Description
Navigate your WooCommerce data with the precision of a master mariner. Sextant Export & Import is the essential navigational tool for store owners who need to move order data, products, and customer records between vessels without losing their way.
Just as a traditional sextant allows a sailor to find their exact position by the stars, this plugin gives you total orientation over your store’s data. Whether you are migrating to a new “port” (website) or simply need to keep your “logbooks” (spreadsheets) updated, Sextant ensures a smooth voyage.
Key Features for a Smooth Voyage
- Precise Navigation: Export exactly what you need with granular filters—no more drifting in a sea of unnecessary data.
- Steady Course: Import data with confidence. Our mapping system ensures every piece of information lands exactly where it should.
- Lightweight Vessel: Built for speed and efficiency, ensuring your server’s performance stays on an even keel.
- Clear Horizon: A clean, intuitive interface that doesn’t require a captain’s license to operate.
Stop guessing your position and start exporting with professional accuracy. Set your course with Sextant Export & Import today.
Export
- All products exported to a clean .xlsx file — opens in Excel, LibreOffice, Google Sheets
- Simple and variable products supported — variants go on a separate sheet, linked to their parent
- Choose which fields to include: ID, SKU, name, prices, stock, categories, tags, images, permalink
- Filter by product type, status, or category before exporting
- Product count validation — compares raw database count against WooCommerce API count and warns if they differ
Import
- Upload the exported .xlsx file (or any file matching its column structure) to update products in bulk
- Choose which fields to import — only the columns you select will be updated
- Supported fields: SKU, product name, status, short description, full description, regular price, sale price, stock status, stock quantity, weight, categories, tags, and permalink (slug)
- Preview changes before committing — see exactly what will be updated
- Products are matched by WooCommerce ID — safe and unambiguous
Built for reliability
- Three-layer safety system — disengages automatically if something goes wrong, protecting your store from downtime
- Built-in error reporting — email a diagnostic report to the developer directly from your admin panel
- No Composer dependencies, no external libraries, no bloat
Part of the Sextant platform by Astraios.no
Know your position. Chart your course.
Installation
- Upload the plugin to
/wp-content/plugins/sextant-export, or install through the WordPress plugins screen. - Activate the plugin. WooCommerce must be installed and active.
- Go to WooCommerce Sextant Export to export your products.
- Edit the downloaded .xlsx file in Excel, LibreOffice, or Google Sheets.
- Go to WooCommerce Sextant Import to upload the edited file and apply your changes.
FAQ
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Does this work without WooCommerce?
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No. WooCommerce must be active. The plugin deactivates itself automatically if WooCommerce is not detected.
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What PHP version do I need?
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PHP 8.0 or higher. The plugin checks this at activation.
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My server doesn’t have ZipArchive. What do I do?
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ZipArchive is a standard PHP extension required to generate and read .xlsx files. Contact your hosting provider and ask them to enable the
zipPHP extension. -
The product count is lower than expected. Why?
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Another plugin may be filtering product visibility. The export page shows both the raw database count and the WooCommerce API count — a warning appears if they differ.
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Which fields can I update on import?
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SKU, product name, status, short description, full description, regular price, sale price, stock status, stock quantity, weight, categories, tags, and permalink. You choose which fields to apply — the rest are left untouched.
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Can I import a file I didn’t export with this plugin?
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The import requires at minimum an “ID” column matching WooCommerce product IDs, plus at least one supported field column. Files exported by Sextant Export already have the correct structure.
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Why does the plugin deactivate itself on errors?
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A plugin that throws unexpected errors can cause a white screen or critical error on your storefront. Self-deactivation keeps your store running.
Reviews
There are no reviews for this plugin.
Contributors & Developers
“Sextant Export & Import” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin.
Contributors
Translate “Sextant Export & Import” into your language.
Interested in development?
Browse the code, check out the SVN repository, or subscribe to the development log by RSS.
Changelog
2.0.0
- Added: Built-in import — upload an edited .xlsx file and update products directly from the admin panel
- Added: Field selection on import — choose exactly which columns to apply
- Added: Import preview — review all changes before committing
- Added: Support for importing SKU, name, status, descriptions, prices, stock, weight, categories, tags, and permalink
1.2.0
- Rebranded as Sextant Export — part of the Sextant platform by Astraios.no
- Added: Three-layer safety system with automatic self-deactivation
- Added: Built-in error log and email reporting
- Added: Product count validation with mismatch warning
- Fixed: HTML entities in category and tag names
- Fixed: Export via admin-post.php — prevents headers-already-sent issues
- Improved: Full i18n support
1.0.0
- Initial release