When you reimport data into Sales Layer, the system uses the reference field to decide whether it should create a new item or update an existing one.

This applies across the main tables, such as products, variants, and categories. To update an existing item, include its reference column together with the field or fields you want to change.

For example:

• to update a product, include Product Reference
• to update a variant, include Variant Reference
• to update a category, include Category Reference

If the reference already exists in Sales Layer, the platform updates that item instead of creating a new one.

Reference values should always be consistent across imports. Sales Layer treats text as case-sensitive, so a reference written with different uppercase or lowercase characters can be treated as a different value.

This is one of the most important checks before reimporting data, especially when the file comes from different sources or has been edited manually.

Only import the columns you need to change

You do not need to reimport the full item every time. In most cases, it is enough to import the reference column and only the fields you want to update.

This makes reimports safer and easier to control because you are only touching the data you actually want to modify.

For example, if you only need to update product names, you can import:

• Product Reference
• Product Name

To reimport data, follow the same process as a normal manual import. Go to the table you want to update, click Import, and choose the import method you want to use, such as Excel, CSV, or XML where applicable.

Sales Layer will then map the incoming columns to the existing fields, just as it does on a first import.

Review field mapping before confirming the reimport

Before finishing the reimport, review how Sales Layer has mapped the incoming columns.

At this stage, you can still:

• assign a column to a different existing field
• create a new field if needed
• change the field title
• change the field type
• discard a column you do not want to import

Sales Layer remembers the mapping you confirm, which helps make future reimports faster and more consistent.

If the same reference appears more than once in the same Excel file, Sales Layer imports the first occurrence and ignores the others.

Because of this, it is a good idea to check your spreadsheet for duplicate references before importing. This helps avoid confusion when expected updates do not appear in the final result.

Use operators carefully for multi-value fields

Some fields can hold more than one value, such as category references, images, files, related items, tags, or list fields with multi-selection enabled.

When updating these fields, you can use special operators to avoid replacing everything in the field.

Use ++ to add values

Add ++ before the new value when you want to append information without deleting what is already there.

This is useful, for example, when a product already has images linked and you want to add one more image without overwriting the existing ones.

Use -- to remove specific values

Add -- before a value when you want to remove that specific value from a supported multi-value field.

This allows you to clean up individual entries without replacing the whole field.

These operators should only be used in fields that support this behavior.

Understand the reimport options

When you reimport data, Sales Layer may show extra options at the bottom of the import window. These options help you control how the update is applied.

New items will be saved as draft

If your file includes references that do not already exist and you allow those new items to be created, this option makes them enter Sales Layer in draft status instead of visible status.

Force import in locked fields

If some fields are locked, Sales Layer normally leaves them unchanged during the reimport. If you select this option, the imported values will also update those locked fields.

This is especially relevant when locked fields are being protected from unwanted edits.

The updated items that are visible will be changed to draft status

If selected, visible items that are updated through the reimport will move to draft status after the update. This can be helpful when changes need to be reviewed before becoming visible again.

Modify only existing items

This option is one of the safest settings for reimports. If your file includes new references by mistake, Sales Layer will ignore them and update only items that already exist.

Use this option when you want to be sure that the reimport does not create new items accidentally.

Reimport links from existing files

This option reprocesses the images included in the Excel or CSV file as if they were new, while keeping the links to the items that were already connected to them.

It is useful when you need to refresh file or image imports without breaking existing item associations.

Generate backup

If there is no recent backup, Sales Layer may offer the option to generate one before completing the import.

This gives you an extra safety layer before applying a large update.

Common use cases

• Update one or two fields across many existing products without reimporting the full catalog
• Refresh images or files while preserving existing links
• Append values to multi-value fields using ++
• Remove selected values from supported fields using --
• Prevent accidental item creation by enabling Modify only existing items
• Move updated visible items into draft for review before publishing

Best practices

Before reimporting, always check that your references are clean, unique, and written consistently. Import only the columns you really want to change, review the field mapping before confirming, and use Modify only existing items when you want the safest possible update. For larger changes, generate a backup first so you have a recovery point if needed.