Problem Description #
Some import/export plugins (like WP All Import) do not show the EAN field in their “Custom Fields” or “Template Inventory” dropdown, making it impossible to import existing EAN data.
Common symptoms: #
- On WP All Import: EAN field absent in dropdown, even after installing EAN plugin. WordPress.org
- Users unable to map EAN column, leading to missing EAN data after import.
Cause: #
- The EAN plugin stores EAN under a custom meta key (_alg_ean by default). If your import/export tool uses different naming or doesn’t detect custom meta, field list remains empty.
- Some import/export plugins may not refresh the list of custom fields until page reload, or they may cache the available fields.
Solution: #
- In WP All Import (or similar plugin), go to Custom Fields mapping and manually add a custom field with Name = _alg_ean. Use the CSV column with EAN values as the value. WordPress.org+1
- Save the import template and run the import, check a few products to confirm EAN is imported.
- After import, clear cache and reload product pages to ensure EAN meta is loaded.
- If using variable products, make sure to map EAN for each variation row in CSV (if variations are in separate rows), or use the plugin’s variation support features appropriately.
Prerequisites: #
- EAN plugin installed and active.
- WP All Import (or another import plugin) that supports custom fields.
Additional Notes: #
- If you also import other custom fields (e.g. MPN, brand), ensure their meta keys do not collide.
- After import, it may be good to run plugin’s “Search by EAN” tool to verify uniqueness.
