Magento 1 to Magento 2 Migration with Improved Import and Export Extension

- E-Commerce, Magento 2, Our extensions

Magento 1 to Magento 2 Migration

The Magento 1 to Magento 2  migration is not an ordinary routine and using the standard data import/export tool is not the best possible option. So, how do you migrate Magento 1 to Magento 2? You will find the answer below. In this article, we focus on the core aspects of the Magento 1 to 2 migration. You will learn how to transfer the core entities between the two versions of the platform without sacrificing any data using the Improved Import & Export extension. This tool is perfectly suitable for data transfers between Magento 1 and 2 because it has a couple of advantages over the native importer and exporter. The extension simplifies the Magento migration from 1 to 2, leaving you with only mechanical tasks. Firstly, we will introduce you to the module. After that, you will find out how to export products from Magento 1 to Magento 2. Next, we focus on the customer migration from Magento 1 to 2.  And, of course, you will learn how to migrate orders between Magento 1 and Magento 2. The article sheds light on such nuances as getting an export table with a corresponding entity out of Magento 1, preparing attributes for import, and transferring everything into your brand-new Magento 2 storefront.

Why Improved Import and Export Is Best For Magento 1 to Magento 2 Migration 

First of all, this is a native Magento 2 extension. It is important because you will not be using any third-party applications to migrate Magento 1 to Magento 2. Neither you need to rely on an app running in the background without any control over it. With Improved Import and Export, every import and export process is managed from your Magento 2 backend. Let’s run down through the feature list and explain how the extension works to save us time:

  • Import and export process scheduling – you can automate import and export processes with a built-in cron scheduler. It’s not the most useful feature for one-time migration but if you have two different stores and wish to sync their product catalogs, the extension’s schedule will help you save time and effort.
  • Supports import from Google Sheets, FTP/SFTP, Dropbox, direct URL, file – you can transfer data between Magento and Google Sheet tables, use shared Dropbox files, and utilize any FTPs/SFTPs to import/export data Between Magento 2 and 1 or any external system.
  • Supports all product types, customers, categories, CMS pages, cart price rules, orders, and other import entities – with the extension you can import almost any data to your Magento 2, create any product type on the fly, and add content directly. It also means that the module is capable of the full-scale Magento 1 to Magento 2 migration.
  • Supports CSV, XML, Json and XLS/XLSX file types – default Magento 2 import allows only CSV file import, however, suppliers tend to use different file types. XML files can be transformed into an appropriate format using XSLT templates that can applied during the import procedure. It’s a must-have feature if you migrate from another ecosystem that relies on file formats different from CSV. 
  • Rest API support – with the possibility to import JSON file types comes the Rest API integration with third-party services and applications. Synchronize your CRM, POS, ERP, and other software with Magento 2.
  • Attribute mapping & presets – when importing a table with custom field or value separators, you can map them at your store backend, when importing custom product or customer attributes, you can specify the required values during the import procedure. It’s the most essential tool for migrating Magento 1 to Magento 2. Since the two versions of the platform use different attributes and attribute values, you need to edit the Magento 1 output to make it suitable for Magento 2. The good news is that you can do that manually but there is no need. Our extension offers presets that can help you map Magento 1 data to Magento 2 attributes and values! You will enjoy this time-saver!  
  • Price adjustments during import – you can update prices as you export products from Magento 1 to Magento 2. Specify either percent or flat value that should be added or deducted from the imported product prices.
  • No programming skills required – manage Magento 1 to 2 migration directly from your Magento 2 backend via a user-friendly interface that you are familiar with.

These are the main extension features that can help you not only with the Magento 1 to Magento 2 migration but any data transfer your business may require. However, Improved Import comes with more enhancements to the default import and export processes, and FireBear Studio is constantly working on new updates. Remember, you can always find more information about the extension on the extension product page and in the manual. You can also get more with the Roadmap and Feature request page. Now, let’s see how the extension handles the migration from Magento 1 to Magento 2.

How to Export Products from Magento 1 to Magento 2

It is not possible to export products from Magento 1 and import them to Magento 2 using the default functionality straight away. Product attribute sets differ and require different attribute values. In addition, the default Magento CSV table structure differs when migrating products from M1 to M2, so it will not be possible without editing product tables. If you still want to try doing it manually with the default Magento 2 import tool, read the general Magento 2 import guide the FireBear team composed for you: Complete Guide to Magento 2 Product Import & Export.

Now, let’s see how to use the improved solution to export products from Magento 1 to Magento 2 Improved Import and Export extension by FireBear Studio. Note that the module will help you long after the Magento 1 to Magento 2 migration 

Export Products from Magento 1

Exporting products from Magento 1 is the first step when you migrate Magento 1 to Magento 2. You may start with orders or customers, but a catalog is usually the number one choice.

There are two ways of exporting products from Magento 1 to Magento 2: default export and Dataflow procedure.
Export Products from Magento 1 to Magento 2
Although they look similar, these two export procedures output CSV tables with different sets of product attributes. We do not know why the Magento team decided to do so. The differences may seem insignificant, though when the task comes to migration every attribute counts.

That’s why we will stick with the default import for convenience purposes. You can access the corresponding instrument from your Magento 1 administration at System > Import/Export > Export. A table prepared for the product export from Magento 1 to Magento 2 should look like this example:

Magento 1 to Magento 2 Migration: product csv

We have already composed a sample M1 product export table for you in the Google Sheets. You can get your hands on it from the Google Sheet Master Table.

We have gathered all possible entities that you can import to Magento 2 in the Google Sheet Master Table. You can find attribute descriptions along with sample values and instructions on which values you can add per entity. You can read more about it in our Magento 2 Google Sheet Master Table overview.

Magento 1 bundle product peculiarities

If you have been using bundle products in your Magento 1 you will need to consider the following peculiarities:

  1. Magento 1 doesn’t tie bundle product options to bundles. It means that when you migrate bundle products to Magento 2, you will need to add options with simple products manually. This relates to bundle product only, grouped and configurable products can be exported from Magento 1 to Magento 2 without data sacrifices.
    However, the Improved Import extension does tie simple products to bundles during the Magento 1 to Magento 2 migration.
  2. Magento 1 doesn’t export bundle product price_type, sku_type, weight_type, price_view, shipment_type attributes. These attributes are required in Magento 2. You will need to add them manually to the table or copy these attributes from the Google Sheet sample table.
    To add these attributes to your Magento 1 export table simply copy them to the end of the list so the table looks something like this:

Magento 1 to Magento 2 Migration: product csv additional columns

As for the attribute values you can use:
price_type: dynamic – Dynamic Price enabled, fixed – Dynamic price disabled;
sku_type: 0 – enabled, 1 – disabled;
weight_type: 0 – enabled, 1 – disabled;
price_view: Price range, As low as;
shipment_type: 0 – ship together, 1 – separately.

When migrating products from Magento 1 to Magento 2 don’t forget about these bundle product peculiarities. This is an inconvenience coming from how the Magento 1 export process has been built. But you can address these issues with the Magento 1 Improved Import and Export extension.

Prepare Magento 2 Attribute Sets

IMPORTANT!

When exporting a product catalog from Magento 1 to Magento 2, the most common issues may arise from differences in the attribute sets. Both Magento 1 and 2 stores use attribute sets for identifying product properties – it means that the attributes in the attribute sets on both Magento 1 and Magento 2 stores must match.

If you are using custom product attributes such as “climate,” “season,” or “brand,” don’t forget to create such attributes in the attribute sets of Magento 2 before migration. This will save you lots of trouble and will make the migration procedure simple and easy.

Import product attributes and attribute sets to Magento 2

However, you can dramatically improve the attribute sync between Magento 1 and 2 with Improved Import. Our extension lets you import product attributes to your Magento 2 store. If you want to learn more about how to compose and import product attributes – read the extension manual.

Import Magento 1 Products to Magento 2

Let’s consider that you have purchased and installed the Improved Import and Export extension for Magento 2 and prepared the CSV table with your Magento 1 products. Follow these steps to import Magento 1 products to Magento 2:

  1. Navigate to your Magento 2 administrator panel and get to System > Improved Import/Export > Import jobs.
  2. Here, at the import job grid, you need to click the Add New Job button to create your Magento 1 to Magento 2 migration import job.
    Magento 1 to Magento 2 Migration: product import
  3. In the General job settings, specify the name of the job and select the locale of the store you will be importing products to. You can leave the rest of the settings untouched. If you require full instructions on the import jobs – read the extension manual.
  4. Proceed to the next settings section Import Settings. Select Products from the dropdown. You may also look through other entities you can import to Magento 2 later. For every entity, we have composed a dedicated guide post that can be found in our Magento 2 import and export guide list.
    Magento 1 to Magento 2 Migration: product import
  5. In the Import Behavior section, select Add/Update from the dropdown. You do not need to adjust the table separators, the M1 CSV tables have the same formatting options as M2. However, when you will be migrating entities from the other sources you can take full advantage of these options.Magento 1 to Magento 2 Migration: product import
  6.  Under Import Source, specify the file type – CSV, and select the import source. We have uploaded the CSV table to Google Sheets and copied and pasted its URL to the field. You can use other sources, or upload your MAgento 1 to Magento 2 product migration file manually. Select File from the Import Source dropdown and click the Browse button to specify the file location on your hard drive.
    Magento 1 to Magento 2 Migration: product import
  7. When the file is uploaded, click Validate file to let the extension verify its integrity. Once the verification is complete the new settings section appears – Map Attributes.
    Magento 1 to Magento 2 Migration: product import mapping preset
  8. Now, select Magento 1 from the Select A Platform dropdown and hit the Load Map Attributes button. The extension will map Magento 1 product attributes with the proper Magento 2 product attributes automatically. 
  9. The only thing you are left to do is to hit the big orange Save & Run button at the top right corner of the screen. When the popover appears, click the Run button.

Magento 1 to Magento 2 Migration: product import

The extension will import Magento 1 products to Magento 2. At this point, you complete the transfer of your catalog between the two systems.  After exporting products from Magento 1 to Magento 2, you can proceed to customers.

How to Migrate Customers from Magento 1 to Magento 2

Customers are another entity to consider when you migrate Magento 1 to Magento 2. No matter how big or small your customer base is – it is always better to simplify its transfer to your new e-commerce website. To do so, we also rely on the Improved Import & Export extension.

When it comes to Magento 2, you can work with three different entity types:

  • Customers main;
  • Customers and addresses;
  • Customer addresses.

Migrating customers from Magento 1, however, is associated with Customers and Addresses only. This simplifies the migration process because almost all attributes in the customers and addresses file of Magento 1 match their counterparts of Magento 2. Thus, you cannot easily migrate customers from Magento 1 to Magento 2 even with the default data transfer tools. But Improved Import makes this process 100% hassle-free. Let’s break down the Magento 1 to Magento 2 customer migration into two steps: export and import. 

Export Customers from Magento 1

Follow these steps to export customers from Magento 1:

  1. Navigate to your store administrator panel;
  2. Proceed to System > Import/Export > Export.Magento 1 to Magento 2 Migration: export customers
  3. Select Customers in the Entity Type field and click the Continue button at the bottom of the screen.

You will get a customer CSV file that matches Magento 2 customers and addresses file in its structure.

Import Customers from Magento 1 to Magento 2

Follow these steps to migrate customers from Magento 1 to Magento 2:

  1. Proceed to your Magento 2 backend and navigate to System > Improved Import/Export > Import jobs.
  2. Click the Add New Job button.
  3. Name the import job and select the locale of the store you will be importing customers to. You can pretty much skip other job settings. If you require more information on configuring the import job – read the Improved Import and Export manual.
    Magento 1 to Magento 2 Migration: customer import
  4.  In Import Settings, select Customers and Addresses (single file) from the Entity dropdown.
    Magento 1 to Magento 2 Migration: customer import
  5. In Import Behavior, select the Add/Update behavior from the Import Behavior dropdown. Note that the Magento 1 customers migration file uses the same CSV table formatting as Magento 2, so you don’t need to map CSV file separators.
    Magento 1 to Magento 2 Migration: customer import
  6.  Scroll down to the Import Source section. Set Import File Type to CSV. Select the most convenient source of the file in the Import Source.
    Magento 1 to Magento 2 Migration: customer import
  7.  Once the source is selected and the path to the file is specified, click the Validate file button to let the extension check the integrity of your CSV with customer data.
    Note that you don’t need to map attributes when you migrate customers from Magento 1 to Magento 2 because the two systems use the same values for customer import/export.
  8. Now, click the big orange Save & Run button at the top right corner of the screen to initiate the customer import from Magento 1 to Magento 2.

When the import process is complete, you will get to see the log file where you can check the imported records along with import errors if there are any.

Once you’ve done with the migration of Magento 1 customers to Magento 2, keep the extension up and running – we still need to migrate orders. 

How to Migrate Orders from Magento 1 to Magento 2

Migrating orders from Magento 1 to Magento 2 also follows the same pattern: you export them from Magento 1 and then import them to Magento 2. That’s it. However, you will need to install the FREE Improved Import and Export extension to your Magento 1 store as well as the corresponding tool for Magento 2 – Improved Import and Export extension for Magento 2 to your Magento 2 store. Below, we explain the final step of the Magento 1 to Magento 2 migration for today.

Export Orders from Magento 1

You can export orders as a part of your Magento migration from 1 to 2 as follows:

  1. Navigate to your Magento 1 administrator dashboard.
  2. Proceed to System>Import/Export>Export.
    Magento 1 to Magento 2 Migration: export orders
  3. The Improved Import extension has added a new export entity Orders to the export list. Follow these steps to export orders from Magento 1:

Magento 1 to Magento 2 Migration: order export

  • Step 1: Select order entity (only available with Improved Import for Magento 1 installed);
  • Step 2: Select file format (CSV);
  • Step 3: Click the Continue button.

Once done, you should get a CSV file with all the orders exported from your Magento 1. If you want to edit this file and remove the unwanted orders, upload it to Google Drive and open it with Google Sheets. This is the easiest way to edit CSV files. Moreover, the Improved Import and Export extension for Magento 2 supports the import of CSV files directly from Google Sheets, so you will only need to paste a link to run the order import from Magento 1 to Magento 2.

Import Magento 1 orders to Magento 2

So you’ve got a CSV table with Magento 1 orders. It is time to complete your Magento 1 to 2 migration and import them using the Improved Import and Export extension. If you are having trouble installing the extension contact the Firebear support team.

To continue migrating orders from Magento 1 to Magento 2, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to System>Improved Import/Export>Import jobs.
    Magento 1 to Magento 2 Migration: order import
  2. Click the Add New Job button.
  3. In the General Settings, specify the name of your order import job and decide on the schedule. Other fields are optional.
    Magento 1 to Magento 2 Migration: import orders
  4. When done with General Settings, scroll down to Import Settings. Specify an entity you are going to import – Orders.
    Magento 1 to Magento 2 Migration: import orders
  5. In Import Behavior, select Add/Update to migrate orders from Magento 1 to Magento 2.
    Magento 1 to Magento 2 Migration: import orders
  6. The Import Source section lets you choose CSV as your file type. Next, specify the import source. If you edited your Magento 1 order table in Google Sheets, copy and paste a link to the corresponding spreadsheet. Improved Import and Export extension supports direct Magento 2 Google Sheets import.
    Magento 1 to Magento 2 Migration: import orders
  7. Once the order file is uploaded or the link to the spreadsheet is specified, hit the Validate file button. The extension will check whether the file structure is suitable for Magento 2.
    The Improved Import and Export extension for Magento 1 exports orders in the way Magento 2 can read. So no manual attribute mapping, column renaming, or other manipulations are required.
  8. Click Save & Run and then Run to import Magento 1 orders to Magento 2.

Magento 1 to Magento 2 Migration: import orders

This is it. You have just migrated orders from Magento 1 to Magento 2.

If you require a complete guide on how to use the Improved Import and Export extension for Magento 2 you can check the following:

For more information on Improved Import and Export visit the extension product page:

Improved Import and Export Extension for Magento 2

Magento 1 to Magento 2 Migration FAQ

Below, we describe a few more aspects to help you migrate Magento 1 to Magento 2.

How to migrate products from Magento 1 to Magento 2?

You can use the default import and export tools to migrate products between Magento 1 and Magento 2. However, this process is time-consuming since it is necessary to edit product attributes manually. With the Improved Import & Export Magento 2 extension, you can use migration presets that help you transform the Magento 1 output into the form suitable for Magento 2 within just a few clicks. The migration procedure is described in the article above.

How to migrate categories from Magento 1 to Magento 2?

Unfortunately, neither Magento 1 nor Magento 2 lets you move a category tree between your e-commerce websites. Therefore, it is necessary to use the Improved Import & Export extension to migrate categories from Magento 1 to Magento 2. Use the extension’s version for Magento 1 to export your existing category tree and import it into your new website with the help of the Magento 2 module.

How to migrate orders from Magento 1 to Magento 2?

While you can export orders with the help of the default Magento tools, it is impossible to move this entity into your e-commerce website. Therefore, you need the Improved Import & Export Magento 2 extension to migrate orders from Magento 1 to Magento 2. Use the procedure described above to perform the data transfer.

How to migrate customers from Magento 1 to Magento 2?

Although you can use the default import and export tools to migrate customers between Magento 1 and Magento 2, it is not the best possible opportunity. The default process is time-consuming since it is necessary to edit customer attributes manually. With the Improved Import & Export Magento 2 extension, you can use migration presets that help you transform the Magento 1 output into the form suitable for Magento 2 within just a few clicks. The migration procedure is highlighted above.

How to migrate product stocks from Magento 1 to Magento 2?

The product stock migration is not supported in Magento by default. Therefore, you need to use the Improved Import & Export Magento 2 extension to transfer the corresponding data to your warehouses. You can import products with all the corresponding information to update stocks. At the same time, the extension supports transfers of MSI data. However, it is not represented in Magento 1.

How to migrate catalog and cart price rules from Magento 1 to Magento 2?

The Improved Import & Export extension lets you transfer cart price rules and catalog price rules between Magento 1 and Magento 2. You only need to choose the corresponding entity while creating a new import profile. The procedure follows the standard steps of every data transfer described in this guide.

How to migrate newsletter subscribers from Magento 1 to Magento 2?

You can also use the Improved Import & Export extension to transfer newsletter subscribers from Magento 1 to Magento 2. You only need to choose the corresponding entity while creating a new import profile. The procedure follows the standard steps of every data transfer described in this guide, so you can read the material above for reference or contact our support.

How to migrate product reviews from Magento 1 to Magento 2?

While the default data transfer tools don’t let you move product reviews, the Improved Import & Export extension is suitable for transferring product reviews from Magento 1 to Magento 2. You only need to choose the corresponding entity while creating a new import profile. The procedure follows the standard steps of every data transfer described in this guide, so you can read the material above for reference or contact our support.

How to migrate URL rewrites from Magento 1 to Magento 2?

You cannot migrate URL rewrites from Magento 1 to Magento 2 by default. However, the Improved Import & Export extension can cope with this task. You only need to choose the corresponding entity while creating a new import profile for migrating URL rewrites from Magento 1 to Magento 2. The procedure follows the standard steps of every data transfer described in this guide, so you can read the material above for reference or contact our support.

How to migrate gift cards from Magento 1 to Magento 2?

While gift cards pose a problem for the default data transfer solutions, you can easily move them from Magento 1 to Magento 2 with the help of the Improved Import & Export extension. Choose the corresponding entity while creating a new import profile and follow the standard data transfer procedure described in this guide. Read the material above for reference or contact our support.

Magento 1 to Magento 2 Migration Service

If you don’t want to deal with the Magento migration from 1 to 2, we have some good news for you. The firebear team offers flexible Magento 1 to Magento 2 migration services. We can transfer ALL store data from Magento 1 to Magento 2 using the Improved Import & Export extension. Migration costs are discussed per project!

You only need to discuss the details of your Magento 1 to Magento 2 migration with us, such as:

  • The data you want to migrate;
  • The estimates of when the data can be migrated;
  • Other migration peculiarities, specific to your business case.

Get all your Magento 1 store data migrated to Magento 2 with Firebear. You can find more information here: Magento 1 to Magento 2 Migration Services.

Final Words

As you can see, the Magento 2 to Magento 2 migration is a complex yet manageable procedure. You can easily export products, customers, and orders from Magento 1 to Magento 2 with the help of the right tools. Contact us considering other entities that need to become a part of your Magento 1 to 2 migration.