Working on a WooCommerce site can be both rewarding and challenging, especially when you’re asked to make a seemingly small change across a massive product catalog. Recently, I was tasked with moving all product descriptions into the short description section for over 100 products. At first glance, it sounds simple. But doing this manually? That’s not just inefficient but also a soul-crushing task.
Naturally, I turned to plugins. There are dozens out there that promise bulk editing magic. But here’s the catch: most of the features you need, like bulk-moving content between fields, are locked behind a paywall. Sure, you can pay for the pro versions, but I wanted a solution that didn’t involve extra costs for such a specific task.
Developing a new plugin
This is where creativity and a little technical know-how come into play.
I decided to bypass the plugin limitations and write my solution. Using a mix of AI assistance and my coding skills, I crafted a custom plugin to automate the entire process. The goal? Loop through every product, grab the main description, and assign it to the short description field, all in one go.
It wasn’t just about saving time; it was about working smarter. No more copy-pasting 100+ times. No tedious switching between tabs. Just a clean, efficient script that did exactly what was needed.
In the end, it worked seamlessly. The site was updated, the client was happy, and I got to flex some problem-solving muscles. This kind of task is a reminder: in web development, knowing how to code isn’t just a skill, it’s a superpower when the tools fall short. And thanks to AI for making it easier.