Field Mapping

When your product feed doesn't follow the native Videobot format, use field mapping to transform your data. This guide explains how to configure custom field mappings.

When You Need Field Mapping

Use custom field mapping when your feed:

• Uses different field names (e.g., name instead of title)
• Has nested data structures
• Stores images in arrays
• Uses different JSON paths

Standard Product Fields

Videobot products require these five fields:

Field	Type	Description
id	String	Unique product identifier
title	String	Product name/title
image	URL	Product image URL
description	HTML	Product description (supports basic HTML)
url	URL	Link to product page

Configuring Field Mapping

1. Create or edit a feed
2. Select Custom format
3. Expand Field Mapping section
4. Enter paths for each field

Path Syntax

Use dot notation to navigate nested structures:

Simple Paths

{ "name": "Product Name" }

Path: name

Nested Paths

{
  "details": {
    "title": "Product Name"
  }
}

Path: details.title

Array Index Paths

{
  "images": [
    { "url": "https://example.com/image1.jpg" },
    { "url": "https://example.com/image2.jpg" }
  ]
}

Path to first image: images.0.url

Deep Nesting

{
  "data": {
    "product": {
      "media": {
        "primary": {
          "src": "https://example.com/image.jpg"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Path: data.product.media.primary.src

Example Mapping

Given this custom feed structure:

{
  "data": {
    "items": [
      {
        "sku": "SKU-12345",
        "name": "Running Shoes",
        "media": {
          "images": [
            { "src": "https://example.com/shoe.jpg" }
          ]
        },
        "pricing": {
          "amount": 129.99,
          "currency": "USD"
        },
        "info": "Lightweight mesh with cushioning",
        "link": "https://example.com/products/12345"
      }
    ]
  }
}

Configure these settings:

Setting	Value
Products Path	data.items
ID	sku
Title	name
Image	media.images.0.src
Description	info
URL	link

Using Test Connection for Field Discovery

When testing your feed, the response shows the structure of your products which helps identify the correct field paths:

1. Click Test Connection
2. Check if products were found
3. Review any field mapping errors
4. Use field names from your API documentation to build paths

HTML in Description

The description field supports basic HTML tags:

• <strong>, <b> - Bold text
• <em>, <i> - Italic text
• <br> - Line break
• <p> - Paragraph
• <span> - Inline container
• <s>, <del> - Strikethrough

Price Formatting Example

{
  "description": "<strong>$129.99</strong><br>Free shipping on orders over $50"
}

Displays as:

$129.99 Free shipping on orders over $50

Numeric Values

Numeric fields are automatically converted:

Original Value	Converted To
129	"129"
129.99	"$129.99" (for description fields)

Validation Errors

If field mapping fails, test results show specific errors:

Error	Cause	Solution
Missing field: title	Field not found at path	Verify the path in raw data
Empty value for: image	Path exists but value is empty	Check for alternate image fields
Invalid URL for: url	Value isn't a valid URL	Ensure the field contains full URLs

Tips for Complex Feeds

1. Start with Products Path: Get products array working first
2. Use Test Connection: Verify each field as you configure it
3. Check Raw Data: Refer to actual field names, not documentation
4. Handle Arrays: Remember 0-based indexing for array positions
5. Test Edge Cases: Verify products with missing optional data