Communicate with database!

Excel may use different databases. It can pull data from databases such as MS SQL Server, MS Access, Oracle, MYSQL using SQL codes, and after processing this data it can bring them to the reports in Excel pages. For example, we can reach a website that uses MySQL database from our own computer, and we can move the information in the site to an Excel page with one button. Moreover, we can record the entries we make to Excel to the database of the web site.

Remote Access to Web Database

The sites that broadcast over the Web communicate with the databases installed in their websites in the background. All the web content is recorded in this database, necessary information is taken according to browsed page and displayed in browser. Entering data to site can be done by either knowing web programming codes (html, php, asp, etc.) and through the use of these codes, or through some Content Management Systems (Joomla, Drupal, etc.) or through the admin panel as in ready-made e-trade systems (Virtuemart, etc.).

In situations when multi-data entry and update is necessary, for example in shopping sites that makes a lot of product entries, entering the products one by one from admin panel causes boredom and loss of time for the user. Whereas, you can arranged the data entries in Excel in any way you want and record it our site’s database with a single button.

Database Table Structures

We pointed out that it is possible to make data entry to a web database from Excel. There are some things to watch out while doing this. The data that is recorded in the database are kept at different tables and during both data entry and data reading and display, relations are made between tables and data pulling and writing process is made on more than one table. Therefore, it is important to know the structure of the database of a website before accessing that database. 

Even though currently used Content Management Systems and ready-made shopping sites have different database structure, when we determine one of them, we can use the structure for all web sites that employ the same system. For example, we can use the file we made in Excel VBA for the database of Joomla or VirtueMart in all websites made with Joomla or VirtueMart.

Product Entry from Excel to VirtueMart

In light of the information written above, we have prepared the work below which is compatible with the Virtuemart shopping system. With this study that we made using VBA codes in Excel, it is possible to enter products into Virtuemart shopping site from Excel. After preparing the information such as Product name, product code, product category, image files, price and stock status in Excel, you can either make single or multi data entries.

Click here to download the demo version of Data Entry program (vmExcel) from Excel to VirtueMart product

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