Guide to Using the Product Synchronization Cron

1. What is the Product Synchronization Cron?

The product synchronization cron is designed for those who do not exclusively use the Prestashop backoffice,
but instead rely on external import systems. It is useful when quick and frequent updates are needed on modified products
without using the native Prestashop save hooks.

For more details, check the cron documentation.

2. Execution Time and Timeout Issues

The estimated processing time per product is approximately 3 seconds, required to complete the request/response
communication with eBay. If this time exceeds the maximum server execution limit
(visible in the “System Information” section of the module), the cron may time out.

The module tries to increase the limit to 3600 seconds, but this setting can be overridden by server configurations.

3. What to Do If Synchronization Stops

If the synchronization via cron stops unexpectedly, it is recommended to:

• Check the server error logs to identify the cause.
• Verify any server-side timeouts, as large catalogs might take a long time to complete.

4. Types of Cron Commands

You can check the number of products to process for each cron command type by accessing the TAB Sync of the module. The available options are:

• ADD: Add products.
• REVISE: Update products.
• REVISELASTIMPORT: Update from the last import.
• CLOSE: Close products.

Note: Do not use the cron as a replacement for massive catalog synchronization.
For this purpose, always use the module’s Fast Sync feature.

5. Incremental and Targeted Synchronization

For targeted or incremental synchronization, you can use the cron with the parameter “reviselastimport”.
This command updates only the products that have been modified since the last synchronization.

The module compares the date_upd field in the ps_product_shop table with the last Fastbay synchronization date.
If the update date is more recent, the product is included in the synchronization.

You can check the number of products in the list by accessing the “Update products from the last import” section in the SYNC tab
to ensure that they are the correctly modified items.

6. Avoid Unnecessary Manual Modifications

Make sure that no external procedures modify the date_upd field without reason.
Altering this field could lead to an incorrect number of products to update, causing timeouts or unnecessary synchronizations.

7. When the Cron is NOT Necessary

If you use Prestashop in a standard way (through the backoffice), there is no need to configure the cron.
The module automatically synchronizes products at the time of saving, thanks to the integrated hook system.

For more information, refer to the section “How the module keeps products synchronized” in the FAQ.