You can simultaneously add batch items to a purchase order and create the items in Lightspeed Retail. You can also import existing items and catalog items using an import file.

The import file must be a .CSV file formatted according to Lightspeed specifications.

Importing new and existing items

New items

New items are items that are not yet created in your inventory. After they are imported, the items are simultaneously added to the purchase order and automatically created in your Lightspeed Retail system.

Existing items

Existing items are items that are already in your inventory. After they’re imported, the items are added to your purchase order. You can update the existing item information with the new imported information.

Lightspeed Retail determines whether an item exists in your system based on the item’s values in your import file. See the Matching on items section below for more information.

Matching on items

When you upload an import file to a purchase order, Lightspeed Retail matches the imported items with any items already in your system. For each item in your import file, Lightspeed Retail scans the values in this order for a match:

1. System ID
2. Vendor ID
3. UPC
4. EAN
5. Custom SKU
6. Manufacturer SKU

If a match is found for any item, Lightspeed Retail will not create a new item. If the Update Existing Items option is selected when the file is imported, any non-matching values will be updated with the new values in the import file.

Lightspeed Retail doesn't look for a match for existing items based on the product description. If a match is not found for an existing item in the import file, even if the product description already exists in your inventory, a new item is created with the same item name.

Importing vendor catalog items

If you use vendor catalogs, you can import catalog items to a purchase order. If the item isn't in your inventory, the item is created based on the details in the catalog. All you need is an accurate Vendor ID in the import file and the associated vendor selected in the purchase order.

Because a purchase order pertains to one vendor in particular, you should create separate item import files for each of your vendors. If you purchase the same item from multiple vendors, you can add the item to as many vendor-specific import files as required for use on separate purchase orders.

Preparing the import file

When a new item is added to Lightspeed Retail through purchase order import, the item's default vendor is set to the vendor you selected for the purchase order. Since a purchase order is specific to a vendor, you should create a separate item import file for each of your vendors.

An import file can have a maximum of 500 items.

1. Download the import file template or use a .CSV file formatted identically to the template.
2. Open the import file template in Excel or Google Sheets.

To avoid import errors, do not edit, add, delete, or reorder the columns in the template.

The import file contains these columns:

*Your template will have either Unit Cost or Vendor Cost, depending on your multicurrency settings.

Verifying the import file

Scan the document for any erroneous data, which can cause the data import to fail.

• Remove special characters, such as ☺↨♪♫♀♂¶▓ so that they display the correct data.
• Erase cells with N/A so that they have a blank field.
• Change cells with scientific numbers, such as 4.001E+11 (usually UPC or EAN values) to regular integers, such as 40010000000.
  • To do this in Excel, select the column with the scientific numbers. Click Format > Cells. Change the Category to Number, set the decimal places option to 0, and click OK.
  • To do this in Google Sheets, select the column with the scientific numbers. Click Format > Number > Number.
• Make sure that your spreadsheet is a .CSV file.

Uploading the import file

After you've prepared the import file and verified the data, you're ready to upload the file to a purchase order in Lightspeed Retail.

Only one purchase order import file can be imported at a time, per store.

1. Navigate to Inventory > New Order.

   

2. Select the vendor.
   1. If you have a multi-store account, select the shop you’re creating the purchase order for in the Location drop-down. The shipping address that appears on the purchase order is linked to the selected shop.

      

3. Click Save Changes.
4. Click Import.

   

5. If you want to update any items in your inventory with the new values in the import file, select Update Existing Items.

   

6. Click Upload CSV File and select the file.
7. Match the column headings of your import file to the appropriate product field in Lightspeed Retail.

   

8. Click Import Items to Purchase Order to confirm.
9. Wait for the import to conclude. This may take several minutes. You can navigate away from the page and your import will not be affected.

   

10. The job will change status.
    1. If the upload was successful, you're done! The uploaded items will appear in the purchase order screen.

       

    2. If the upload was unsuccessful, the page will state the issue. Correct any errors outlined on the page and reupload.

       

    You may need to refresh the page to view the outcome of the upload.

11. Click the order's name.

    

12. Click Ordered to change the purchase order's status.

    

What's next?

Attachments

• Retail (R-Series) purchase order product import template - multicurrency enabled.csv96 Bytes
• Retail (R-Series) purchase order product import template - multicurrency disabled.csv93 Bytes