🔧 Quick Info: This tool exports your BigCommerce categories to a spreadsheet. Filter by keyword, visibility, or specific categories, pick your columns, and download a CSV or Excel file with all your category data.
What It Does
Export Categories pulls your BigCommerce categories into a downloadable spreadsheet. You choose which categories to include using filters like keyword, specific categories, parent categories, or visibility status. Pick exactly which fields (columns) you want to include, select between CSV or Excel format, and the export runs in the background. When it’s ready, you get an email with a download link to grab your file.
When Should You Use This?
Use this tool whenever you need your categories in a spreadsheet format. Common scenarios include creating a backup or snapshot of your category structure, planning to bulk-edit categories in a spreadsheet and re-importing them, or pulling a list of categories with their SEO fields, visibility status, sort order, or product counts for review or reporting purposes.
Before You Get Started
- Decide what to export. You can export everything or narrow it down by keyword, specific categories, parent categories, or visibility status.
- Pick a file format – CSV or Excel. Both work great for editing and re-importing with Import Categories.
- Make sure the email address is correct, since that’s where your download link will be sent.
How to Use It
1 Open the Tool
Navigate to the Export Categories tool in your Your Store Wizards dashboard for your BigCommerce store.
2 Choose Your Storefront (If Needed)
If your store has more than one storefront, choose the storefront (category tree) you want to export from.
3 Filter Your Categories (Optional)
Use any of these filters to narrow down what gets exported. Leave them all blank to export everything:
- Category Keyword – Type a keyword to search for categories by name.
- Select Categories – Pick specific categories to export.
- Select Parent Categories – Export only categories under specific parent categories.
- Category Visibility – Filter by Visible, Not Visible, or leave it as All Categories.
4 Configure Your Export
On the Export Options step, set up your file:
- Filename – Enter a name for your export file. A default name with today’s date is already provided.
- File Format – Choose between CSV or Excel format.
- Fields to Include – Check the boxes next to the columns you want in your export. A broad set comes pre-selected by default, but you can customize it.
5 Confirm Email Address
On the Email Delivery step, confirm the email address that should receive the download link. Your own email is filled in by default.
6 Start the Export
Submit and the export runs in the background. Watch for the email with your download link, then click it to grab your file.
Available Fields
Pick any combination of the fields below to include as columns in your export. By default a broad set is pre-selected, but you can customize it to include only what you need:
| Default Product Sort | Description | Id |
| Image URL | Is Visible | Layout File |
| Meta Description | Meta Keywords | Name |
| Page Title | Parent Id | Product Count |
| Search Keywords | Sort Order | URL |
| Views |
Pro tip: Including Product Count makes the tool look up products for every category, which adds time to the export. Leave it unticked if you don’t need it and want the export to run faster.
Troubleshooting
I didn’t get my file
The file arrives by email as a download link once the background job finishes. Check that the email address in the Email Delivery step is correct, and don’t forget to check your spam folder in case it landed there.
My export is taking a long time
Including the Product Count field makes the tool look up products for every category, which adds time. If you don’t need product counts, leave that field unticked and the export will run faster.
I got a permission error
Your store connection may not allow reading categories. Check out our guide on resolving API permission errors.
Which format should I pick?
Use Excel if you want to open it directly in a spreadsheet app, or CSV for a simple, universal format. Either one can be re-imported with Import Categories if you need to push changes back to your store.
Can I export only some categories?
Yes. Use the keyword, category, parent category, and visibility filters on the Select Categories step to narrow down exactly which categories get exported.