding. WPML All Import is a quite complex plugin and it's difficult to spot issues.

1. From what I saw the template seems fine. Once you show us the full process we'll be able to provide more suggestions if there is the need to change something.
2. The language admin shouldn't matter but if you change the language while importing this might create an issue, for example, because WPMLAI doesn't detect the language to import to correctly.

November 4, 2019 at 8:42 am #4878563

jaakI

Hello,
Sorry for the late response!
I've made a new video with the same results as previous: hidden link
I will shortly make an attempt to import products with cron. This will eliminate all possible problems from the backend languages.

The main difference was that I've imported products in pairs Est-Eng and did that three times. Previously I've run the import 3 times for Est lang and then three times for Eng

My process:
sandbox (hidden link) have been created with WP All Import supported one: hidden link
Added WPML support
Install WPML
Run setup
Registering WPML
Installing other plugins from Add Plugins -> Commercial tab (Translation Management, String Translation, WooCommerce Multilingual, WP All Import Multilingual)
All other plugins installed and activated quickly but WP All Import Multilingual install fails. I have selected the installing page again, selecting WP All Import Multilingual plugin with successful installing and activating.
Woocommerce Multilingual setup
WP All Import setup
WP All Import - Settings->Import templates
Import templates from previous test site: test.pipar.ee
Files to import hidden link, hidden link
Customize template - remove custom fields import
Product unique indetifier is SKU

This ticket is now closed. If you're a WPML client and need related help, please open a new support ticket.