AI-powered Bulk Import lets you bring your existing inventory spreadsheet into Sortly without reformatting it first. Sortly's AI assistant, Sage, reads your file, maps your columns to Sortly fields, and fixes data errors inline so you can get your inventory set up in a single session.
In this article
How it works
Traditional bulk import requires your spreadsheet to match Sortly's exact column format before uploading. AI-powered Bulk Import removes that requirement. You upload your existing file as-is, and Sage handles the rest.
Here is what Sage does automatically:
- Column mapping — Sage reads your column headers and matches them to Sortly fields, even when the names are different (for example, "Product Name" maps to "Item Name").
- Custom field creation — If your file includes columns that do not match any existing Sortly field, Sage suggests creating them as custom fields.
- Inline error correction — Sage identifies data errors in your file and suggests fixes you can review and apply without leaving Sortly.
- Partial import — If some rows still have issues, you can import the valid rows now and come back to the rest later.
Who can use this feature
| Role | Can use AI-powered Bulk Import |
|---|---|
| Owner | Yes |
| Admin | Yes |
| Team Member | No |
| Limited Access | No |
Step 1: Upload your file
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1Open Bulk Import
From the All Items view, click Bulk Import. You will see a "NEW" badge next to it indicating the AI-powered experience.
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2Select your file
On the upload screen, click Click to Browse or drag and drop your spreadsheet directly onto the page. Sortly accepts .xlsx and .csv files up to 30 MB. You do not need to reformat your file or use a Sortly template.
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3Confirm your file selection
Select your inventory file from your computer and click Open. Sortly will begin processing the file immediately.
Step 2: Review field mapping
Once your file uploads, Sortly displays a summary showing how many items are ready to import, how many new custom fields Sage detected, and how many items were auto-corrected by Sage.
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4Review the import summary and click "Review Edits to Data"
The summary screen shows items ready to import, any new custom fields Sage will create, and items Sage has auto-corrected. Click Review Edits to Data to inspect the column mapping before proceeding.
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5Check Sage's column suggestions
The Map Fields screen shows each Sortly field alongside the column from your file that Sage matched to it, plus a sample data value. Each row shows a Mapped status badge when Sage has made a match. You can click the dropdown on any row to change the mapping manually. To view any unmapped custom field suggestions, click View Sage Suggestions.
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6Confirm the mapping and continue
Once you review and agree with the field mapping, click Next in the top right to move to the data preview.
Step 3: Fix errors with Sage
The Preview Data screen shows all your items in a spreadsheet-style table. Rows and cells with errors are highlighted so you can spot them at a glance. You can fix errors in two ways: manually by clicking any cell and typing, or automatically using Sage.
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7Edit cells manually if needed
Click any cell in the table to edit its value directly. This is useful for making quick one-off corrections, such as fixing a typo or adjusting a unit. You can also copy and paste values from another source directly into a cell.
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8Open the Sage error correction panel
To fix multiple errors at once, click Fix with Sage in the top right. A panel slides in on the right showing every error across your rows grouped by item.
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9Review and apply Sage's suggested fixes
Each error in the panel shows Sage's suggested correction with a dropdown to accept or change the value. Expand any row to see all errors for that item. Once you have reviewed the suggestions, click Apply Fixes to update all items at once.
Step 4: Complete your import
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10Click "Import"
When your data looks right, click Import in the top right to begin adding your items to Sortly. If any rows still have unresolved errors, those rows will be skipped and shown in a separate list after the import completes.
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11Review any skipped rows
If any rows could not be imported, Sortly shows them in a list with the reason. You can note these items and address them separately. The rows that did import successfully are already in your Sortly inventory.
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12Click "Finish"
Click Finish to exit the import flow. Your items are now in Sortly and ready to use.