Title: Structured vs Content Fields
Last modified: February 12, 2026

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# Structured vs Content Fields

 *  Resolved [koitaki](https://wordpress.org/support/users/koitaki/)
 * (@koitaki)
 * [4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/structured-vs-content-fields/)
 * When importing product data via a CSV import, I’ve previously blown up my database
   by tweaking the parent/child relationship column (I attempted to change it from
   using SKUs, by replacing them with IDs, which I figured was better practice).
   This resulted in many duplicated variable products – the newly created ones had
   no images, the old ones had no variations.
 * I have just again blown up my database in the CSV import. This time I was attempting
   to speed up the import process by marking various fields, such as Description
   and Attributes, as “Do not import”. They hadn’t changed, so I figured why import
   them again – just update the Price changes. When I subsequently checked my website,
   I no longer had variations, with just a message saying I first needed to add 
   attributes to generate variations.
 * Trying to research this problem, I’ve come across the below, which would appear
   to explain the above issues:
 * > Fields that are **“structural”** _get wiped_ if present in the CSV but mapped
   > to “Do not import.”
   > Fields that are **“content”** are ignored safely.
   > Structural fields include:
   >  - Attributes
   >  - Variation attributes
   >  - Variation rows
   >  - Parent/child relationships
   >  - SKU (if blank)
   >  - Product type (if blank)
   > Content fields include:
   >  - Description
   >  - Short description
   >  - Regular price
   >  - Sale price
   >  - Stock quantity
   >  - Weight
   >  - Dimensions
 * Could someone who knows confirm if this is correct please. If so, it would suggest
   a user needs to be pretty careful when messing around with Structural Data.

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

 *  [LovingBro (woo-hc)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/lovingbro/)
 * (@lovingbro)
 * [4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/structured-vs-content-fields/#post-18818808)
 * Hi [@koitaki](https://wordpress.org/support/users/koitaki/), I understand the
   frustration and concern you’re experiencing with CSV imports and how it’s affecting
   your product variations. You are correct in observing the distinction between
   structural and content fields. In WooCommerce:
 * Structural fields like Attributes, Variation attributes, Variation rows, Parent/
   child relationships, SKU (if blank), and Product type (if blank) are crucial 
   for product structure. If these are present in your CSV but mapped to “Do not
   import,” WooCommerce may remove or disrupt them, which explains why variations
   disappear when skipping these fields.
 * Content fields such as Description, Short description, Regular price, Sale price,
   Stock quantity, Weight, and Dimensions are safe to skip—they won’t overwrite 
   existing content if mapped to “Do not import.”
 * Because structural fields directly impact the relationships and hierarchy of 
   variable products, extra caution is needed when adjusting them in imports. For
   a full reference and best practices on CSV imports, you can check out the official
   WooCommerce guide here: [WooCommerce CSV Import](https://woocommerce.com/document/product-csv-importer-exporter/#update-existing-products).
 * Feel free to let us know if you need further support.
 *  Plugin Support [Kay U a11n](https://wordpress.org/support/users/kingsleyinfo/)
 * (@kingsleyinfo)
 * [2 months, 3 weeks ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/structured-vs-content-fields/#post-18858927)
 * Since there’s been no recent activity on this thread, I’m marking it as resolved.
   Don’t hesitate to start a new thread if you need help in the future.
 * We’d love your feedback – please leave us a review: [https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/woocommerce/reviews/](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/woocommerce/reviews/)

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

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 * 2 replies
 * 3 participants
 * Last reply from: [Kay U a11n](https://wordpress.org/support/users/kingsleyinfo/)
 * Last activity: [2 months, 3 weeks ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/structured-vs-content-fields/#post-18858927)
 * Status: resolved