--- title: How to Search, Export and Bulk Edit WooCommerce Product Notes description: Add a notes column, search products by note text, export and import notes, and add notes with quick or bulk edit (Pro). url: "https://wpfactory.com/docs/product-notes-search-export-bulk-edit/" updated: "2026-09-27" category: How to --- # How to Search, Export and Bulk Edit WooCommerce Product Notes To search, export, import or bulk edit WooCommerce product notes, enable the matching options at **WPFactory > Product Notes > Private notes** or **Public notes > Backend Options** in [Product Notes Tab & Private Admin Notes for WooCommerce](https://wpfactory.com/item/product-notes-for-woocommerce/) Pro. Each option works per note type, so you can turn on only what you need. ## Before you start - [Product Notes](https://wpfactory.com/item/product-notes-for-woocommerce/) Pro, installed and active. In the free version these options are greyed out. - All options below are off by default. Enable them in the Private notes section, the Public notes section, or both. ## Show notes in the products list 1. Go to **WPFactory > Product Notes** (also reachable at **WooCommerce > Settings > Product Notes**) and open **Private notes** or **Public notes**. 2. Under **Backend Options**, tick **Admin products list column** and save. The **Products** screen gets a **Private notes** or **Public notes** column showing each product's notes, so you can scan them without opening products. ![Products list screen with the Private notes column filled for a few products](https://wpfactory.com/wp-content/uploads/product-notes-search-export-bulk-edit-1.png) ## Search products by note text 1. Under **Backend Options**, tick **Admin search**. 2. Optional: also tick **JSON Search**. This extends the search to product search boxes inside the admin, for example **Linked Products** (upsells and cross-sells). Matching results show the note text in brackets after the product name. 3. Click **Save changes**. The search box on the **Products** screen now also finds products whose notes contain your search term. A match in a variation's note returns its parent product. Searching for an internal code such as a supplier reference is a common use. ## Export notes to CSV 1. Tick **Export** under **Backend Options** and save. 2. Go to **Products > Export** (the standard WooCommerce product exporter) and generate the CSV. The file includes a **Private notes** or **Public notes** column. When a product has several notes, they are joined with a semicolon and a space. ## Import notes from CSV 1. Tick **Import** under **Backend Options** and save. 2. Go to **Products > Import** and upload your CSV. 3. On the column mapping screen, map your notes column to **Private note** or **Public note**. A column already named "Private note" or "Public note" is mapped automatically. 4. Run the import. **Note:** the export column is titled in the plural ("Private notes") while the importer auto-maps the singular ("Private note"). When re-importing an exported file, choose the mapping by hand. The imported text replaces the product's existing notes of that type with one single note. ## Add notes with Quick Edit and Bulk Edit 1. Tick **Quick edit**, **Bulk edit**, or both under **Backend Options** and save. 2. On the **Products** screen, use **Quick Edit** on one product, or select several products and choose **Bulk actions > Edit**. 3. Type in the **Private note** or **Public note** field and click **Update**. The text is added as a new note on each product; existing notes are kept. Leave the field empty (it shows "- No change -") to leave notes untouched. The Quick Edit field does not display the product's current notes. ## Import notes with WebToffee Product/Review CSV Import Export If you move products with the Product/Review CSV Import Export plugin by WebToffee, open **Compatibility Options** in the relevant section and tick **Product/Review CSV Import Export**. Product Notes then decodes the notes meta columns from that plugin's files so they import as proper notes. ## Let Dokan vendors add notes 1. In **Compatibility Options**, tick **Dokan**. 2. Optionally change the **Title** (default "Private Product Note" or "Public Product Note"), **Textarea placeholder** (default "Enter some product notes...") and **Textarea rows** (default 3). 3. Click **Save changes**. A notes field appears in the Dokan vendor product form after the product tags. It edits one note: saving from the vendor form replaces that product's notes of this type with the single note in the field. Enable Dokan in the Private notes section only if vendors should read and edit private notes. ## FAQ ### Does Bulk Edit overwrite existing notes? No. Quick Edit and Bulk Edit add the text as a new note and keep existing ones. The CSV import and the Dokan vendor form are different: both replace the notes of that type. ### Why are my imported notes not saved? Check that **Import** is enabled in the right section and that the column is mapped to **Private note** or **Public note** on the mapping screen. Unmapped columns are skipped. ### Can customers search products by public notes? No. **Admin search** only affects the product search in the WordPress admin. ### Are variation notes exported? The export column is filled for each exported row, including variation rows, from that row's own notes. ### Ready to set this up? This is a Pro feature of [Product Notes](https://wpfactory.com/item/product-notes-for-woocommerce/). If you are still on the free version, upgrading takes a couple of minutes and unlocks search, export, import and bulk editing along with orders and emails. [Get Product Notes Pro](https://wpfactory.com/item/product-notes-for-woocommerce/). Need a hand? Our team answers every ticket on the [Product Notes support forum](https://wpfactory.com/support/item/product-notes-for-woocommerce/). Related articles - [How to Show Product Notes in WooCommerce Orders and Emails](https://wpfactory.com/docs/product-notes-orders-emails/) - [How to Add Notes to WooCommerce Product Variations](https://wpfactory.com/docs/product-notes-variation-notes/) - [How to Show Product Notes to Customers in WooCommerce](https://wpfactory.com/docs/product-notes-public-notes-tab/) - [How to Add Private Admin Notes to WooCommerce Products](https://wpfactory.com/docs/product-notes-private-admin-notes/) - [Product Notes Developer Reference: Shortcode, Functions and Hooks](https://wpfactory.com/docs/product-notes-developer-reference/)