FAQ: Importing bundles using CSV (troubleshooting)

This guide covers the most common questions and issues merchants run into when importing bundles using a CSV file in Simple Bundles, plus a pre-import checklist to catch errors before you click Import. Need help creating your CSV in the first place? Check out our bulk import guide for step-by-step instructions.

Quick Start: 3-step validation

Before uploading, confirm:

1. File is saved as .csv (not .xlsx, .xls, .numbers, or .ods)
2. Column headers match exactly (see Required Columns below)
3. All SKUs/IDs exist in Shopify and match exactly

If all three check out, you're likely ready to import. Use the detailed checklist further down for a thorough review, especially before a large import.

Detailed pre-import checklist

File format & structure

• File extension is .csv (not .xlsx, .xls, .numbers, or .ods)
• File saved as CSV UTF-8 if using special characters (e.g., accented letters)
• Column headers are in Row 1, with data starting in Row 2

How to verify: right-click your file → Properties/Get Info to check the extension, or open it in Notepad/TextEdit to see the raw format.

Column headers

• Headers match exactly (case-sensitive, with underscores), no typos or extra spaces
• At least one bundle identifier column (bundle_variant_sku    or bundle_variant_id   )
• At least one item identifier column (bundle_item_variant_sku    or bundle_item_variant_id   )

SKU/ID accuracy

• All bundle and component SKUs/IDs exist in Shopify and match exactly, no extra spaces or typos
• For Excel users: ID columns are formatted as Number with 0 decimal places, and don't display in scientific notation (e.g., 1.23E+15)

Common issues to check

• No commas inside your data unless the field is wrapped in quotes
• No line breaks inside cells
• Bundle and component products already exist in Shopify and aren't archived
• Products have variants matching the SKUs/IDs you're using

What happens during import

When you upload your CSV:

1. Simple Bundles validates your data and matches SKUs or variant IDs with Shopify.
2. If everything checks out, bundles are created or updated.
3. If any rows fail, you’ll get an email notification listing the specific errors and the reason for failure.

Test before a full import

For larger imports, it's worth creating a small test file with just 1 to 2 bundles first, confirming it imports without errors, and checking that the bundle and its components appear correctly in the app. This catches formatting issues early, is easier to troubleshoot with less data, and saves you from redoing a large import.

Common import errors and quick fixes

FAQ

1. I’m getting an error when I try to upload my CSV file. What should I do?

If you are using Microsoft Excel, this usually happens when the file contains special characters (like accented letters) or uses incorrect encoding.

To fix this:

1. In Excel, go to File → Save As → Browse.
2. Under Save as type, select CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited) (*.csv).

3. Click Save, then re-upload the file in the app.

   If you’re still seeing issues, double-check that column names haven’t been changed from the sample template. Even a small difference in spacing or capitalization can cause upload errors.

2. Which columns are mandatory in the CSV import file? Are all of them required?

Not all columns are required, but a few are essential for the import to work. At a minimum, you’ll need to include the following:

The following columns are optional, but can be included to add more flexibility and control over your bundle setup:

3. Can I use variant IDs instead of SKUs?

Yes. The sample CSV only includes the SKU columns, but you can use Shopify variant IDs in two ways:

• Put the variant ID in the SKU column (bundle_variant_sku  or bundle_item_variant_sku ). These columns accept either a SKU or a variant ID.
• Or add bundle_variant_id  and bundle_item_variant_id  columns.

If a row has both, the SKU column is used and the ID column is ignored. The ID column is only read when the SKU cell is empty. So if you switch a row to a new variant ID, clear the old SKU from that row too.

Variant IDs are useful when SKUs aren't unique or consistent in your store.

4. Can I use Excel formulas to help fill in SKUs or variant IDs automatically?

Yes! You can use XLOOKUP formulas in Excel to automatically pull SKUs or variant IDs from another sheet, a big time-saver when managing multiple bundles.Example: if you’ve exported product data into a sheet named Sheet2:

• For bundle SKUs or variant IDs:

=XLOOKUP(@B:B, Sheet2!A:A, Sheet2!C:C, "") 

• For bundle item SKUs or variant IDs:

=XLOOKUP(@M:M, Sheet2!A:A, Sheet2!C:C, "") 

This helps quickly populate IDs across bundles while avoiding manual copy-paste errors.

5. My SKUs are correct, but I still get an error saying they’re not recognized. What can I try next?

If your SKUs look correct, but the app doesn’t recognize them. Here's how you can troubleshoot.

• Make sure each product exists in Shopify.
• Check your CSV formatting against the bulk importing guide.
• Try using variant IDs instead of SKUs — especially if duplicate SKUs exist.
• Confirm products aren’t archived or set as draft in Shopify.
• Try re-uploading the same file — sometimes, a second attempt resolves the issue.

6. Why do some rows fail to import while others succeed?

This can happen if:

• A product in one of the rows doesn’t exist in Shopify.
• The SKU or ID doesn’t match any active variant.
• The CSV contains extra spaces or hidden formatting in cells.

Check your import email notification for specific failed rows.

7. Can I use Google Sheets instead of Excel for my CSV imports?

Yes, and in fact, we highly recommend it!

Google Sheets is often more reliable for preparing your import files because it automatically handles UTF-8 encoding and reduces the risk of hidden formatting errors that can cause upload issues in Excel.

8. Can I swap or replace products in an existing bundle with CSV?

Yes! If you make changes to your bundle configuration, simply re-upload the same CSV file.

Simple Bundles will update existing bundles instead of creating duplicates.

Yes. The import replaces the full list of components for each bundle in your file, so to swap a product, change that row's bundle_item_variant_sku  to the new product and keep the rows for every other component. Bundles that aren't in your file are left untouched, so you can safely import a single test bundle.

Just make sure:

• bundle_variant_sku or bundle_handle values stay the same.
• All existing products in the bundle are included — otherwise, the missing ones will be removed.

9. How can I verify that my CSV imported successfully?

After the upload:

1. Go to Simple Bundles → Bundles list.
2. Check that your newly imported bundles appear there.
3. Click a bundle to open it and confirm the correct SKUs, quantities, and titles.

If you see a blank field or missing items, re-open your CSV to make sure the product references match your Shopify data exactly.

10. How will I know when my import finishes?

• Small imports usually complete within few minutes.
• Processing large imports (hundreds or thousands of bundles) may take longer than usual.
• You’ll receive an email notification once the import finishes (whether successful or not).

11.What should I do if my CSV file shows truncated values when opened in Excel?

• If your CSV values appear truncated in Excel, you can fix this by formatting the ID columns before saving. Open the file in Excel, highlight the affected columns, right-click and select Format Cells, choose Number, set the decimal places to 0, then save the file. This will help preserve the full Shopify variant IDs during import. Alternatively, use Google Sheets.

12. My CSV file is too large to import

Bundle imports are capped at 5 MB. If you're exporting bundles from the app to edit and re-import, the export includes several extra columns that are useful for review but aren't actually read by the importer, such as product titles, prices, inventory counts, and status. On stores with many bundles or large variant sets, these extra columns can push your file over the limit.

To keep your file size manageable, trim the export down to only the columns the importer actually uses:

• bundle_variant_sku     (or bundle_variant_id    )
• bundle_item_variant_sku     (or bundle_item_variant_id    )
• bundle_item_quantity    
• infinite_option_names     and infinite_option_values     (Infinite Options bundles only)
• bundle_type    , sync_price    , and bundle_discount_percentage     (only if you want these set)

Every other column from the export can be safely removed. Trimming your file this way can reduce its size by roughly 50%, giving you plenty of headroom under the 5 MB limit, even on stores with thousands of bundle variants.

13. Does importing make my bundles active?

No. The import doesn't change product status. Each bundle keeps the status its product has in Shopify (active, draft, or unlisted). The status column in an export is for reference only, so changing it in the CSV won't change anything. To publish or hide a bundle, change the product status in Shopify. See the note under Bulk edit existing bundles.

Still stuck?

No worries. We’re happy to help!

Contact our support team → and include your CSV file so we can review it with you.