How can I automate catalogue production from Excel?

1. Think about how you want your spreadsheet data to translate into a catalog. For example, Column A might contain the product SKUs; Column B has the product names; Column C has the product's image name, and so on. You will map those columns to fields in the CatBase database. (If you need a refresher on database tables and fields, please see the Database 101 Tutorial.)

2. You might like to review the Step-by-Step Guide to setting up a new database project.

3. Set up your database with one or more tables. If your products are quite simple - eg there is just one version of each product - then you may only need one table. But if your products are more complex - eg if they have a number of variations such as different colours or sizes - you will need two or more related tables: let's say one table named Products and one table named Variations. These two tables are related.

4. Set up Import Styles to import your spreadsheet into CatBase. See the Importing Data Tutorial for an overview of how to set up an Import Style, and the Excel Importing tutorial for more specific info. 

5. Import the data!

6. Set up a Publishing Stylesheet. This is what tells CatBase exactly how you want your catalog to look: What details to include for each product, how to organise it (Sort the products into Categories?), what images to include and how to format them (what size to draw them, whether they have frames, etc.), how to style the text, and much more. See the Publishing Stylesheet Tutorial for detailed instructions.

7. You can optionally set up a Publishing Project. This brings together various aspects of producing your catalogue, such as which set of products to publish (all of them, or a certain selection, for example),  and other options. Once set up, it provides a one-click solution to publishing a new or updated catalog. If you are going to publish directly to PDF or Microsoft Word, you can add sections such as a cover page, introductory pages, and an index. Find out more about Publishing Projects.

8. Create your catalog! Either select the products you want to publish and click the Publish button, or go to a Publishing Project and click the Publish Now button.

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