1. Extract product rows
Catalog Intake reads supplier files and prepares product groups, variants, identifiers, pricing evidence, images, and tags.
Draft product creation from supplier files
Create Shopify draft products from supplier files
Catalog Intake lets you turn supplier PDFs, invoices, packing slips, CSVs, Excel files, and product photos into draft Shopify products so products, variants, images, tags, prices, barcodes, and inventory can be reviewed before they reach your storefront.
Workflow
What can be prepared
Supplier files usually mix product facts, purchasing information, and missing fields. Catalog Intake prepares review-ready Shopify decisions.
2. Clean and approve the batch
Merchants review uncertain rows, fix missing data, confirm image matches, and approve the draft product plan.
3. Create reviewed drafts
Approved new products can be created as Shopify drafts so the merchant can continue merchandising before publishing.
Example
Draft product example
A supplier spreadsheet with three color variants can become one draft Shopify product with variant options, SKUs, barcodes, suggested images, tags, product type, and received inventory. Existing barcode matches can be treated as inventory updates instead of duplicate drafts.
Proof
Confirm draft products before creation
Draft creation keeps the supplier import workflow productive without bypassing merchant review.
Approve rows before push
Pending rows become approved rows only after the merchant reviews product groups, identifiers, images, quantities, and warnings.
Confirm push readiness
The push readiness view summarizes draft products, existing products, inventory updates, variants, images, and blocked rows.
Safeguards
Safeguards
Draft products are safer because they give merchants another review point before storefront publication.
- Draft product creation is review-first.
- Retail price should come from retail, MSRP, MAP, or selling-price evidence, not invoice cost alone.
- Existing barcode matches can update inventory instead of creating duplicate products.
- Rows with missing identifiers, unclear variants, or uncertain images can be held for cleanup.
- Publishing active products should remain an intentional merchant setting.
Related pages
Keep the supplier import workflow connected
FAQ
Common questions
Does Catalog Intake create draft Shopify products?
Yes. Approved new product rows can be pushed as Shopify drafts so merchants can review and finish merchandising before publishing.
Can existing products be updated instead of creating drafts?
Yes. If a supplier row matches an existing Shopify variant by barcode or another strong identifier, it can update inventory instead of creating a duplicate draft.
Are prices reviewed before draft creation?
Yes. Merchants review prices and warnings before push. Invoice cost is not treated as retail price unless retail evidence is clear.
Create reviewed draft products from your next supplier file
Upload the file, review the prepared Shopify data, and create only the draft products that are ready for your catalog.