How to convert a catalog to YML

YML is an XML-based product feed format. In Eofferix, the input can be any supported source: XML, YML, JSON, CSV, XLS, XLSX, URL, FTP/SFTP, email, archive, or a prepared export from another service. Before you configure the result, the service prepares a working XML snapshot, so the mapping is done in a tree of nodes and transformation rules.

This article describes the general YML conversion workflow. The input format does not matter: after choosing YML, you configure the final structure in the XML snapshot, and the guide panel helps check the selected marketplace requirements.

When to choose YML

• the target service accepts a price list or product feed in YML;
• you need to publish an automatically updated catalog URL;
• the supplier source is not YML, but contains products, prices, categories, images, and descriptions;
• you need separate feed variants: generic YML, Yandex Products, Direct, Yandex Business, 2GIS, or Ozon price and stock updates.

How preparation works

1. Create a profile and select the data source.
2. Choose YML as the export format.
3. If you need a specialized file, choose a marketplace or scenario. Generic YML is selected by default.
4. Open the XML snapshot. It shows source nodes and the generated YML structure.
5. Click guide-panel suggestions to apply detected renames or create missing nodes. Complex structural rules stay manual.
6. Save the template and run a test export. Then check the final YML file and the target-service uploader.

What the guide panel does

When a specialized scenario is selected, the XML snapshot shows a YML preparation panel. It checks the feed structure, required offer fields, conditionally required fields, recommended fields, and other parameters. The panel does not silently change saved settings: an action is applied only after you click a suggestion or action button.

The ! mark next to a node or attribute means that the element matters for the selected scenario. Hovering over it shows the scenario name. Technical addition costs are hidden by default and can be shown from the editor tools.

Categories and categoryId

YML links categories through numeric identifiers. A categories/category node must have an id attribute, and offer/categoryId must contain the same numeric value. If the source contains text categories or category paths, use the category generation tool: it builds a category dictionary, assigns numeric IDs, and replaces product category values with those IDs through transformation rules.

YML presets

A preset does not replace official marketplace rules. It gives you a starting structure and highlights what is missing in the current profile. Always check the current parameter list in the documentation of the service that will receive the feed.

YML preparation for Yandex Market

This scenario targets the Market seller cabinet. The panel checks yml_catalog, date, shop, currencies, categories, offers, and the single product node offer. Field requirements depend on the file purpose: product cards, prices, stock, or placement management. In Eofferix, url is not treated as unconditionally required for this preset; it is shown as conditionally important. See Yandex Market YML documentation.

YML preparation for Yandex Products / Search

This scenario prepares a product feed for Yandex Search-related product surfaces. The panel requires id, name, url, price, currencyId, categoryId, picture, and description inside every offer. See Yandex Products feed documentation.

YML preparation for Yandex Direct

This scenario is for advertising feeds. Product URL, price, currency, category, and image are important. If you use the available attribute, pass true or false, not a number. For vendor.model offers, vendor and model are checked as well. See Yandex Direct YML feed requirements.

YML preparation for Yandex Business products and services

This scenario is for a company price list in Yandex Business: products and services can appear in a company card. In this preset, shop/url is not required as a product-card link; section, name, price, currency, category, and vendor or brand data are more important when your price list needs them. See Yandex Business price list documentation.

YML preparation for 2GIS

2GIS accepts goods and services from a file or URL in YML/CSV format. The preset builds a typical YML structure with products, prices, currency, and categories, and recommends URL, image, and description. Public 2GIS help explains the upload method; verify the exact template in the 2GIS business cabinet. See 2GIS help for goods and prices.

YML preparation for Ozon: prices and stock

This scenario does not replace the Ozon Seller API. Use it when you need to provide a file for updating prices and stock by product identifier. Categories are not required here; id, price, currencyId, and stock matter most. See Ozon feed update article.

Generic YML

Use generic YML when the receiver simply asks for a YML file without its own requirement set. In this mode, the specialized guide panel is not shown: you define the structure, node names, attributes, and transformation rules yourself.

What to check before launch

• the root is yml_catalog when the receiver expects it;
• the catalog date is in RFC 3339 with a timezone when the scenario requires it;
• shop, currencies, categories, offers, and offer are at the expected nesting levels;
• offer/@id is unique and not empty;
• price is numeric, and currencyId matches the currency in currencies;
• categoryId is numeric and references an existing categories/category/@id;
• url and picture links are externally accessible when the marketplace requires them;
• available is true or false if used;
• the test file passes the target-service uploader without critical errors.