If you’ve hardcoded product data into a PHP file and later needed it to be editable from the admin panel without breaking your existing database logic — here’s exactly how I handled that.

The Problem

We had a static array inside a PHP class:

$merch = TCA_Pos::MERCH;

Which populated a merch section like this:

<div class="merch-product" data-item-id="<?= $item['id'] ?>">
	<span class="name"><?= $item['name'] ?></span>
	...
</div>

This array was also linked (by ID) to entries in a custom table: wp_pos_order_merch.

Updating a product required editing PHP and coordinating updates in the database. That had to change.

The Goal

• Move product data into WordPress Custom Post Type (merch)
• Use ACF for cost and options fields
• Allow admin users to manage everything from the backend
• Keep existing database entries consistent by syncing old item_id values

Step-by-Step: What I Did

1. Created the CPT

register_post_type('merch', [
	'label' => 'Merch',
	'public' => false,
	'show_ui' => true,
	'show_in_menu' => true,
	'supports' => ['title', 'editor', 'thumbnail'],
	'capability_type' => 'post',
	'map_meta_cap' => true,
	'menu_icon' => 'dashicons-cart',
]);

2. Created ACF Fields

• cost (number)
• options (repeater of text values)

3. Wrote an Importer Script

This CLI script:

• Deletes all old merch posts
• Re-creates them from the static array
• Captures a mapping between the old static id and the new post_id
• Updates wp_pos_order_merch accordingly

$wp_ref_ID_array[] = ['db_id' => $item['id'], 'new_id' => $post_id];

foreach ($wp_ref_ID_array as $ref) {
	$wpdb->update('wp_pos_order_merch', ['item_id' => $ref['new_id']], ['item_id' => $ref['db_id']]);
}

4. Replaced Front-End Static Array

Now, instead of loading TCA_Pos::MERCH, I fetch merch posts dynamically:

$posts = get_posts(['post_type' => 'merch', 'numberposts' => -1]);

foreach ($posts as $post) {
	$merch[] = [
		'id' => $post->ID,
		'name' => $post->post_title,
		'cost' => get_field('cost', $post->ID),
		'options' => array_column(get_field('options', $post->ID) ?: [], 'option'),
	];
}

Why This Works

• Data is now fully managed via WordPress admin
• Existing item_id relationships remain valid
• It’s scalable: new merch, price changes, sizes — no more code edits
• It’s safe: your legacy table remains usable

What Brought You Here

If you’re searching for:

• “How to migrate static PHP array to WordPress CPT”
• “Sync CPT with custom database table”
• “Use ACF to replace static data”
• “WordPress CLI content importer with ID remapping”

…this solution gives you a clean, flexible, future-proof way to get it done.

If you need to update your current site or modernise how your data is managed get in touch, I’d be happy to help.