Importing MySQL Database to Webflow CMS

Hi guys,

I need your precious advice. I’d like to transfer a MySQL based website to webflow CMS. Now, with help of the CMS API, it is possible but i have no clue how to do.

What’s your opinion? Should I keep storing my data in the existing database and synch every entry I make to WF CMS or is it safe enough to write new entries in WF CMS only, without haveing the fallback of an external database?

As for the import/synch process, is there anybody among you who could help my realize that (as a paid service, for sure)?

Thanks in advance for your comments!

Roland

  1. Export your database in CSV or XLS (spreadsheet format), then clean it using a spreadsheet editor until it’s full of useful text material that your Webflow CMS collection can receive.

  2. Go to Zapier, make a free account, and look how to set up a “Spreadsheet to Webflow” thing. It will link a spreadsheet to a Webflow collection so any new data added to the spreadsheet will be added to the collection.

  3. Test it with one line of data first. When it works OK, add the rest of the data at once to the spreadsheet and profit.

Won’t work for image data at the moment, which you have to import manually.

You can automate the rest with macro scripts and apps like Keyboard Maestro but that’s a bit more work.

5 Likes

HI @vincent [ always Kudos to you for being such superb help on the forums! :]

Use Case here:
Lets say client has a job database [ 2 variables here - Category Specialty [ 8 types ] and Location [ 6 locations ] - the CMS could easily be utilized like a mini database here where a good UI allowing the end user to choose between those two variables get’s him to a results page

Something like:
I’m looking for _____________ [ drop down of 8 specialties ] in the area of _________ [ drop down of location ] I call this new age madlibs :wink:

and then in the CMS, each Job listing would have tags [ specialty and location ] and the search paramater’s would spit back a result page that matches those, is this sounding right?

  • We could also have an ANY filed that would only show results based on 1 of those two variables, like show me all Jobs that fall under the location 01 [ of 8 ]

BUT, based on this post with Zapier

Could I build it in that the client could essentially update a google spreadsheet with lets say 7 different variables of that Job [ description, specialty, location, deadline etc etc ] and this would be imported in thru zapier into webflow to create a new collection record and be LIVE right away?

Any help or guidance would be appreciated, thanks