1. Sortly Help Center
  2. Getting Started
  3. Adding Inventory

Bulk Importing New Items/Folders

Easily add new items to your Sortly inventory by uploading a CSV or Excel file using either our Quick Import or Advanced Import templates. Importing your inventory in bulk from Excel, Numbers, Google Sheets, or another spreadsheet can save you valuable time and effort.

 

⚠️ Before importing, you must create any custom fields and custom units of measure in your Sortly account — this applies to all import types. Folders can be created before importing for any import type, but may also be added during the import process when using the Advanced Import template.

Jump to...

 

Choosing your Import Type

Basic Import

Import your inventory using our basic import template. 

Good for:

  • Importing items into a single folder if you don't have an existing spreadsheet

  • Using our Basic Template

Quick Import

Import your inventory from an existing .csv or .xlsx file in a snap and start managing your items in 1 minute.

Good for:

  • Quickly adding items to a single folder

  • Using an existing .csv or .xlsx file

Advanced Import

Use the advanced import template to add all items across multiple folders.

Good for:

  • Importing items with multiple variants

  • Importing items into multiple folders

  • Importing folders

When you select Advanced Import, you’ll first choose a template:

  • Basic – Best for new users setting up inventory across multiple folders.

  • Expert – Best for existing customers importing NEW data. Includes folders and items.

If you choose Expert, you’ll then select an item type:

  • Standard Items – Single items (e.g., a lamp in one size or color).

  • Standard Items + Variants – Items with variations (e.g., a shirt in different sizes and colors).

How to do a Basic Import

  1. Access Basic Import

    • In your Sortly workspace, go to All Items.

    • Select Bulk Import 

  2. Download the Basic Template 

    ⚠️ Once you have the template, do not change the order of columns or rename any headers. Just fill in your information under the existing columns.

  3. Upload Your File

    • Upload the completed csv or .xlsx file directly to Sortly.

    • ✅ Required field - Item Name

  4. Click Import

  1. When the import is successful, you will see this message:

How to do a Quick Import

  1. Access Quick Import

    • In your Sortly workspace, go to Settings > Bulk Import.

    • Select Quick Import. 

  2. Upload Your File

    • Upload your existing .csv or .xlsx file directly to Sortly.

    • ✅ Required fields: at least Item Name and Quantity.

    • Note: You do not need to use Sortly’s template for Quick Import. 

  3. Map Your Data

    • Match your file’s columns to Sortly’s default fields and any custom fields you’ve created.

  4. Review and Resolve Errors (if any)

    • Fix errors manually, or click Skip Errors and Import to continue with valid rows only.

    • See Error Messages for help.

  5. Import Your Data

    • Click Import (or Skip Errors and Import).

  6. Confirm Completion

    • When finished, you’ll see a confirmation screen.

    • You can go directly to your Items page or download an import report.

How to do an Advanced Import

  1. Go to Bulk Import

    • In your Sortly workspace, go to Settings > Bulk Import.

    • Select Advanced Import. 

  2. Click Download. 

  3. Select either: 

    1. Basic

      1. Best for new users setting up inventory

      2. Import new items into multiple folders

    2. Expert

      1. Best for existing customers importing NEW data

      2. Import new folders

      3. Import new items into existing folders 

  4. If you choose Expert, select your item type:

    • Standard Items

      • Example: a lamp in a single size or color

    • Standard Items + Variants

      • Example: a shirt in different sizes and colors 

  5. Download the Import Template

    • Download the template that matches your selection.  

      ⚠️ Once you have the template, do not change the order of columns or rename any headers. Just fill in your information under the existing columns.

  6. Prepare Your Data

    • Enter your data in the ADD NEW INVENTORY tab. 

    • Use the SAMPLE tab as a guide. 

    • ✅ Pre-create custom fields in your Sortly account before downloading the template. Otherwise, they won’t appear.

    • Do not rename or add columns.

    • Refer to the HELP tab in your template for formatting rules. 

    Helpful Tips from the HELP tab:

    • Required fields: Entry Name and Entry Type (must be “Item” or “Folder”).

    • Quantity, Min Level, and Price: numbers only. (Decimals allowed only for Advanced/Ultra with units of measure.)

    • Supported units: lbs, kg, g, oz, yd, ft, in, m, cm, gal, l, ml, sq ft, sq in, cu ft, cu in.

    • Dates: Must be formatted as MM/DD/YY.

    • Tags: Separate multiple tags with commas.

    • Folders: Leave blank to place items at the main level.

    • Photos: Use public URLs only (must be searchable via Google or similar).

    • Barcodes:

      • Barcode/QR1 – for Sortly-generated labels only.

      • Barcode/QR2 – must use an accepted value from the BARCODE TYPES tab (e.g., org.iso.Code128).

  7. Save Your File

    • Save as CSV (recommended) or XLSX.

    • To save as CSV:

      • Switch to the ADD NEW INVENTORY tab

      • File > Save As > CSV (Comma Separated Values) > Save Active Sheet

  8. Upload Your File

    • Return to Bulk Import and upload your completed template.

Error Messages

If you receive errors:

  • Download the error report to see which rows were affected.

  • Review the reasons for each error and fix them directly in your spreadsheet.

⚠️ Once corrected, remove any rows that have already been successfully imported. Otherwise, re-importing will duplicate those items.

Example messages:

  • “Barcode/QR-1 Type is not supported” → Use Barcode/QR-2 Type for third-party barcodes.

  • “Entry Name cannot be empty” → This field is required; add a name and re-import.

  • “Folder does not exist” → The folder listed is not currently in your account. Add the folder and then re-import.

If you continue to have issues, please reach out to our Support Team and provide:

  1. A copy of the spreadsheet you attempted to import

  2. The error spreadsheet you downloaded

FAQs

Can I update my inventory through a bulk import?
Not yet. Updates can be made via the Sortly API (Enterprise only). We’re working on adding spreadsheet update support.

Why did my items duplicate when I re-imported after a failure?
When you re-import, any rows that were successful the first time will import again unless you remove them. If only some rows fail, the others still go through. To avoid duplicates, delete the successfully imported items before re-uploading the failed ones.

What do the error messages mean? 

Please refer to the HELP tab on the Sortly import template for more information.

Why am I getting an Upload Failure?
Your file may exceed your plan’s total item limit or per-import limit. Each row = 1 item, and folders also count toward the limit.

Plan limits:

  • Advanced: 500 items / 500 lines per import

  • Ultra: 2,000 items / 2,000 lines per import

  • Premium: 5,000 items / 5,000 lines per import

  • Enterprise: 10,000+ items / 10,000 lines per import (strict limit)

Was this article helpful?
53 out of 109 found this helpful

Articles in this section