Import WordPress posts from any xml or csv file
Easily Import WordPress posts, pages and custom post types from any xml or csv file using ImportWP, including all post type fields, parent relationships, taxonomy terms, attachments and images, and custom fields.
Table of Contents
Creating a WordPress Post Type Importer
When creating an importer using ImportWP you can select from all available templates via the What are you wanting to import dropdown, by default this will show all availble core WordPress post types, and any custom post types via a secondary post type dropdown if you have ImportWP Pro installed.
Post Importer Template
After you have configured your import file you will see in the Template fields step a section titled Post Fields, this section allows you to map sections of your import file to all core post type fields.
The default post type fields are Title, and Content, all the other fields can be enabled or disabled via the Enable Fields button, when clicked this will display a list of all available fields.
Post Fields
| Options | Description |
|---|---|
| ID | The ID field is only used as a reference to existing fields |
| Title | Set the title of the post |
| Content | Set the main post content. |
| Excerpt | Set the custom short excerpt for the post |
| Slug | Manually set the slug, otherwise it is generated based on the post title. |
| Status | Set the post status from the dropdown of available statuses. |
| Parent | Select the post parent from the dropdown field, or enable the text field to use the data selector tool to choose element from import file. |
| Order | Set the menu order for this post. |
| Author | Set the post author from a dropdown of WordPress Users. |
| Password | Set the post password |
| Date | Set the published date |
| Allow Comments | Set if the post has comments enabled. |
| Allow Pingbacks | Set if the post allows pingbacks. |
| Page Template | Set the post template from a dropdown of available page templates. |
Post Parent
Select the page parent from the dropdown field, or enable the text field to use the data selector tool to choose element from import file, depending on your chosen file element you can change the reference type via the sub field Parent Field Type of either (ID, Slug, Name or Reference Column).
Selecting the reference column allows you to identify the parent record based on the Parent field value matching the Value set in the reference column.
Post Author
Set the post author from a dropdown of WordPress Users.
Post Taxonomies
Post taxonomies allow you to import categories, tags and custom taxonomies terms that are linked to your post type, if your plugin or theme registeres any taxonomies the Taxonomies tab will appear allowing you to setup as many taxonomies as nessessary for your import.
Read a Guide on how to import WordPress Taxonomies
Post Attachments
Post attachments allow you to import attachments such as images, a featured image, pdfs, and any other item accepted by your WordPress media gallery. Attachments can be fetched from a local folder, remote url, or from a ftp server.
Read a Guide on how to import WordPress Attachment
Custom Fields
Custom fields allow you to import extra post data which your theme or plugins may use, this could be sub headings, or search engine keywords/descriptions for SEO plugins.
Custom fields keys are manually entered, or can be populated via a predefined list of popular values.
