Import your first catalog and keep it synchronized

Prerequisites

Choose the source system and prepare stable product external IDs and variant SKUs. You need product write access and an integration implementer for ongoing external updates.

End-to-end exercise

1. Export one product with two variants from your source into the external import format.
2. Import through Products → Import. Inspect every failure in the report.
3. Open the product and compare names, source, variant identifiers, currency, price, and stock with the source export.
4. Configure the source integration's update path and credentials. Do not treat bootstrap as a scheduled synchronization.
5. Change one test variant's stock or price at the source. Deliver the update and inspect its result.
6. Reopen the variant in AI Node and verify the changed value. Ask a product question and compare the answer.
7. Load the remaining catalog only after the small test succeeds. Monitor sync errors during the first full update.

Expected result and recovery

Imported records retain their external ownership and ongoing updates reach the correct variant. For failures check source IDs, SKU, contract, credentials, and sync logs; do not create a native duplicate to hide a failed update.