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Importing products from CSV

Map spreadsheet columns, review SKU matches, and choose how existing stock should change.

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Prepare the file

Export your spreadsheet as CSV. Include a product name and use a stable, unique SKU for each item you want future imports to recognize. Rows without a name are skipped. Keep barcodes as text in your spreadsheet so leading zeros survive the export. Check that quantities and purchase costs use the intended stock unit.

Inventory saves an automatic snapshot of your data before it applies an import, and you can restore that snapshot from Settings. Download a backup as well before a large import: a product CSV is useful for editing product data, but it does not replace a full account backup.

Map columns and review the preview

  1. Open Settings → Import products from CSV, or the import action in Products.
  2. Choose or drop the file.
  3. Review the detected columns and correct any mappings.
  4. Inspect warnings, new records, and existing SKU matches.
  5. Choose the match behavior, then confirm the import.

Inventory supports location quantities and shelf codes. Export a few correctly configured products to see the format used by this app before constructing a large multi-location file.

Choose what a matching SKU means

Existing-product import choices
ChoiceUse it when
Update productThe supplied fields and quantities describe the new record.
Add to stockThe quantities are additional stock, such as a delivery.
Skip rowExisting products should stay as they are.

Unmapped fields are left as they are for matched products. Review special warnings for archived products and kits before applying the import. Afterward, compare several product balances with your source file. Repeating an additive import can add the same delivery twice.