Import stock, non-stock products, and services

If you regularly sell the same stock products as well as non-stock products and services, create records for them to save time when entering invoices or credit notes. You can manually create the records, or you can import them using comma separated value (CSV) files.

CSV files can be created using Microsoft Excel. When saving the Excel file, click Save As, and then from the Save as type list, select CSV (Comma delimited)(*.csv).

Before importing

Please consider the following items before importing your products and services:

  • You can only import details of new products, services or stock items. The import function cannot be used to update existing records.

  • The headings in the CSV file must exactly match the headings used in the CSV file template. We recommend that you download the CSV template file first to make sure the headings are correct.

  • The Item Code and Description are mandatory. Other cells can be left blank.

  • When importing Categories, make sure you have already created your categories and sub-categories. To import a sub-category, the row must also include the correct category.

  • When importing Analysis Types, make sure you have already created your analysis types and the analysis type is Active for the correct type of record; Stock, Non-stock or Service.

  • To import both products and services, you must create a CSV file for products and another for services.
  • The maximum file size you can import is 0.5 MB.
  • You can import up to ten prices.

Non-stock product CSV file format

To ensure that your non-stock product records are successfully imported, you must include a header row in your CSV file, using the column headings shown in the in the Field name column below.

Column Field name Type Required Notes
A Item Code Alphanumeric No Enter a code to identify the product.
B Description Alphanumeric Yes Enter a description for the product.
C Category Text No

Make sure you have already set up your categories.

Leave this blank if you are not using categories.
D Sub-Category Text No To import a sub-category, the row must also include the correct category.
E Sales Price 1 Name Alphanumeric No To use the default name, Selling Price, leave this column blank.
F Sales Price 1 Value Numeric plus 2 decimal places No Enter the price that you charge for the product.
G Sales Price 1 Includes Tax Alpha No Enter Yes or No. Leave this column blank to use the default value, which is No.
H Sales Ledger Account Numeric No Enter the ledger account code to use for the sale of this product. To use the default account, leave this blank.
I Sales Tax Rate Alphanumeric Yes Enter the sales tax rate name as it appears on the Sales Tax Rates page, accessed by going to Settings, Sales Taxes.
J Usual Vendor Text No

Enter the vendor's account code. The account must already exist.

Maximum 10 characters.
K Expense Description Text No Maximum 250 characters.
L Cost Price Number plus 2 decimal places No

Enter a cost price for the stock item

If this is left blank, it's set to 0.00.
M Expense Ledger Account Numeric No Enter the account code to use for the purchase of this product, for example, 5000. To use the default account, leave this column blank.
N - P Analysis Type 1, 2, 3 Text No These fields are included in the file only if you set up analysis types on the Settings, Analysis Types page.
Q Notes Alphanumeric No Enter a note if applicable. You can enter up to 500 characters.
R Active Text No

To mark the as Active, leave this blank.

To mark the customer as Inactive, enter No.
S Sales Price 2 Name Alphanumeric No To use the default name, Selling Price, leave this column blank.
T Sales Price 2 Value Numeric plus 2 decimal places No Enter the price that you charge for the product.
U Sales Price 2 Includes Tax Alpha No Enter Yes or No. Leave this column blank to use the default value, which is No.
V Sales Price 3 Name Alphanumeric No To use the default name, Selling Price, leave this column blank.
W Sales Price 3 Value Numeric plus 2 decimal places No Enter the price that you charge for the product.
X Sales Price 3 Includes Tax Alpha No Enter Yes or No. Leave this column blank to use the default value, which is No.

Service CSV file format

To ensure that your service records are successfully imported, you must include a header row in your CSV file, using the column headings shown in the in the Field name column below.

Column Field name Type Required Notes
A Item Code Alphanumeric No Enter a code to identify the service.
B Description Alphanumeric Yes Enter a description for the service.
C Category Text No

Make sure you have already set up your categories.

Leave this blank if you are not using categories.
D Sub-Category Text No To import a sub-category, the row must also include the correct category.
E Rate 1 Name Alphanumeric No Enter the name of the rate that you charge for the service. To use the default name, Rate, leave this blank.
F Rate 1 Value Numeric plus 2 decimal places No Enter the rate that you charge for the service.
G Rate 1 Includes Tax Alphanumeric No Enter Yes or No. Leave this column blank to use the default value, which is No.
H Sales Ledger Account Numeric No The account code you want to use for the sale of this service, for example, 4000. To use the default account, leave this column blank.
I Sales Tax Rate Alphanumeric Yes Enter the sales tax rate name as it appears on the Sales Tax Rates page, accessed from Settings, Sales Taxes.
J Usual Vendor Text No

Enter the vendor's account code. The account must already exist.

Maximum 10 characters.
K Expense Description Text No Maximum 250 characters.
L Cost Price Number plus 2 decimal places No

Enter a cost price for the stock item

If this is left blank, it's set to 0.00.
M Expense Ledger Account Numeric No Enter the account code to use for the purchase of this product, for example, 5000. To use the default account, leave this column blank.
N-P Analysis Type 1, 2, 3 Text No These fields are included in the file only if you set up analysis types on the Settings, Analysis Types page.
Q Notes Alphanumeric No Enter a note if applicable. You can enter up to 500 characters.
R Active Text No

To mark the as Active, leave this blank.

To mark the customer as Inactive, enter No.

Stock item CSV file format

To make sure your stock records can be imported successfully, you must include a header row in your CSV file, using the columns shown as the Field names below:

Column Field name Type Compulsory Notes
A Item Code Text Yes Maximum 30 characters and must be unique.
B Description Text Yes Maximum 255 characters.
C Category Text No

Make sure you have already set up your categories.

Leave this blank if you are not using categories.
D Sub-Category Text No To import a sub-category, the row must also include the correct category.
E Sales Price 1 Name Text No

To use the default name of Sale Price, leave this blank.

Tip:

If you have more than one pricing level, you can enter the additional levels after you import your records.
F Sales Price 1 Value Number plus 2 decimal places No If this is left blank, the price is set to 0.00.
G Sales Price 1 Includes Tax Text No Enter Yes or No, or leave blank to default to No.
H Sales Ledger Account Number No

The ledger account code you want to use for the sale of this stock item.

To use the default account, leave this blank.
I Sales Tax Rate Text No

To use the default tax rate, leave this blank.

Alternatively, enter the rate name as it appears on the Settings, Sales Tax Rates page.
J Usual Vendor Text No

Enter the vendor's account code. The account must already exist.

Maximum 10 characters.
K Expense Description Text No Maximum 250 characters.
L Cost Price Number plus 2 decimal places No

Enter a cost price for the stock item

If this is left blank, it's set to 0.00.
M Expense Ledger Account Number No

The ledger account code you want to use for the purchase of this stock item.

To use the default account set for your stock items, leave this blank. This is set on the Settings, Record and Transactions Settings page.
N -P Analysis Type 1, 2, 3 Text No

These fields are included in the file only if you set up analysis types on the Settings, Analysis Types page.
Q Notes Text No Maximum 500 characters.
R Vendor Code Text No

The code your vendor uses.

Maximum 50 characters.
S Quantity in Stock Number No The number of items currently in stock
T Reorder Level Number No If this is left blank, it's set to 0.00.
U Reorder Quantity Number plus 2 decimal places No If this is left blank, it's set to 0.00.
V Location Text No Maximum 25 characters
W Active Text No

To mark the as Active, leave this blank.

To mark the customer as Inactive, enter No.
X Barcode Text No Maximum 50 characters
Y Weight Number No If this is left blank, it's set to 0.00.
Z Unit of Weight Text No

Enter gram, kilogram, tonne, or ounce, pound, ton.

If this is left blank, it defaults to pound.
AA Usual Vendor Text No

Enter the vendor's account code. The account must already exist.

Maximum 10 characters.
BB Sales Price 2 Name Text No

To use the default name of Sale Price, leave this blank.

Tip:

If you have more than one pricing level, you can enter the additional levels after you import your records.
CC Sales Price 2 Value Number plus 2 decimal places No If this is left blank, the price is set to 0.00.
DD Sales Price 2 Includes Tax Text No Enter Yes or No, or leave blank to default to No.
EE Sales Price 3 Name Text No

To use the default name of Sale Price, leave this blank.

Tip:

If you have more than one pricing level, you can enter the additional levels after you import your records.
FF Sales Price 3 Value Number plus 2 decimal places No If this is left blank, the price is set to 0.00.
GG Sales Price 3 Includes Tax Text No Enter Yes or No, or leave blank to default to No.

To import your product and service records

  1. Click Products & Services.
  2. Click New Item and click Import Items.
  3. Click the type of items you want to import; Stock, Non-stock, or Service:
  • If you haven't already downloaded a CSV template, click the template CSV file link. Depending on your browser, you can either download the file or open it in Excel.
  • If you have already created a CSV file, compare it to the information in this article to verify that your information is ready to import.
  1. Enter the required information following the examples in the template. If you have more than three prices to import, you may enter up to ten. Delete the example lines before importing your records.

    Important! Do not change the column headings.

  2. Save the file as a CSV file, and then close it.

  3. From the Import items window, click Upload your CSV file, or drag and drop your file.

    If for any reason the upload fails, a message indicates why. Fix any issues, and then upload the file. For more information about the correct CSV file format, see sections above for the product and service file formats.

  4. Click OK.

You've successfully imported your products or services. You can also import your contact records.