Spreadsheet workflow
Noon NIS file: the complete guide
The NIS (New Item Setup) template is how products get onto Noon in bulk. Here is how it works and how to stop it from failing.
Published 2026-10-04 · 9 minute read · By NoonFixer
What the NIS file is
NIS stands for New Item Setup. It is Noon’s official spreadsheet template for creating and updating products in bulk — up to 10,000 SKUs per file. One row per product: SKU, titles, brand, category path (Family › Product Type › Subtype), image URLs, and attributes.
The workbook has several sheets; the one that matters is template_data, where your rows live. The other sheets carry instructions, the classification directory, and valid values.
Required columns, in plain language
- seller_sku — your unique identifier per product. Duplicates in one file will fail.
- product_title_en / product_title_ar — factual titles in both languages.
- brand — must match your authorization to sell it.
- family / product_type / product_subtype — the taxonomy path; verify with the Category Finder.
- image_url_1..7 — public HTTPS URLs to JPG/PNG images meeting the image requirements.
The errors that kill imports
- Renamed headers or wrong sheet — the importer matches exact template structure.
- Duplicate SKUs — two rows, same SKU, instant failure.
- Blank required cells — titles, category, or images missing.
- WebP or dead image URLs — the importer cannot open them.
- Guessed categories — wrong taxonomy paths bounce in review.
Run every file through the NIS Validator before upload, and fix content issues in batches with the Bulk Issue Fixer. Our NIS error guide walks through the full diagnosis routine.
A safe upload routine
- Keep an untouched copy of every source file.
- Validate structure, then fix content — in that order.
- Upload 20 products first; scale up when the results are predictable.
- Read the import report: fix errors, review warnings, then re-upload only the failed rows.
Frequently asked questions
Template_data deep dive
The template_data sheet is a grid where column order matters less than header names — but only because the importer matches headers exactly. Do not rename, translate, or “improve” headers. Hidden columns, merged cells, and filters left on from your last sort are classic silent killers: clear them before saving.
Category columns: the triple lock
Family, Product Type, and Subtype must form a valid path that exists in Noon’s taxonomy — all three, consistent with each other. A real Family with a made-up Subtype fails just as hard as a blank. Verify the full triple in the Category Finder; never assemble paths from memory.
Version control for catalog teams
Name every file with date and purpose (nis_update_2026-10-04_batch2.xlsx), keep the source export it was built from, and never edit yesterday’s output as today’s input. When two people touch the same catalog, this discipline is the difference between an audit trail and a mystery.
Common attribute pitfalls
Beyond the big columns, attribute fields cause quiet failures: size values that do not match the variant map, color names in the wrong language for the column, bullet points pasted with formatting that breaks the cell, and “what’s in the box” left blank on bundles (a top return driver). Treat attributes with the same seriousness as titles — shoppers filter by them.
Migrating from another marketplace
Coming from Amazon or another platform? Do not reuse their feed files directly. Column names, category taxonomies, image URL rules, and title conventions all differ. Map your data into Noon’s template deliberately — field by field, with the validator checking your work — rather than hoping a rename script got everything right. The two hours of careful mapping save two weeks of rejections.
Keeping templates current
Noon updates its templates. Before each major upload round, download a fresh template from Seller Lab and diff the headers against your working file — new required columns appear without fanfare, and an old template is a silent rejection factory. Keep one canonical “current template” copy and rebuild working files from it, rather than cloning last month’s file forever.
The 5-minute pre-upload ritual
Before every upload, spend five minutes: (1) confirm it is the current official template; (2) run the NIS Validator and clear all errors; (3) spot-check 5 random rows against source data; (4) verify image URLs load in a private window; (5) confirm the row count matches what you intended. Five minutes, every time, no exceptions — this ritual alone prevents the majority of import failures.
Where do I download the official NIS template?
From Noon’s Seller Lab (Imports section). Always use the latest version — templates change.
How many SKUs can one NIS file hold?
Up to 10,000 per file, but start with small batches while your workflow is new.
Can I update existing products with NIS?
Yes — the Create/Update template handles both new listings and updates to existing SKUs.
Why did my import succeed but categories not change?
Category changes sometimes need portal-side confirmation even when rows are accepted. Verify in Seller Lab and treat bulk category edits as “suggested, verify in portal”.