How to bulk-import inventory, lots, serials, and more from a CSV — the accepted columns, the Add/Replace actions, and the current limitations.
SKUSavvy imports data from a CSV file. Every importer works the same way: you upload the file, map each column to a field, review the parsed rows, then run the import.
You can import inventory, bin barcodes, kits, vendors, customers, unit costs, landed costs, and replenishment rules. Each importer is a separate screen with its own columns — see Other Imports below.
Column headers are matched by name, so you do not have to order them in any particular way. If a header does not match automatically, map it by hand on the alignment step.
To import inventory, open the warehouse and use the inventory import. Each row places a quantity of one item into one Bin, so your file needs a way to identify the item, a way to identify the Bin, and a quantity.
SKU — matches the product variant by its SKU
Item Barcode — matches the variant by barcode
Bin Name — matches the Bin by name
Bin Barcode — matches the Bin by its barcode
Every row needs a whole-number Quantity of zero or more. Negative numbers are rejected — to lower a count, use a Replace action (below) with the new total.
Every row must resolve to a Bin. The inventory import cannot place stock that has no Bin, and it merges rows that share the same Bin, item, serial, and lot by adding their quantities. Bin Name is matched without regard to Shelf, so use Bin Barcode if the same Bin name is reused on more than one Shelf.
Before running an inventory import you pick how it affects existing stock. The action you choose changes whether the import adds to, or overwrites, what is already in the system.
Add — adds the imported quantities on top of current stock. Use this for receiving more of what you already have.
Replace — for each item in the file, adjusts its stock to match the file. Items not in the file are left alone.
Replace all — same as Replace, and also removes stock for any item that is not in the file. Use this for a full reset.
To zero out an item, include it in a Replace or Replace all file with a Quantity of 0. To wipe everything not listed, use Replace all.
If you pick a store on the import, Replace all only resets inventory tied to that store and leaves other stores untouched.
If lot and expiration tracking is enabled, the inventory import shows lot columns. You attach a lot to each row in one of two ways.
Lot Name + Lot Expiration — creates the lot if it does not exist (and reuses it if it does). Lot Expiration is required with a Lot Name.
Lot Number — references a lot that already exists by its lot number.
Use Lot Name or Lot Number on a row, never both. Importing a lot also marks the item as perishable.
Lots can only be imported with the Add action. With lot tracking enabled, Replace and Replace all are turned off, so lot-tracked inventory is always imported by adding.
If serialization is enabled, the inventory import shows a Serial column. A serial identifies one specific unit, so each serialized row imports exactly one unit.
Put one serial per row. The Quantity on a serialized row is forced to 1, so to import many serials of the same product, add one row per serial number.
The inventory import is deliberately narrow. Knowing what it does not do saves time building your file.
No cost column. The inventory import does not set item cost. Set costs with the Unit Cost or Landed Cost imports, or through a purchase order check-in.
A Bin is required on every row — you cannot import unallocated stock this way.
Replace and Replace all are unavailable while lot tracking is enabled; only Add works.
Quantities cannot be negative; lower a count with a Replace action instead.
A serialized row always imports a quantity of 1.
Imports are capped at 10,000 rows per file — split larger files.
Inventory is the most common import, but several other datasets have their own importers, each on its own screen with its own columns.
Bin Barcodes — set or update Bin barcodes in bulk
Kits — define kits and their components
Vendors — add suppliers
Customers — add customers
Unit Costs — set per-vendor item costs
Landed Costs — set default landed costs for items
Replenishments and Bin Replenishments — load reorder and bin-refill rules