Choose an export format by asking who receives the data and what they will do with it. Manual catalog review and software integration may need different representations of the same records.
Akmelo supports CSV, JSON, and XML. A file extension alone does not guarantee that a particular system can import it. Field names, structure, encoding, and the recipient's requirements matter too. Find those requirements before setting up a large export.
CSV: a table
CSV suits a flat dataset: one record per row and one field per column. It works well for reviewing prices and stock in a spreadsheet or importing a known set of columns.
Check delimiter and encoding. A file appearing as one long column often points to import settings, not missing data. Test SKUs with leading zeroes separately: spreadsheet software may interpret them as numbers.
CSV is less convenient for nested objects. In Akmelo, a nested field path becomes a column name, and array values are joined inside one cell. If the recipient needs a real array, consider another format.
JSON: structured records
A JSON product can contain nested attributes and arrays, such as multiple images. This suits software that reads objects and arrays. Agree on key names and value types in advance.
Akmelo export mapping defines nesting. Inspect a preview before integrating: verify both the values and their location. If the recipient expects price on a product, product.price will not work automatically.
XML: a recipient requirement
Choose XML when the receiving system specifies it. Tag names, root element, and data placement matter. Akmelo lets you configure root and record tags, but that alone cannot promise compatibility with every XML importer.
Ask for an accepted sample file. Compare it with the preview and test a small export. A recipient with a particular schema must be checked against that schema.
All three formats begin with clear fields and missing-value rules. The pre-export data checklist covers these. Keep a successful sample file to spot unexpected structural changes later.
