Product-file format guide
A store export, Google’s affected-products report, and a product file for upload have different jobs. A CSV that opens in a local checker is not automatically ready to submit to Merchant Center.
Google’s current file-upload guidance lists TXT, TSV and XML. For a spreadsheet-based product source, use real tab-delimited content. This describes the current documented workflow, not a claim that Google recently changed its rules. Google: Create a product file.
Keep an untouched copy of your catalog export. Use the affected-products CSV as an issue list, not as a replacement catalog. If both files contain matching product IDs, FeedPatch can help locate the affected source rows before you prepare the submission file.
From Google Sheets, download Tab-Separated Values. In Excel, save a separate copy as Text (tab delimited). Follow the filename and extension requirements for your selected Merchant Center data source. Renaming a comma-delimited file does not convert the separators.
Do not globally replace every comma: commas may belong inside descriptions or supported repeated attributes. Google: Create a product file.
Use attribute names in the first row, one product per following line, and tabs between attributes. Avoid trailing tabs and embedded tabs or line breaks in field values. Grouped and repeated attributes have their own delimiter rules; check the specification rather than guessing. Google: Tab-delimited requirements.
Reopen the exported copy and compare several known IDs and values with the original. Then submit it through your normal Merchant Center process and review the processing result. Manual uploads do not synchronize later source-file changes automatically. Google: Add products from a file.
Product boundary
FeedPatch reads supported CSV/TSV files in your browser, reports supported feed-field issues, and can match affected IDs to source rows. It does not convert your file into a guaranteed Google-ready upload, submit to Merchant Center, fix account enforcement, or guarantee approval.
Check my source feed locallyWorking on a price issue instead of file format? Trace an invalid sale price to the affected source rows.
Disclosure: Written by the developer of FeedPatch. Checked against Google documentation on September 6, 2026. FeedPatch is independent and is not affiliated with Google.