How to Check ShipStation Product CSV Updates Before Import

Start with a fresh baseline

Download a current catalog immediately before preparing your update. Keep the original export intact and create a working copy. A snapshot cannot show account changes made after it was downloaded, so coordinate with anyone else editing the catalog.

Select both files in the checker. Preserve SKU text when opening files in a spreadsheet: a removed leading zero cannot be reconstructed by the comparison. Review duplicate identifiers and case-only differences rather than assuming they refer to the same product. If your catalog exceeds the tool limits, split both files into matching SKU batches.

Review changes against your intention

Mark the fields you intended to edit. Start with the blank-risk filter, then inspect all other findings. A field marked intentional can still contain an accidental blank or a bad value; intention does not approve the contents.

Use the before and proposed columns to check values, identifiers and row references. Measurement and customs differences deserve operational review even when they are expected. Confirm units at the import mapping step, especially when the source file came from another platform. The checker performs no conversion between grams, ounces or dimension units.

A field missing from the baseline cannot be compared reliably. Refresh the export or inspect it in ShipStation. A missing column in the proposed file is listed separately from an explicit empty cell. Unknown headings require mapping; renaming a column should reflect its actual meaning, not simply make a warning disappear.

Keep a review record

Download the full change report and share it through your normal internal review process. The report contains product data, so store it with the same care as the catalog. Spreadsheet formula starters are escaped in diagnostic exports; the report is not designed for reimport.

Before applying a reviewed update, check the current account, importer mapping and overwrite setting. Keep a backup export and inspect the resulting products after import. If your baseline has become stale during review, compare again. The preview is evidence for your decision, not a guarantee that an import will succeed.

References

Use the linked specifications and product documentation to check behavior in your own environment.