> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.alana.shopping/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Configuring Sync Settings

> Manage automatic and manual product synchronization, sync frequency, and conflict resolution

# Configuring Sync Settings

Once your e-commerce platform is connected, you can customize how and when your products sync to Alana. Whether you prefer hands-off automatic syncing or manual control, we've got you covered.

## Sync Modes

### Automatic Sync (Recommended)

With automatic sync enabled, Alana continuously monitors your store for changes and updates products in real-time.

**What triggers an automatic sync:**

* A new product is added to your store
* Product details change (name, price, images, attributes)
* Product status changes (published, archived, out of stock)
* Product images are updated

**Best for:** Most businesses. Automatic sync ensures your Alana catalog stays fresh without any effort.

### Manual Sync

Choose manual sync if you prefer to control exactly when products are synchronized. This is useful if you make bulk changes and want to sync them all at once.

**To trigger a manual sync:**

1. Go to **Settings** > **Integrations**
2. Find your connected platform
3. Click the **Sync Now** button
4. Wait for the sync to complete (time varies based on product count)

**Best for:** Businesses with infrequent changes or those who want complete control over the update timing.

## Configuring Sync Frequency

If using automatic sync, you can set how often Alana checks for changes:

1. Open **Settings** > **Integrations**
2. Find your platform and click **Settings** (gear icon)
3. Select sync frequency:
   * **Every 15 minutes** — Real-time updates (best for high-traffic stores)
   * **Every hour** — Frequent updates, balanced resource use (recommended)
   * **Every 4 hours** — Less frequent, ideal for stable catalogs
   * **Daily** — Once per day, best for low-change products

**Note:** More frequent syncing means faster updates but may slightly increase API usage.

## What Gets Synced

Alana automatically synchronizes:

* **Product names** — All variations and translations
* **Descriptions** — Full product descriptions and specifications
* **Images** — All product photos and image URLs
* **Prices** — Current selling prices and discount information
* **Inventory** — Stock levels and availability status
* **Attributes** — Categories, tags, colors, sizes, materials, etc.
* **Variants** — Product variants (e.g., size, color combinations)
* **Metadata** — SKU, UPC, and other identifiers

**Not synced (by design):**

* Customer reviews and ratings (synced separately if needed)
* Sales history or analytics
* Internal notes or admin comments

## Conflict Resolution: Which Version Wins?

If the same product is edited in both your store and Alana simultaneously, here's the priority:

**Your store wins.** Alana is designed as a tool to enhance your store, not replace it. If there's a conflict:

1. The **store version takes priority** and overwrites Alana's changes
2. You'll be notified of the conflict in your activity log
3. You can re-apply Alana's changes if needed

**Why this matters:** Your source-of-truth data in your store is always protected. Alana changes are enhancements, not replacements.

## Manual Sync Step-by-Step

Need to sync specific products or force an immediate update?

1. Go to **Settings** > **Integrations**
2. Click the platform card that's already connected
3. Under "Last Sync," click **Sync Now**
4. A progress bar appears showing sync status
5. Check the sync summary when complete:
   * Products added
   * Products updated
   * Any errors encountered

Syncs typically complete within minutes, depending on your catalog size.

## Monitoring Sync Health

To ensure your sync is running smoothly:

1. Open **Settings** > **Integrations**
2. Look for the sync status indicator (green = healthy, yellow = pending, red = error)
3. Click on your platform to view:
   * **Last sync time** — When the most recent sync completed
   * **Next scheduled sync** — When the next automatic sync is expected
   * **Sync history** — A log of recent sync operations

**Green light?** Great, everything's working. **Yellow or red?** Check out [troubleshooting sync issues](/help/integrations/troubleshooting-sync).

## Next Steps

* **[Troubleshoot sync problems](/help/integrations/troubleshooting-sync)** — If something isn't syncing
* **[Re-connect a platform](/help/integrations/connecting-platforms)** — Need to update platform access?
* **[Start using AI features](/help/ai/ai-credits-and-usage)** — Generate content for synced products

## Questions?

[Reach out to support](/help/faq/contact-support) if you need help configuring sync for your specific use case.