Certain store data like products and customers can be exported in bulk as a comma-separated values, or CSV, file. CSV files allow you to save data in a table-structured format, and can be used with any spreadsheet program, such as Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets. This makes it very easy to edit data in bulk, and to transfer your data to and from different sources.
When exporting data from a BigCommerce store, the selected export template dictates which data fields are included in the CSV file and how they are formatted. There are built-in templates available for data export, such as the Bulk Edit template, but you can also create a custom template to suit your needs.
In this chapter, we’ll be showing you how to customize an export template for migrating data from one BigCommerce store to another. For more information on configuring export templates, see Exporting Products.
Customizing Your Template
The steps below can be used to create an export template for any data type, but specific instructions for products, customers, and 301 Redirects can be found in their respective chapters.
1. In the source store's control panel, go to Settings › Export templates and click the Create an Export Template… button.
2. Give the template a name to indicate what you will use it for, such as Transfer Products.
3. Select the data type relevant to what you’re exporting.
4. Select the fields you want to include in the export. There may be certain fields that need to be excluded in order to transfer new data into your destination store, such as Product ID. See the following chapters of this guide for recommendations based on the type of data you are exporting.
