How to export a SIF file from My Catalog/Table View
Easily export your custom product data to a SIF file to use with software for contract office furniture specification and procurement.
Last updated
Easily export your custom product data to a SIF file to use with software for contract office furniture specification and procurement.
Last updated
This SIF feature is only available in beta, please contact support@canoa.supply for more information and access to Canoa's new feature.
Exporting a SIF file from My Catalog/Table View enables seamless integration with your other tools, allowing you to manage products without manufacturer or catalog codes directly within the same program used to create final specifications and quotes.
When in My Catalog/Table View select the products you wish to Export.
Click the export menu (three dots in the upper right side) and click Export to SIF
The SIF file will download to your computer and the SIF file will be sent to your email.
Open the SIF file in your preferred program that accepts this file type.
The Simple Interchange Format (SIF) is a text-based file format used for data interchange between systems. It typically consists of key-value pairs, where each key represents a specific attribute of a product or configuration, and the value is the corresponding data. The keys and values are separated by an equal sign (=), and each pair is usually placed on a new line. Entries (which represent individual records, such as products) are separated by a blank line.
SIF files are compatible with many furniture specification programs such as, CET, Spec, Worksheet and Hedberg.
PN (Part Number): Unique identifier for the part or product.
PD (Product Description): Description of the product.
MC (Manufacturer Code): Code representing the manufacturer.
GC (Group Code): Group or category code.
P1, P2, P4, P5 (Price Points): Various price-related fields.
WT (Weight): Weight of the product.
VO (Volume): Volume of the product.
NT (Count/Flag): Numeric value indicating a count or specific flag.
G0, G1, etc. (Group Identifiers): Additional group-related information.
The common schema consists of several key-value pairs, where each key represents a specific attribute of a product or configuration. The keys are derived from analyzing the provided data files and identifying common elements.
Key-Value Pairs
Each entry in the SIF file is defined by a set of key-value pairs. Below is the detailed specification of each key:
CR (Creation/Reference Code)
Description: Code indicating creation or a specific reference.
Format: String
G0, G1, G2, G3, G4, G5 (Group Identifiers)
Description: Identifiers for grouping related items.
Format: String
GC (Group Code)
Description: Code representing the group category.
Format: String
MC (Manufacturer Code)
Description: Code representing the manufacturer.
Format: String
NT (Count/Flag)
Description: Numeric value indicating a count or a specific flag.
Format: Integer
O1, O2, O4, O5 (Option Fields)
Description: Fields representing various options or configurations.
Format: String or Numeric, depending on context.
OD (Option Description)
Description: Description of the option.
Format: String
OG (Option Group)
Description: Group to which the option belongs.
Format: String
ON (Option Number)
Description: Numeric identifier for the option.
Format: Integer
P1, P2, P4, P5 (Price Points)
Description: Different price points or values associated with the product.
Format: Decimal
PD (Product Description)
Description: Description of the product.
Format: String
PN (Part Number)
Description: Identifier for the part number.
Format: String
PO (Purchase Order)
Description: Identifier related to purchase orders.
Format: String
SL (Storage/Layout)
Description: Information related to storage or layout.
Format: String
SO (Sales Order)
Description: Identifier related to sales orders.
Format: String
TO (Transaction Order)
Description: Identifier related to transaction orders.
Format: String
VO (Volume)
Description: Volume measurement.
Format: Decimal
WT (Weight)
Description: Weight measurement.
Format: Decimal
Example of an Empty SIF Entry
Below is an example of an empty SIF entry following the common schema. Each key is present, but the values are empty.
Each product or configuration entry is separated by a blank line.
Each attribute within an entry is represented as key=value.
If an attribute value is empty, the format is key=.
This specification ensures a standardized format for all SIF files generated using the common schema, facilitating seamless data integration and interchange across various systems.
Yes, SIF files can contain links to other files. However, this depends on the specific implementation and the system using the SIF file. In a general context, SIF files are designed to store structured data in key-value pairs, and you can include URLs or file paths as values associated with specific keys.
To include links to other files in a SIF file, you can add key-value pairs where the value is the URL or file path to the other file. Here’s how you can do it:
Identify the Key: Determine the appropriate key in your schema to store the link. This could be a new key or an existing one like Product URL, Image URL, or similar.
Add the Link as a Value: Ensure the value associated with the key is the URL or file path to the other file.
Here’s an example of a SIF entry that includes links to other files:
