Page contents

Data import and exports

Import template checklist

Importing data tutorial video

Use Import and Export templates to create and update data records in your Unleashed account. You can import and update data at any time, giving you the flexibility to setup and manage your system faster and more accurately. 

Data import and exports

The below table details which data and transaction records can be updated or created using the export and import templates available.

You cannot import historical data for Purchase Orders, Warehouse Transfers, Assemblies, Stock Counts or Stock Adjustments. However, you can import historical Sales Orders and Credit Notes using the BI Vision module. For more details, see Upload historical Sales Data to BI Vision

Import template checklist

When uploading an import template to Unleashed, ensure the following requirements and behaviours are understood:

• You must use Unleashed's templates for importing data, which can be exported from each Import/Export page.
• Do not edit the names provided for header columns of your importing template, they must identically match Unleashed's template.
• Do not remove columns from import templates as this will remove the column's field data in Unleashed upon import. 
• Complete all mandatory fields marked with an asterisk (*).
• When importing Customer or Supplier address details, you must specify an "Address Name".
• Tax rates must be entered as a numeric value. For example: if the tax rate is 15% you must enter the value as 15.
• Do not include special characters e.g. commas, line breaks, percentage symbols, & etc.
• Long numbers, such as phone numbers or barcodes, must be saved as Text or Number format, not Scientific e.g. 3.4E+12 in the CSV template. If a cell is saved using scientific format the import will populate the scientific value instead of the full number and the true value will be lost, see Cells formats in Excel.
• Once an import file has been uploaded and is in progress it cannot be cancelled or removed from the upload queue.
• All transaction imports will only create the transaction in a "Parked" status, giving you the opportunity to review the import and make adjustments when necessary before completing. 
• Save templates as CSV format with file encoding Unicode (UTF-8).

Tips for importing data

• It is best practice to save a copy of the original export as a back-up for the data being updated and imported in bulk. Once a template is successfully imported to Unleashed it cannot be undone and you will not be able to revert the data to the previous version.
• Delete any rows for records that you are not due to be updated by the import. This will speed up the import process as well as reduce the risk of inaccurate or unexpected updates.
• When importing updates using a pre-populated export template, if you remove data from non-mandatory fields, this will remove the data from Unleashed upon importing.
• Upload one import file at a time, allowing each to complete before uploading the next to ensure they upload efficiently and accurately.

Cells formats in Excel

When importing updates to products, customers or suppliers the unique identifiers for records such as Product Codes, Customer Codes and Supplier Codes, in a CSV template will need to identically match the codes provided in the record in Unleashed to update successfully. When exporting a pre-populated CSV template from Unleashed, columns consisting of leading zeros or long numbers may be automatically formatted, by Microsoft Excel, to remove the zero's or convert long numbers to a truncated, scientific formats. You must therefore re-format these columns to reinstate the leading zero's and untruncated numbers to ensure the data imports successfully and accurately.

To update an CSV file's cell format:

1. Open the file in Excel.
2. Highlight necessary column.
3.  Right-click Format Cells.
4. Under Category, select Number .
5. Change Decimal Places to 0.
6. Click Ok.

After import

Monitor the progress of your import via the task bar, found in the burger icon in the top right of your Unleashed page. 

In the notification, the following statuses will be displayed for each import: 

• Orange circle: In progress
• Red cross: Import failed or had errors.
• Green tick: Import completed successfully. 

If the import failed, click the task for further details on why it failed. You will also receive an import report to your user's email address, either confirming the import's been completed or detailed reasons as to why it failed. 

For more details on understanding data import errors, see Troubleshooting Import Errors.

Importing data Tutorial Video