Flat Files Video 1 -Bulk Update Amazon Listings Using Flat Files

Learn how to export a Category Listings Report from Amazon Seller Central, filter items in Excel, update attributes in bulk, and save as a TSV flat file.

August 26, 2026 By SellerPro Amazon Agency

This guide walks through exporting existing catalog data from Amazon Seller Central via a Category Listings Report flat file, modifying product attributes in bulk, and saving the updated file for upload.

This workflow applies to Amazon sellers, e-commerce brand managers, and catalog specialists needing to make large-scale updates to existing product titles, highlights, or variation structures.

Exporting the Category Listings Report

When updating products that already exist in your Amazon catalog, downloading a Category Listings Report allows you to pull all existing back-end attributes directly from Amazon and reverse-engineer your changes rather than building a flat file from scratch.

Step #1: Navigate to Reports and select Inventory Reports in Amazon Seller Central. — Navigate to **Reports** and select **Inventory Reports** in Amazon Seller Central.

Step #2: Select Category Listings Report from the Select Report Type dropdown menu. — Select **Category Listings Report** from the **Select Report Type** dropdown menu.

If you manage a large catalog, you can use the optional date filter to only include listings created after a specific date. Otherwise, leave filters blank to export the entire catalog.

Step #3: Click Request Report to generate the export file. — Click **Request Report** to generate the export file.

Step #4: Click Download once the report finishes processing to save the file to your computer. — Click **Download** once the report finishes processing to save the file to your computer.

Reviewing Flat File Structure & Attributes

Open the downloaded workbook in Microsoft Excel to inspect the catalog attributes and variation structures.

Step #5: Click Enable Editing in the yellow Protected View banner at the top of the spreadsheet. — Click **Enable Editing** in the yellow Protected View banner at the top of the spreadsheet.

Key Attribute Fields

Attribute	Column Header	Description
Parentage Level	`Parentage Level`	Identifies whether the row is a `Parent` or a `Child` listing within a variation family.
Variation Theme	`Variation Theme Name`	Specifies the variation dimension (e.g., `COLOR/SIZE`).
Product Type	`Product Type`	Amazon's classification category for the product (e.g., `NECKLACE`, `LOCATION_TRACKER`, `PET_FOOD`).
Item Type Keyword	`Item Type Keyword`	The browse node path that dictates where the product is mapped in Amazon's storefront catalog.
Item Name	`Item Name`	The customer-facing product title.
Item Highlight	`Item Highlight`	Key product bullet points and features.

Filtering Target SKUs

Because the exported report contains the entire account catalog across multiple product types and brands, use Excel filters to isolate the specific products requiring updates.

Click the filter dropdown arrow in the Brand Name column header.

Select only the brand you are updating (e.g., PawFurEver) and click OK.

Step #8: Click the filter dropdown arrow in the Parent SKU column header. — Click the filter dropdown arrow in the **Parent SKU** column header.

Step #9: Select the specific parent SKU (e.g., 3L-UWQ4-ODGM) to display only the child variations belonging to that family. — Select the specific parent SKU (e.g., `3L-UWQ4-ODGM`) to display only the child variations belonging to that family.

Parent ASIN rows typically have blank fields for certain attributes. When updating child variations, ensure you do not inadvertently overwrite parentage relationships or required parent fields.

Updating Content and Saving the File

After filtering to the target products, apply your title and feature updates.

Step #10: Update the product title values in the Item Name column for each required row. — Update the product title values in the **Item Name** column for each required row.

Step #11: Enter the updated feature bullets in the Item Highlight column for each listing. — Enter the updated feature bullets in the **Item Highlight** column for each listing.

Step #12: Click Save and save the file in Tab-Delimited (.txt / .tsv) format for uploading to Amazon Seller Central. — Click **Save** and save the file in **Tab-Delimited (.txt / .tsv)** format for uploading to Amazon Seller Central.

Q: Why should I download a Category Listings Report instead of starting with a blank template?

A: Downloading an existing Category Listings Report pulls your live catalog data and back-end attribute values directly from Amazon. This allows you to modify existing values without having to fill in every required attribute from scratch.

Q: What is the difference between Product Type and Item Type Keyword (ITK)?

A: Product Type determines the attribute schema and category classification provided by Amazon, while the Item Type Keyword (ITK) functions as the browse node path placing the listing into the correct customer-facing department.

Q: How do I isolate all child ASINs that belong to a specific parent listing?

A: Filter the Parent SKU column in your spreadsheet to display the parent SKU identifier, which filters the sheet down to the corresponding family of child variations.

Q: What file format should be used when saving flat files for bulk upload?

A: Flat files should be saved as a tab-delimited text file (TSV/TXT) to ensure compatibility with Amazon's bulk upload processing.

Term	Definition
Category Listings Report	An inventory report exported from Amazon Seller Central containing all active product data and back-end attributes for your catalog.
Flat File	A spreadsheet template used to create, manage, and update multiple Amazon listings simultaneously in bulk.
Item Type Keyword (ITK)	A standardized category code that maps an Amazon listing to a specific browse node or storefront aisle.
Parent SKU	A non-buyable placeholder SKU used to group multiple child variation listings together under a single detail page.
Child ASIN	A buyable product variation that differs by specific attributes (such as color or size) linked under a parent listing.