Easily add new items to your Sortly inventory by uploading a CSV or Excel file using either our basic or advanced import templates. Importing your inventory in bulk from Excel, Numbers, Google Sheets, or another spreadsheet can save you valuable time and effort.
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Quick Import - Import your inventory from a .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
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Advanced Import - Use Sortly's import template to add all items across multiple folders.
Good for:
- Importing items with multiple variants
- Importing items into multiple folders
- Importing folders
- Sortly Import Templates
- Error Messages
- Video Walkthrough
- FAQ
Quick Import
1. Go to Settings > Bulk Import.
2. Select "Quick Import" from the options.
3. Upload your file. With quick import, Sortly reads the information directly from your file, so you don't need to use our pre-formatted template. Make sure to include at least the item name and quantity as these are required fields.
4. Click "Continue."
5. Map the data Sortly finds to the default fields and any custom fields you've set up.
6. If there are error messages, choose to correct them or "Skip Errors and Import." If you receive Errors, please see this section to troubleshoot (Error Messages for Template Import)
7. After clicking "Skip Errors and Import" or "Import," your information will begin importing into Sortly.
8. When the import is complete, you'll see a confirmation screen. You can visit your Sortly items page or download a report of the imported items.
Advanced Import
1. Navigate to Bulk Import in Settings.
2. Select the Advanced Import option.
3. Download the Sortly import template (Basic or Expert option).
4. Add your data to the template following these important tips:
- Ensure all fields are created in Sortly before downloading the template.
- Refer to the SAMPLE or HELP tabs in the template for guidance on data entry.
- Do not change column names or add new columns.
- Add custom fields in Sortly before re-downloading the template if needed.
5. Save the template as CSV or XLSX.
6. Import the CSV or XLSX file into Sortly.
Sortly Import Templates
Before downloading the Sortly Templates, ensure that you have your Custom Fields added to your account. This will allow the template to include these fields so you can import them with ease.
Sample import templates are at the bottom of this article.
Error Messages
If you receive error messages, first download the report. This will show you the rows that were not imported and the associated error message.
In the example above:
- Rows 2 & 3- Barcode/QR-1 Type is not supported. See HELP tab in XLSX template.
- The Barcode/QR-1 Type column is for Sortly-generated codes. Because this user is importing 3rd party codes, they will need to use Barcode/QR-2 Type column.
- Rows 4 & 5 - Entry Name column cannot be empty. Please add a name for the entry and re-import. Please fix and re-import.
- The Entry Name field is required. In this instance, the field was blank.
Video Walkthrough
A video tutorial is available for using the Sortly template to import items. Further instructions on using the Quick Import feature are provided in the video below.
FAQ
Can I update my inventory through a bulk import?
Currently, you can't update existing items through a spreadsheet, but you can update them using Sortly's API (exclusive to Enterprise plans). We are actively working on adding this functionality. You can check the status of this feature request and stay updated on its progress here.
Why did my items duplicate when I re-imported?
If you receive errors on some items, others may have been imported successfully. Delete the uploaded items before re-uploading to avoid duplicates.
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?
If your spreadsheet contains more items/folders than your plan allows, you won't be able to import it. In this instance, you'll be prompted to upgrade your plan, or you can remove items/folders so you don't exceed the limit.
Example - You are on the Advanced plan with a 2,000 entry limit.
- You currently have 1,000 entries in your inventory.
- You try to import 1,500 entries and get the Upload Failure message.
- This is because you will exceed the entry limit and will have a total of 2,500 entries if you import these items.