majiayu000 /csv-to-sif — CSV to SIF Converter
Converts a CSV, Excel, or Google Sheets product list into a SIF (Standard Interchange Format) file for import into dealer and procurement systems like Hedberg, CAP, CET, Cyncly Worksheet, ProjectMatrix, Studio Webware, and Design Manager.
When to Use
- Sending a specification to a dealer for quoting
- Importing product data into a dealer management system
- Sharing a standardized product list with procurement
- Converting an FF&E schedule into a format dealers expect
SIF Format Reference
SIF is a text-based key-value format. Each line is CODE=VALUE, terminated by CRLF. Products are separated by records starting with PN=.
Core fields
| Code | Name | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
SF |
Specification File | No | Project reference (header, once per file) |
ST |
Specification Title | No | Display title (header, once per file) |
PN |
Product Number | Yes | SKU or model number. Marks the start of a new record. |
PD |
Product Description | Yes | Product name and description |
MC |
Manufacturer Code | Yes | 3-5 character code (HMI, KNL, STC) |
MN |
Manufacturer Name | No | Full manufacturer name |
QT |
Quantity | Yes | Integer quantity |
NT |
Quantity (alt) | No | Some systems use NT instead of QT |
GC |
Category / Group Code | No | Product category |
G0 |
Vendor / Group ID | No | Vendor or dealer identifier |
Pricing fields
| Code | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
PL |
List Price | Unit list price (numeric, no currency symbol) |
P1 |
Price Tier 1 | Primary price (some systems use P1 instead of PL) |
P2 |
Price Tier 2 | Alternate price tier |
P4 |
Price Tier 4 | Alternate price tier |
P5 |
Price Tier 5 | Alternate price tier |
I1 |
Unit List Price (Cyncly) | Used by Cyncly Worksheet |
I2 |
Purchase Price (Cyncly) | Used by Cyncly Worksheet |
S- / S% |
Sell Discount % | Sell = PL - (PL × S- × 0.01) |
P% / B% |
Purchase/Buy % | Cost = PL × (P% × 0.01) |
Product detail fields
| Code | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
TG |
Side Mark / Tag | Room name, area code, or project tag |
ON |
Option Number | Must pair with OD |
OD |
Option Description | Finish, fabric, color selection |
AN |
Attribute Number | Must pair with AD |
AD |
Attribute Description | Dimension, weight, or other attribute |
WT |
Weight | Product weight |
VO |
Volume | Product volume |
PRC |
Product Category (Cyncly) | Category for Cyncly Worksheet |
Link fields
| Code | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
ProductURL |
Product Page URL | Link to manufacturer product page |
ImageURL |
Product Image URL | Link to product image |
PV |
Picture Path | Windows bitmap or TIF file path |
Alternate manufacturer codes (by system)
| System | Code | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | MC |
3-5 char manufacturer code |
| Cyncly Worksheet | MG |
Manufacturer code (replaces MC) |
| Cyncly Worksheet | MN |
Full manufacturer name |
| CET / Configura | EC |
Manufacturer code (alt) |
File structure example
SF=Project Alpha - FF&E Specification
ST=FF&E Schedule — March 2026
PN=670
PD=Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman
MC=HMI
MN=Herman Miller
GC=Seating
QT=3
PL=5695.00
WT=92
TG=Executive Lounge
OD=Santos Palisander / Black MCL Leather
AN=DIM
AD=32.75W x 32.5D x 33.5H in
ProductURL=https://www.hermanmiller.com/products/seating/lounge-seating/eames-lounge-chair-and-ottoman/
ImageURL=https://www.hermanmiller.com/content/dam/hmicom/page_assets/products/eames_lounge_chair_and_ottoman/mh_prd_ovw_eames_lounge_chair_and_ottoman.jpg
PN=164-500
PD=Saarinen Round Dining Table 54"
MC=KNL
MN=Knoll
GC=Tables
QT=1
PL=4750.00
TG=Dining Area
OD=Arabescato Marble Top / White Base
AN=DIM
AD=54dia x 28.5H in
Rules
- Each line is one field:
CODE=VALUE - Lines terminated by CRLF
- Blank line between records
PNstarts a new record — must come first in each recordON/ODandAN/ADpairs must stay together- No embedded line breaks within a field value
- Empty values use
CODE=with nothing after the equals sign
Step 1: Accept Input
CSV file:
/csv-to-sif ~/Documents/project/product-data-import.csv
Google Sheet:
/csv-to-sif 1FMScYW9guezOWc_m4ClTQxxFIpS6TNRr373R-MJGzgE
Pasted CSV:
/csv-to-sif
Product,Brand,SKU,Qty,Price,Finish,Room
Eames Lounge Chair,Herman Miller,670,3,5695,Walnut/Black Leather,Executive Lounge
Saarinen Table 54,Knoll,164-500,1,4750,Arabescato/White,Dining
Step 2: Choose Target System
Ask which dealer system the SIF file is for (affects which field codes to use):
Target system:
1. Standard (Hedberg, CAP, ProjectMatrix) — default
2. CET / Configura (SPEC)
3. Cyncly Worksheet (CAPSIF)
4. Design Manager
Default to Standard if not specified. The main differences:
- Standard: MC for manufacturer, PL for price, QT for quantity
- CET: EC for manufacturer, standard pricing
- Cyncly: MG/MN for manufacturer, I1/I2 for pricing, PRC for category
- Design Manager: Standard + DXSC, DXBD, DXLC, DXLN extensions
Step 3: Map Columns
Auto-detect column mappings from header names:
| CSV Column (common names) | SIF Field |
|---|---|
| Product Name, Name, Description, Product | PD |
| SKU, Model, Part Number, Product Number | PN |
| Brand, Manufacturer | MC + MN |
| Qty, Quantity, Count | QT |
| Price, List Price, Unit Price | PL |
| Finish, Color, Configuration | OD |
| Room, Location, Area, Tag, Side Mark | TG |
| Category | GC |
| Weight | WT |
| Discount, Discount % | S- |
| URL, Product URL, Link | ProductURL |
| Image, Image URL | ImageURL |
| W, D, H (dimensions) | AD (with AN=DIM) |
If using the master 33-column schema (defined in ../../schema/product-schema.md):
See ../../schema/sif-crosswalk.md for the full column-to-SIF mapping. Key fields:
| Column | SIF Field |
|---|---|
| A (Category) | GC |
| B (Brand) | MC + MN |
| E (Product Name) | PD |
| I (SKU) | PN |
| J (Link) | ProductURL |
| L-P (W, D, H, Seat H, Unit) | AD (with AN=DIM) |
| Q (Weight) | WT |
| R (Materials) | AD (with AN=MAT) |
| S (Colors/Finishes) | OD (with ON=FIN) |
| T (Selected Color/Finish) | OD (primary, replaces S if present) |
| U (List Price) | PL |
| AC (Image URL) | ImageURL |
| AD (Tags) | TG |
If the mapping is ambiguous, ask the user to confirm.
Manufacturer code lookup
Convert full brand names to standard 3-5 character codes:
| Brand | MC Code | Brand | MC Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herman Miller | HMI | Blu Dot | BLU |
| MillerKnoll | MKN | Design Within Reach | DWR |
| Knoll | KNL | Fritz Hansen | FRH |
| Steelcase | STC | Vitra | VIT |
| Haworth | HAW | Arper | ARP |
| Teknion | TEK | Muuto | MUU |
| Humanscale | HUM | HAY | HAY |
| Kimball | KIM | Flos | FLS |
| National | NAT | Louis Poulsen | LPO |
| OFS | OFS | Artemide | ART |
| HBF | HBF | Restoration Hardware | RHB |
| Bernhardt | BRN | West Elm | WEL |
| Geiger | GEI | CB2 | CB2 |
For unknown brands, use first 3-5 characters uppercased. Flag for the user to verify.
Step 4: Preview
Show a preview of the first 3 records before generating the file:
## SIF Preview (first 3 of 12 records)
Record 1:
PN=670
PD=Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman
MC=HMI
MN=Herman Miller
GC=Seating
QT=3
PL=5695.00
WT=92
TG=Executive Lounge
OD=Santos Palisander / Black MCL Leather
AN=DIM
AD=32.75W x 32.5D x 33.5H in
...
12 records total. Generate SIF file? (y/n)
Step 5: Generate SIF File
Write the .sif file with CRLF line endings:
# Output path: same directory as input, or specified path
{input-dir}/{input-name}.sif
Step 6: Summary
✓ Generated product-data-import.sif
Target: Standard (Hedberg/CAP/ProjectMatrix)
12 records · 8 fields per record avg
Manufacturers: HMI (5), KNL (3), STC (2), BLU (2)
Total list value: $47,830.00
Saved to: ~/Documents/project/product-data-import.sif
Pairs With
/product-data-import— generate a schedule first, then convert to SIF/sif-to-csv— round-trip: CSV → SIF → send to dealer → receive updated SIF → back to CSV/product-data-cleanup— clean up the CSV before converting