Getting Started with 42feeds - General Documentation
Here's comprehensive seed information for your documentation tool covering the core 42feeds workflow:
What is 42feeds?
42feeds is a feed management and optimization platform that helps e-commerce merchants import, transform, and export product feeds for advertising channels like Google Shopping, Meta, and more. (Unsure if you need one? Read our guide). To learn more about the mechanics of feed delivery, see our guide on how product feeds actually work. For help with common disapprovals, see our Google Merchant Center feed errors guide.
Core Workflow
The 42feeds workflow follows three main steps:
1. Import → 2. Transform → 3. Export
Step 1: Import Your Feed
Supported Import Methods
| Method | Best For |
|---|---|
| File Upload | CSV files from your local computer |
| URL Import | Feeds hosted on a web server (auto-refresh capable) |
| Google Sheets | Collaborative feeds managed in spreadsheets |
How to Import
- Navigate to the Import page
- Choose your import method
- Upload or paste your feed URL
- 42feeds automatically detects your columns
- Map your source fields to standard product fields
Field Mapping
During import, you'll map your feed's columns to standardized fields:
| Your Column | Maps To |
|---|---|
product_name | title |
product_url | link |
img_url | image_link |
cost | price |
Core Required Fields:
id- Unique product identifiertitle- Product namelink- Product page URLimage_link- Main product imageprice- Product price with currency
Step 2: Transform Your Feed
What Are Transformation Rules?
Rules let you modify, clean, and enhance your product data before export. Rules run in order and can:
- Modify values - Change text, prices, or other data
- Filter products - Include/exclude based on conditions
- Concatenate fields - Combine multiple fields into one
- Add URL parameters - Append tracking codes to links
- Set default values - Fill in missing data
Example Rules
| Rule Type | Example |
|---|---|
| Find & Replace | Replace "OUT OF STOCK" with "in stock" |
| Concatenate | Combine brand + title into a single field |
| Filter | Exclude products where price < 5 |
| URL Params | Add ?utm_source=google to all links |
Creating Rules
- Go to the Rules page
- Click Add Rule
- Select your action type
- Define conditions (optional)
- Save and preview changes
Step 3: Export Your Feed
Supported Channels
42feeds can export optimized feeds for:
- Google Shopping (Merchant Center)
- Meta (Facebook/Instagram)
- TikTok Shop
- Bing Shopping
- Custom CSV/XML formats
Export Options
| Format | Use Case |
|---|---|
| CSV | Most common, works with all channels |
| XML | Google Merchant Center, structured feeds |
| TSV | Tab-separated, some legacy systems |
Scheduling Exports
Set up automatic feed updates:
- Go to Schedule
- Choose your feed source URL
- Set refresh frequency (hourly, daily, weekly)
- 42feeds will automatically fetch and process updates
Dashboard & Monitoring
Feed Health Score
Your dashboard shows a Feed Health Score (0-100) based on:
- Completeness - Are all required fields filled?
- Validity - Are values in the correct format?
- Channel Readiness - Does it meet channel requirements?
Quality Alerts
Critical issues are surfaced automatically:
- Feed unreachable errors
- Missing required fields
- Health score drops
- Channel-specific blocking issues
Projects
What Are Projects?
Projects help you organize multiple feeds or brands. Each project has:
- Its own set of feeds
- Separate transformation rules
- Independent export configurations
- Unique field mappings
Switching Projects
Use the project selector in the sidebar to switch between projects.
Key Pages Reference
| Page | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Dashboard | Overview, health score, alerts |
| Import | Add new feeds |
| Items | Browse and inspect products |
| Rules | Create transformation rules |
| Templates | Channel-specific mappings |
| Exports | Download or copy feed URLs |
| Schedule | Automated import settings |
Quick Start Checklist
- ☐ Create your first project
- ☐ Import a product feed (file, URL, or Google Sheet)
- ☐ Map your columns to standard fields
- ☐ Review your Feed Health Score
- ☐ Fix any critical issues flagged
- ☐ Apply a channel template (e.g., Google Shopping)
- ☐ Export your optimized feed
- ☐ Set up scheduled imports (optional)
Tips for Success
- Start with your main feed - Import your primary product data first
- Fix critical issues first - Focus on required fields before optimization
- Use templates - Channel templates pre-configure field mappings
- Preview before export - Check the Items page to verify transformations
- Schedule regular updates - Keep your feeds fresh with automation using our product feed optimization checklist
Follow Along with Tutorials
For hands-on guidance, try our interactive tutorials:
- Import & Map Feed Tutorial - Learn to import product data and configure field mappings
- Search & Filter Items Tutorial - Master searching, filtering, and diagnosing items
- Transformation Rules Tutorial - Create and test data transformation rules with filters
- Custom CSV Export Tutorial - Build custom CSV exports with your own field structure
- Google Shopping Tutorial - Step-by-step walkthrough of setting up your first export
- Scheduled Import/Export Tutorial - Set up automated feed imports and exports with custom schedules
Need Help?
- Check the Diagnostics tab on the Items page for field-level issues
- Review the Feed Health Score breakdown for improvement areas
- Use Google Category Checker for proper categorization