CSV / XLSX File as a Channel
June 28, 2026
Summary
The CSV/XLSX File channel lets you manage listings and orders with flat files instead of a live API. You connect a file source for inbound data (FTP/SFTP, HTTP URL, email, Google Sheets, or manual upload) and, for jobs that generate a file, an outbound destination (S3 HTTP, email, or FTP). It supports Sync and Link Listings, Publish Listings, Get Orders, and Sync Orders; Import Listings is not supported.
What this integration does
Sync & Link Listings
Reads an inbound file and updates price, quantity and status on existing listings, linking rows by SKU
Publish Listings
Exports your listing data to a CSV/XLSX file and delivers it to an outbound destination
Get Orders
Imports order data - order, line items, billing and shipping - from an inbound CSV/XLSX file
Sync Orders
Exports order status and tracking to a CSV/XLSX file and sends it to an outbound destination
How to connect - credentials you need
In the Channel Wizard, click + Add Channel, choose CSV/XLSX File, name it, and select the processes you need (Sync & Link Listings, Publish Listings, Get Orders, Sync Orders). In the Connect Channel step, set up an inbound connection (and an outbound connection if you publish files), then click Test Connection → Save Connection.
Inbound ConnectionRequired
How Flxpoint receives your file. Choose FTP (Basic Auth), FTP (Token Based), Manual File upload, HTTP (a URL Flxpoint fetches on a schedule), Email (a Flxpoint inbox that retrieves attachments), or Google Sheets.
Each method needs its own details - FTP: server, username and password (or token); HTTP: the file URL; Email: the address Flxpoint generates; Google Sheets: a shared sheet link with the right permissions; Manual: upload the file in the Flxpoint UI.
Outbound ConnectionSetting
How Flxpoint sends the files it generates for Publish Listings and Sync Orders. Choose S3 HTTP File, Email, FTP (Basic Auth), or FTP (Token Based).
Only needed if you run an outbound job. Inbound-only setups (Sync & Link Listings, Get Orders) can skip this.
File FormatSetting
Whether the file is CSV or XLSX. CSV is the most widely compatible; use XLSX only when the other system requires Excel.
Set per integration in its Configure Settings step, along with Delimiter, Quote Character, File Has Headers, Number of Rows to Skip and (for XLSX) Sheet Index.
Run Test Connection on each connection before saving. If a test fails, re-check the FTP host/port and credentials (or the file URL), and confirm the file exists at the path you entered.
Important - read before configuring
Import Listings is not supported - use Sync & Link Listings
The CSV/XLSX channel cannot create new product records from a file. To bring file data into Flxpoint, use Sync & Link Listings, which updates price, quantity and status and links each row to an existing listing by SKU.
Order Number and SKU are required in every order file
Order Number and SKU must be mapped in both Get Orders and Sync Orders templates. If either is missing from a row or unmapped, that row fails. Confirm both are present in the file and explicitly mapped before running any order job.
File Actions run only after a successful Get Orders run
For FTP/SFTP connections, the Move, Delete and Append file actions execute only after Get Orders completes successfully - a failed run leaves the file in place. The FTP/SFTP user also needs write, move or delete permissions on the directory, or the file stays unprocessed and an error is logged.
Delimiter, headers and quote character must match your file
Misaligned or garbled data after import is almost always a wrong Delimiter (comma vs. pipe vs. tab), an incorrect Quote Character, or File Has Headers set incorrectly. If columns look shifted, check these three settings before investigating anything else.
Mapping - fields to know
| File Column | Maps To – Notes |
|---|---|
| SKU | → Listing SKU. Matches each file row to the correct Flxpoint listing - values must match your listings exactly. |
| Title | → Product Title. Updates the listing name. |
| Price | → Listing Price. Updates the selling price. |
| Quantity | → Available Quantity. Updates inventory available to sell. |
| System Field | Export Column – Notes |
|---|---|
| Product SKU | Column 0 - Required. Unique identifier for each exported row; without it the destination may reject the file or update the wrong listings. |
| Product Title | Column 1 - listing name in the destination. |
| Description | Column 2 - optional product details for marketplaces. |
| Image URL | Column 3 - optional image reference. |
| Product Price | Column 4 - pricing in the destination. |
| Inventory Quantity | Column 5 - stock levels in the destination. |
| File Field | Maps To – Notes |
|---|---|
| Order Number | → Order Number. Required. Uniquely identifies the order; an unmapped Order Number fails with Missing required field 'Order Number'. |
| SKU | → Item SKU (Order Line Item). Required. Identifies the product on each line. |
| Quantity | → Item Quantity. Recommended. Number of units ordered. |
| Ordered On | → Order Date. Recommended. Date the order was placed (e.g. 2025-06-01). |
| Shipping: Full Name / Address Line 1 / City / Postal Code / Country | → Shipping Address fields. Recommended so the order can ship. Address Line 2, First/Last Name, State, Phone, Email and Country Code are also available as optional fields. |
| Billing: Full Name / Address Line 1 / City / Postal Code / Country | → Billing Address fields. Same field set as shipping; map if the destination needs billing details. |
| Invoice Number / Subtotal / Tax Cost / Shipping Cost / Total | → Channel Invoice fields. Optional invoice totals and identifier. |
| Cost / Price / Title / Weight | → Order Line Item extras. Optional per-item cost, price, title and weight. |
| System Field | Export Column – Notes |
|---|---|
| Order Number | File Column 0 - Required. Uniquely identifies the order in the destination. |
| Order Status | File Column 1 - recommended. Current status of the order (e.g. Shipped). |
| Tracking Number | File Column 2 - recommended. Shipping tracking number. |
| Updated On | File Column 3 - optional. Date the order was last updated. |
| Note | File Column 4 - optional. Additional order notes. |
| SKU | File Column 5 - recommended. Product identifier on the line. |
| Quantity | File Column 6 - optional. Units on the line. Only fields you map are written to the file. |
Common issues
Data appears in the wrong columns or values are misaligned after import
This is almost always a Delimiter mismatch. Open the file in a plain-text editor, confirm whether values are separated by commas, pipes or tabs, and match that character in the delimiter setting. Also check the Quote Character if values contain commas wrapped in quotes - a wrong delimiter shifts every column because the parser splits on the wrong character.
Orders are not importing even though the file is accessible
Confirm both Order Number and SKU are mapped in the Get Orders template - missing either rejects the row. Verify File Has Headers is set correctly (if off when the file has a header row, the header is imported as an order), and that Number of Rows to Skip is not skipping real data.
File not found - Get Orders fails to retrieve the file
Confirm the file name in Flxpoint exactly matches the file on the server, including extension and case. If you use a date pattern like
orders_YYYYMMDD.csv, confirm today's file exists at that path with the same format. For FTP, run Test Connection to verify credentials. Retrieval failures pause the integration and trigger notifications - check the job logs for the specific error.File Action (Move/Delete) is not executing after a successful run
First confirm the File Action is actually configured under Get Orders → Configure Settings - by default it's set to Read, not off, so make sure it's set correctly based on the file action you expect. Then verify the FTP/SFTP user has write, move and delete permissions on both the source and archive folders, and that the archive folder already exists on the server - Flxpoint will not create it. Check the job logs for permission errors.
Publish Listings export is rejected or unreadable by the destination
Match every export setting to the destination's requirements: Delimiter, Include Headers in File (some systems require no header row), Quote Character (use Double Quote if values may contain commas), Line Separator (try CRLF for Windows destinations), and File Format (CSV vs. XLSX). If the destination provided a sample or template file, use it as the reference.
Sync Listings runs but no changes appear in Flxpoint
Usually a stale/unchanged file or a SKU mismatch. Confirm you are using the latest file (on FTP, that it was actually updated on the server), that SKU is mapped in your template, and that the file's SKU values exactly match the SKUs on your Flxpoint listings so rows can link.
FAQs
What inbound and outbound connection types are available?▸
Inbound (files coming into Flxpoint): FTP Basic Auth, FTP Token, Manual File Upload, HTTP URL (Flxpoint fetches from a URL on a schedule), Email (Flxpoint retrieves attachments from a configured inbox), and Google Sheets. Outbound (files Flxpoint sends): S3 HTTP, Email, FTP Basic Auth, and FTP Token. Each type has its own credentials and is configured separately for inbound and outbound.
My XLSX file has multiple sheets - how do I choose which one to read?▸
Use the Sheet Index setting. It is zero-based, so the first tab is
0, the second 1, the third 2, and so on. This applies to inbound jobs (Get Orders, Sync Listings) and outbound jobs (Publish Listings, Sync Orders). If you are reading the wrong tab, confirm the index matches your data's tab position.My file has blank or comment rows before the data - how do I skip them?▸
Use the Number of Rows to Skip setting, set to the number of rows before your data begins. For example, if your headers are on row 5, set it to
4 to skip rows 1-4. Combine it with File Has Headers so the first non-skipped row is read as column names rather than data.Can I use a file name that changes daily (e.g. includes today's date)?▸
Yes - use the File Name Date Format setting alongside the File Name field. Enter the static part of the name and use date placeholders where the date appears, for example
orders_YYYYMMDD.csv. Flxpoint substitutes the current date when fetching or generating the file. This is available on both inbound and outbound connections.What happens to the source file after Get Orders processes it over FTP?▸
By default the file stays in place - nothing happens unless you configure a File Action under Get Orders → Configure Settings: Move (archive it to another folder), Delete (remove it from the server), or Append. Move is the most common choice because it prevents the same file from being re-imported on the next run. The action only executes on a successful job completion.