The short version
A product CSV is for product data. An inventory CSV is for inventory quantities and locations. Mixing them up is a classic way to turn one simple task into a spreadsheet swamp.
Use a product CSV for
- Creating or updating products.
- Editing titles, descriptions, vendors, types, tags, status, and SEO fields.
- Managing variants, option names, option values, SKUs, prices, and images.
- Bulk product cleanup or migration prep.
Use an inventory CSV for
- Updating inventory quantities.
- Working with locations.
- Inventory availability changes.
- Stock adjustments that do not need product metadata changes.
Where merchants get tangled
SKUs appear in both worlds, which makes the confusion understandable. But a product CSV and inventory CSV are not interchangeable. Uploading the wrong file to the wrong workflow can fail outright or update the wrong set of fields.
What StoreOpsCheck checks
V0.1 checks Shopify product CSV structure and product-data risks. It does not validate inventory location logic yet. If a file looks more like an inventory CSV than a product CSV, the checker should warn you instead of pretending everything is fine.
Use the Product CSV Checker when you are working on product data, variants, images, prices, or SEO fields.