Title: Second CSV Import Overwriting Attributes
Last modified: January 22, 2019

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# Second CSV Import Overwriting Attributes

 *  Resolved [sarahpeach](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sarahpeach/)
 * (@sarahpeach)
 * [7 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/second-csv-import-overwriting-attributes/)
 * I imported some products using the WooCommerce Import tool under “Products”.
 * I originally imported the products as “simple” with some Attributes eg. Brand,
   Shape etc. This was successful. For each attribute I used the columns “Attribute
   1 name”, “Attribute 1 value(s)”, “Attribute 1 visible”, “Attribute 1 global”,“
   Attribute 2 name, …” etc… There were 5 attributes in total.
 * I then tried a second import to switch the product to variable and add some variations.
   My problem is with the attributes.
 * I entered Type, SKU and Parent in the new CSV, along with the two new attributes
   I wanted to import to use for variations (eg. Power and Color). For these I used
   the columns “Attribute 7 name, Attribute 7 value(s), Attribute 7 default, Attribute
   7 visible, Attribute 7 global…” etc, and again with Attribute 8.
 * The import was successful, with the two new attributes being added and the variations
   working. But the 5 original attributes have disappeared.
    I tried again calling
   them Attribute 99 and Attribute 100, same problem.
 * Is this expected behaviour? Is there not a way to import new attributes without
   overwriting the old ones?
 * Thanks in advance.
    -  This topic was modified 7 years, 3 months ago by [sarahpeach](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sarahpeach/).

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

 *  Thread Starter [sarahpeach](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sarahpeach/)
 * (@sarahpeach)
 * [7 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/second-csv-import-overwriting-attributes/#post-11116122)
 * Sorry, forgot to say I am on WordPress 5.0.3 and WooCommerce 3.5.3.
 *  Plugin Support [Fernando a11n](https://wordpress.org/support/users/fhaps/)
 * (@fhaps)
 * Automattic Happiness Engineer
 * [7 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/second-csv-import-overwriting-attributes/#post-11138274)
 * Hi [@sarahpeach](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sarahpeach/),
 * In the second import that you did – did you include the original attribute columns?(“
   Attribute 1 name”, “Attribute 1 value(s)”, “Attribute 1 visible”, “Attribute 
   1 global”, “Attribute 2 name, …”)
 * If you are overwriting data (updating) via a CSV import, you need to include 
   all the information that you want the product to include. If you delete certain
   columns, even if you name the attributes differently (Attribute 7, 8, etc.), 
   the original ones will be removed.
 * So, the right way to update the products is by exporting a CSV file of the products
   as they are – and then adding new information to this file. Any information that
   is removed from the file will also be removed from the actual product once you
   update it via an import.
 * Hopefully this helps clarify!
 *  Plugin Support [Fernando a11n](https://wordpress.org/support/users/fhaps/)
 * (@fhaps)
 * Automattic Happiness Engineer
 * [7 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/second-csv-import-overwriting-attributes/#post-11153390)
 * We haven’t heard back from you in a while, so I’m going to mark this as resolved–
   if you have any further questions, you can start a new thread.

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

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## Tags

 * [csv](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/csv/)
 * [Import](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/import/)

 * 3 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [Fernando a11n](https://wordpress.org/support/users/fhaps/)
 * Last activity: [7 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/second-csv-import-overwriting-attributes/#post-11153390)
 * Status: resolved