Site Import/Export

The site.xsd schema file describes the structure of data that is exported from an instance to a zip file, or imported from a .zip file. The site.xsd file describes all site-related data and global, non-site-related data (that is, organization-level data, such as shipping methods).

Note: Don't use special characters, such as umlauts, in file names—including names of image files—because doing so causes site import/export to fail.

Site export exports certain objects (including database objects and static files) and stores them in a single .zip file, which is available for download. You can upload the zip file to another instance and import it there. Site import is possible only if there is no custom site in the instance.

Note: Code (cartridges) isn't part of the Site import/export and must be dealt with separately.

To access Site Import Export, select Administration > Site Development > Site Import & Export.

You can use Site Import/Export as follows:

Mode	Purpose	Included Data
Import	Initial Instance Setup. You can "clone" an instance. This is most helpful during development to initialize a developer's instance or a testing instance. (You can use Site Import to set up an initial "staging" instance, but then the import will not be used again in a primary instance group.)	Initial global data (site independent) such as: Global preferences as locales, instance time zones Global custom objects Schedules System object attribute extensions Custom object types Custom preference type definitions Catalogs and price books Site data including business objects as: Custom objects Content library, assets and images Customer groups Customer lists Shipping, tax and payment configuration Inventory Stores Site preferences Search configuration Source Codes Site relations data such as Catalog-Site assignments
Export	Archiving Instance Data	All instance data comprising all sites and corresponding business objects and global data are exported.
Export	Particular Instance Data	Selective site and instance data. An user can choose between Sites - you can also select individual types of site-specific data to export. Libraries / Library Static Resources Catalogs / Catalog Static Resources Price Books Inventory Lists Customer Lists Global data (Custom Objects, Attribute Definitions, Custom Preferences, Schedules, Custom Quota Settings)
Export/ import	Copying an entire Instance	Salesforce B2C Commerce customization projects often involve several development teams working in parallel on different development instances. The Site import/export lets them share instance configurations and data across multiple instances. Site import/export lets them save a snapshot (configuration and data) of an instance and restore it on the same or another instance. This feature can also be used for instance configuration versioning.
Export/ import	Copying specific site data for testing	When testing new code or troubleshooting a problem, it might be necessary to export data from a production instance to import it on a developer sandbox. However, it isn't desirable to import all of the site's data, either because of the size of the site or because of privacy concerns around customer data. In this case you can use the export feature to export only the site-specific data you want and import it into your sandbox.

Granularity: selected sites.

For additional information, see Site Export File Consistency.

Other information you need to know about Site Import/Export:

The Site Import/Export function in the Business Manager uses standard Business Manager imports/exports for some of its object types; so some XML files use the same schema within Site Export .zip files.
Site Export also supports some object types that are not within the standard import/export functionality, for example, schedules and site preferences.
It isn't possible to trigger a Site Import programmatically.
A catalog and a site can be exported without the static content being included in the resulting archive file. This allows users more granular control over the export process. This is important because the size of the archive files rapidly exceeds the WebDAV file size limitation when images are included.
Compatibility of the import/export format is ensured for the same B2C Commerce version only.
The list of custom cartridges used for Business Manager is supported in the site import/export. The file preferences.xml, which contains global preferences, includes the additional preference identified by the key "CustomCartridges".
The site export function in Business Manager lets you export a catalog and a site without the static content being included in the resulting archive file. This change provides more granular control over the export process. This is important because the size of the archive files rapidly exceeds the WebDAV file size limitation when images are included.

Business Manager Import Location

Administration > Site Development > Site Import & Export.

Initial Instance Setup

You can configure:

Initial organization data (site independent) such as:
- Global preferences, such as locales and instance time zones
- Global custom objects
- Schedules
- System object attribute extensions
- Custom object types
- Custom preference type definitions
Catalogs, price books and inventory lists
Site-specific data including business objects, such as:
- Custom objects
- Content library, assets and images
- Customers and customer groups
- Shipping, tax and payment configuration
- Stores
- Site preferences
- Search configuration
- Source Codes
- Catalog price book and inventory list site assignments

Archiving Data of an Instance

Use Site export to export instance data that consists of all sites and corresponding business objects and global data (except carts, wish lists and orders).

Pipelets

N/A