Merchants have the ability to import sales directly into the AvantLink transaction database. Via a Batch Sale File, merchants can schedule these uploads to occur one time or on a recurring basis (i.e. daily, weekly, monthly).
Important Note: If you need to process a Batch Sale upload, you MUST first contact AvantLink Support (support@avantlink.com) in order for them to generate login credentials for an FTP server.
In this article, we will review:
- Why Batch Sale Imports Are Needed
- Setting up the Batch Sales File
- Uploading the Batch Sales File
- Optional Extensions
- Confirming the Batch Sales File Upload
- Items to Remember
WHEN TO SET UP BATCH SALES
There are many reasons why a merchant may need to import sales directly into the AvantLink database. Among them:
- Tracking Issues/Missed sales
- Custom integrations
- Sales generated from custom product orders
BATCH SALE FILE SET UP
The transaction information should be listed in an Excel spreadsheet and can be saved as comma delimited (.csv) or pipe delimited (.txt)
The sales file MUST include the following column headers exactly as shown:
- Merchant ID
- Affiliate Data or Website ID
- Transaction ID
- Sale Date
- Product ID/SKU
- Sale Item Amount
- Sale Item Quantity
Each column below is a required field.
Column value specifications:
Type Definitions:
- String type: text or special values
- Integer type: a number without a decimal point.
- Float type: a number with a decimal point.
File Naming Convention:
We can accept CSV (.csv) or pipe-delimited (.txt) files for batch processing. Please name your file to include the merchant ID, year, month, date, hour, minutes, seconds.
The exact format is listed below:
- Comma delimited (.csv): sales_[MERCHANT_ID]_yyyymmddhhiiss.txt
EX: sales_99999_20200130112700.csv - Pipe delimited (.txt): sales_[MERCHANT_ID]_yyyymmddhhiiss.txt
EX: sales_99999_20200130112700.txt
Batch Sale File Example
UPLOADING YOUR BATCH SALE FILE
For AvantLink to retrieve and process the batch sale file, you must upload the file via a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) software. Filezilla is a commonly used FTP software. Once downloaded, follow the steps below:
- Contact support@avantlink.com to ensure your file format is correct and to receive FTP log-in credentials.
- Upload the batch sales file via FTP software to batch.avantlink.com and place in the “sales” directory. See below.
The batch sale file is uploaded to our database nightly at around midnight.
OPTIONAL EXTENSIONS
If necessary, any or all of the following fields may also be appended to the batch sales file. Please contact support@avantlink.com before implementing these options for more details.
CONFIRMING FILE UPLOAD SUCCESS
Once the file has been created and imported to the sales folder, our system will import it within 24 hours and then delete the file. There are a few ways to ensure the file uploaded properly:
- Merchants will receive an automated email with the results of the file upload.
- Confirm using a number of features on the AvantLink dashboard, including Quick Stats, Trend Graph, or Top Affiliates Graph.
- Run a Sales Commission Detail Report and confirm that multiple sales have uploaded in close proximity to one another. Or within seconds of each other.
- Check your sales folder in FTP software. If the sales file is still in the folder the next day, please contact support@avantlink.com to ensure the FTP credentials are set up properly.
If the file is deleted from the sales folder but you're not seeing the sales in AvantLink reporting, it's most likely an issue with the data. Review the file to ensure everything is up to specifications and upload the file again.
ITEMS TO REMEMBER
- The batch sales file must match the EXACT specifications outlined above. Please review all data carefully before submitting.
- Due to the nature of the batch sale system, affiliates will not initially see any sales tracked until the file is uploaded. Make sure all of your affiliates are aware of this via the program terms or through written/verbal communication.
- Batch sales run at midnight. It may take up to 24 hours to see your sales appear in reporting.
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS
Any questions should be forwarded to support@avantlink.com.