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Bulk Import Inventory Items

Bulk import lets you add multiple inventory items at once by uploading a CSV or Excel file. Use it to:

  • Import existing inventory from another system
  • Add many new products quickly
  • Update multiple items at once

How to access: Import Data (all imports), or Inventory → ITEM dropdown → Import, or Inventory Import

See Bulk Imports for organizations and customers import.

Quick Start

  1. Go to Import Data or Inventory (Dashboard or Items). From Inventory, click the dropdown arrow (▼) next to the ITEM button, then select Import.
  2. Download the template airshop-inventory-import-template.csv (from the import modal or Import Data) to see the format
  3. Fill in your data using the sample as a template
  4. Upload your file (CSV or Excel, max 10MB)
  5. Map your columns (the system auto-detects most fields)
  6. Review the preview and import

Required Fields

Every item must have:

  • name: Product name (e.g., "Office Chair", "Socket Head Screw")
  • status: One of: STOCKED, ON_ORDER, ORDER_NOW, ORDER_SOON, RESEARCHING, ARCHIVED, or UNKNOWN

Optional Fields

You can include any of these (all optional):

  • sku: Your product code/part number
  • description: Detailed product info
  • base_price: Selling price
  • category: Product category
  • unit: Unit of measure (each, box, etc.)
  • lead_time: Days to receive when ordered
  • location: Storage location. Maps to Managed Locations.
  • image_url: Main product image (full URL)
  • additional_images: Multiple images, comma-separated URLs
  • attachments: Documents/PDFs/CAD files, comma-separated URLs
  • notes: Internal notes
  • cost_per_unit: Your purchase cost
  • markup_percentage: Markup for pricing
  • quantity: Initial stock quantity (also accepts: initial_quantity, qty, stock)
  • low_stock_threshold: Quantity that triggers low-stock alerts
  • reorder_qty: Suggested reorder quantity (also accepts: reorder quantity, order qty, etc.)
  • vendor_name: Supplier name
  • vendor_contact: Contact person
  • vendor_email: Vendor email
  • vendor_phone: Vendor phone
  • vendor_purchase_url: Direct purchase link from primary vendor
  • vendor_2_name: Secondary vendor name
  • vendor_2_contact: Secondary vendor contact
  • vendor_2_email: Secondary vendor email
  • vendor_2_phone: Secondary vendor phone
  • vendor_2_purchase_url: Direct purchase link from secondary vendor

Status Values

Use these exact values (or close variations; the system will auto-correct):

  • STOCKED: Item is in stock
  • ON_ORDER: Item has been ordered
  • ORDER_NOW: Need to order immediately
  • ORDER_SOON: Should order soon
  • RESEARCHING: Still evaluating
  • ARCHIVED: No longer active
  • UNKNOWN: Status not determined

Tip: The system recognizes variations like "in stock" → STOCKED, "pending" → ON_ORDER, etc.

Images & Documents

Single image: Put the full URL in the image_url column: 

https://example.com/product-image.jpg

Multiple images: Put comma-separated URLs in additional_images: 

https://example.com/img1.jpg, https://example.com/img2.jpg, https://example.com/img3.jpg

Documents/attachments: Put comma-separated URLs in attachments: 

https://example.com/spec.pdf, https://example.com/cad-file.step, https://example.com/fusion.f3d

Important: All URLs must be complete (start with http:// or https://). The system supports common CAD formats (STEP, IGES, STL, F3D, SLDPRT, etc.), PDFs, and images. The system downloads and stores them securely in AirShop.

Example CSV Format

Minimal (required only): 

name*,status*
"Alloy Steel Socket Head Screw",STOCKED

With common fields: 

name*,sku,status*,description,base_price,category,image_url,vendor_name
Office Chair,,STOCKED,Ergonomic chair with lumbar support,299.99,Furniture,https://example.com/chair.jpg,Office Supplies Co
Socket Head Screw,91251A550,STOCKED,,,Hardware,https://example.com/screw.png,McMaster

With images and documents: 

name*,sku,status*,image_url,additional_images,attachments,vendor_name
Laptop Stand,TS-001,ORDER_NOW,https://example.com/main.jpg,"https://example.com/img1.jpg, https://example.com/img2.jpg","https://example.com/spec.pdf",Tech Solutions

File Limits

  • Max file size: 10MB
  • Max items per import: 500
  • Supported formats: CSV (.csv), Excel (.xls, .xlsx)

Duplicate Handling

  • Each SKU must be unique within your organization
  • When a duplicate SKU is found, you can choose:
  • Skip duplicates: keep existing items unchanged
  • Update existing: overwrite with imported data
  • When updating, only non-empty fields in your file are changed. Existing data in other fields is preserved.

Advanced Features

  • Undo import: Administrators can use "Undo" in Import History (or Inventory Import) to remove all products from a specific import
  • Cancel import: Stop a long-running import anytime from the processing screen
  • Vendor URL mapping: If a column has URLs (e.g., mcmaster.com), you can map them to vendor names (e.g., McMaster-Carr) to avoid junk records. Vendor info can create Sources.
  • Stocktake integration: If a stocktake is in progress, newly imported items are automatically added to the count list

Troubleshooting

"File must contain at least a header row and one data row" - Ensure your file has headers in the first row - Ensure you have at least one data row below the headers

"Required fields not mapped" - Check that name and status columns are mapped - The system auto-detects most fields; you can manually map them if needed

"Invalid status" - Use one of the accepted status values (see Status Values above) - The system will try to auto-correct common variations

"Duplicate SKU" - Each SKU must be unique in your file - Choose "Update existing items" to overwrite duplicates, or "Skip duplicates" to keep existing items

Images/documents not showing - URLs must be complete (include http:// or https://) - URLs must be publicly accessible (the system downloads them) - Check that the file format is correct (jpg, png, pdf, etc.)

Sample data not importing - Rows containing "EXAMPLE" are automatically filtered out - This prevents accidentally importing the sample data from the template

Tips & Best Practices

  1. Start small: Test with 5–10 items first
  2. Use the template: Download airshop-inventory-import-template.csv and modify it for correct formatting
  3. Check the preview: Review what will be imported before confirming
  4. Backup first: Export your current inventory before large imports (export uses airshop-inventory-export-*.csv format)
  5. Consistent formatting: Use the same format for categories, units, and locations across all rows
  6. Review errors: If some rows fail, download the error report CSV to see what went wrong

Administrator Note

Bulk import and rollback are restricted to Organization Administrators only. See Settings for organization management.