Import & export

Overview

Product Expiration Dates for WooCommerce provides two ways to work with expiration dates in bulk: a dedicated CSV export/import tool within the plugin, and integration with WooCommerce’s built-in product CSV import/export system.

Plugin CSV export

The plugin includes its own export tool for expiration date data:

1. Go to Products → Expirations → Import / Export.
2. Click Export.
3. A CSV file will download containing all products with expiration dates.

The exported CSV includes:

• Product ID
• Product name
• SKU
• Product type (simple or variation)
• Expiration date
• Batch data (if batch tracking is enabled with Pro)

Use this export to back up your expiration data, share it with your team, or prepare data for re-import.

Plugin CSV import

To import expiration dates from a CSV file:

1. Go to Products → Expirations → Import / Export.
2. Drag and drop your CSV file onto the upload area, or click to browse for a file.
3. Map the CSV columns to the expected fields if prompted.
4. Run the import.

CSV format

Your import CSV should include at minimum:

• Product ID or SKU — Used to match rows to existing products.
• Expiration Date — The date in YYYY-MM-DD format.

For batch tracking imports, additional columns are supported:

• Batch Quantity — Units in the batch.
• Batch Reference — Optional lot number or label.

Products are matched by ID first, then by SKU. If a match is found, the expiration date is updated. Products that cannot be matched are skipped, and you will see a summary of results after the import completes.

WooCommerce product CSV integration Pro

The plugin also integrates with WooCommerce’s standard product CSV import and export system, which you may already be using to manage your catalog.

Exporting with WooCommerce

When you export products via Products → Export, the CSV will include an additional expiration date column added by the plugin. No extra steps are needed — the column is included automatically.

Importing with WooCommerce

When you import products via Products → Import, the plugin recognizes the expiration date column and applies the dates to the matching products. This means you can manage expiration dates as part of your regular product data workflow.

To add expiration dates during a product import:

1. Include a column named expiration_date in your CSV.
2. Use the YYYY-MM-DD date format.
3. Import through Products → Import as usual.

Tips

• Always back up first — Export your current data before running a large import, so you can restore if needed.
• Use YYYY-MM-DD format — This avoids ambiguity between date formats (e.g., is 01/02/2026 January 2nd or February 1st?).
• Check the import summary — After an import, review the results to confirm all products were matched and updated correctly.
• Combine approaches — Use the plugin’s CSV tool for expiration-specific work, and WooCommerce’s CSV for full product catalog management.