import_and_export:importing_items

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import_and_export:importing_items [2021/12/18 14:43] – [Import file format] Gary Willettsimport_and_export:importing_items [2025/02/28 23:53] (current) – Mark Glover
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 {{indexmenu_n>10}} {{indexmenu_n>10}}
 ====== 17.01. Importing items ====== ====== 17.01. Importing items ======
-You can import a tab-delimited text file of items by choosing **File > Import > Import items...**.+You can import a <wrap em>tab-delimited text file</wrap> of items by choosing **File > Import > Import items...**.
  
 <WRAP center round important 80%> <WRAP center round important 80%>
-  * This command only imports (creates) items.  You will need to do this when you are configuring mSupply for the first time, or when you are wanting to create a number of new items to your system. +  * This command only imports (creates) items.  You will need to do this when you are configuring mSupply for the first time, or when you are wanting to create a number of new items to your system or amend a number of existing items. 
-  * <wrap em>This process does not introduce stock.</wrap> +  * <wrap em>This process does not introduce stock.</wrap> If you would like to import stock, see the [[import_and_export:import_items_and_stock|]] page.
-  * If you would like to import stock, see the [[import_and_export:import_items_and_stock|]] page. +
- +
-<WRAP center round tip 60%> +
-While it is possible to create items and import (introduce) stock at the same time using [[import_and_export:import_items_and_stock|Importing items & stock]], these are logically quite separate activities and we recommend that you keep them separate - you can import much more informaiton about items if you do it separately.+
 </WRAP> </WRAP>
  
-</WRAP>+You can download the {{ :import_and_export:msupply_item_import_template.xlsx |mSupply Item Import template}} as a starting point for creating your item list. **Reading through this document before proceeding with the import process is highly recommended.**
  
 During import you can specify a number of things including: During import you can specify a number of things including:
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 **First line contains column headers:** If you have used the first line of your import file for column headers, check this box. Then mSupply will ignore the first row in the file, and start importing items from the second row. **First line contains column headers:** If you have used the first line of your import file for column headers, check this box. Then mSupply will ignore the first row in the file, and start importing items from the second row.
  
-**Remove quote characters on import:** If this is checked then double quote characters (''%%"%%'') are removed from item names as they are imported. This is useful if you have exported the import file from spreadsheet software and it has placed double quote characters around the text. <WRAP center round important 60%> +**Remove quote characters on import:** If this is checked then double quote characters (''%%"%%'') are removed from item names as they are imported. This is useful if you have exported the import file from spreadsheet software and it has placed double quote characters around the text. 
-If you have used double characters in item names (e.g. as a symbol for inches) then they will also be removed if this option is checked.+ 
 +<WRAP center round important 60%> 
 +If you have used double quote characters in item names (e.g. as a symbol for inches) then they will also be removed if this option is checked.
 </WRAP> </WRAP>
  
 **Handling duplicate items:** During the import process, mSupply compares the item code in the import file (1st column - see below) against the codes of items already in its database to determine whether an entry is a duplicate item or not. If a duplicate item is found in the import file mSupply will handle it according to your radio button selection in the //If duplicate codes are selected// section: **Handling duplicate items:** During the import process, mSupply compares the item code in the import file (1st column - see below) against the codes of items already in its database to determine whether an entry is a duplicate item or not. If a duplicate item is found in the import file mSupply will handle it according to your radio button selection in the //If duplicate codes are selected// section:
  
-  *  **Create new duplicate items and continue** and **Ask each time** radio option is disabled for Item Import.+  *  **Create new duplicate items and continue** and **Ask each time** options are disabled for Item Import. 
 <WRAP center round important 60%> <WRAP center round important 60%>
-As of v5 (or earlier) it should not be possible to create an item with the same code as another item. Hence, item with duplicate Item code will be ignored.+As of v5 it should not be possible to create an item with the same code as another item. Hence, item with duplicate Item code will be ignored.
 </WRAP> </WRAP>
 +
   *  **Skip the duplicate without asking:** the duplicate is ignored and not imported.   *  **Skip the duplicate without asking:** the duplicate is ignored and not imported.
   *  **Stop the import:** if a duplicate is detected mSupply will stop and cancel the whole import i.e. the database will be exactly that same as it was before you started the import.   *  **Stop the import:** if a duplicate is detected mSupply will stop and cancel the whole import i.e. the database will be exactly that same as it was before you started the import.
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 | 4              | D              | reference pack size                  | integer                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | | 4              | D              | reference pack size                  | integer                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
 | The above fields are mandatory, while the following fields are optional and may or may not be included\\  as per your requirements                                                                                                                                                                                               |||| | The above fields are mandatory, while the following fields are optional and may or may not be included\\  as per your requirements                                                                                                                                                                                               ||||
-| 5              | E              | shelf location                       | 60 alphanumeric characters                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |+| 5              | E              | Default shelf location code          | 60 alphanumeric characters. The code of the shelf location that stock of this item is normally placed in. Will be offered by default when stock of the item is received on a goods received note or supplier invoice.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
 | 6              | F              | user field 1                         | 30 alphanumeric characters                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | | 6              | F              | user field 1                         | 30 alphanumeric characters                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
 | 7              | G              | user field 2                         | 30 alphanumeric characters                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | | 7              | G              | user field 2                         | 30 alphanumeric characters                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
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 | 22             | V              | Category 3                           | 60 alphanumeric characters  | | 22             | V              | Category 3                           | 60 alphanumeric characters  |
 | 23             | W              | VEN category                         | The WHO VEN category of the item. One character only, must be V, E or N, will be ignored of it is neither of these. | | 23             | W              | VEN category                         | The WHO VEN category of the item. One character only, must be V, E or N, will be ignored of it is neither of these. |
-| 23             | X              | Weight                               |   |+| 23             | X              | Weight                               | The weight per default pack size (column D) in kg  |
 | 24             | Y              | Critical stock                       | "true" or "false" | | 24             | Y              | Critical stock                       | "true" or "false" |
 | 25             | Z              | Normal stock                         | "true" or "false" | | 25             | Z              | Normal stock                         | "true" or "false" |
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 | 27             | AB             | User field 6                         | 30 alphanumeric characters                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | | 27             | AB             | User field 6                         | 30 alphanumeric characters                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
 | 28             | AC             | User field 7                         | "true" or "false" | | 28             | AC             | User field 7                         | "true" or "false" |
 +| 29             | AD             | Default volume per pack              | The volume of a single pack of the default pack size in m<sup>3</sup>. This volume is filled in by default when receiving stock but can simply be overridden. |
 +| 30             | AE             | Default outer pack size              | The number of default packs that fit in a carton. Filled in by default when receiving goods but can be simply overridden. |
 +| 31             | AF             | Default outer pack volume            | The volume of an outer pack in m<sup>3</sup>, filled in by default when receiving goods but can be simply overridden. |
 +| 32+            | AG+            | Item custom fields                   | After column AF (31), any custom item fields set up in the preferences (see the [[preferences:custom_fields|]] section for details) can be added. The column header must be exactly the name of the custom field (case **in**sensitive). The values entered in these columns will be saved to the item's appropriate custom field. |
  
-All these are in this handy template: {{ :import_and_export:msupply_item_import_template.xlsx |}}.+All these are in this handy template: {{ :import_and_export:msupply_item_import_template.xlsx |mSupply Item Import template}}
  
 The chances are that you already have a set of codes that you use internally. In this case open up Excel or a similar spreadsheet program, fill in the item description in the order shown above. For a quick solution, you only need to fill in the first four columns, the rest can be ignored. The chances are that you already have a set of codes that you use internally. In this case open up Excel or a similar spreadsheet program, fill in the item description in the order shown above. For a quick solution, you only need to fill in the first four columns, the rest can be ignored.
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 ==== Import new item codes ==== ==== Import new item codes ====
  
-If you need to change the item codes for a selection of items in bulk, custom code has been developed for this purpose.  It is a technically challenging process that is easy to get wrong.  Please contact Sustainable Solutions on support@msupply.org.nz to discuss this.  Include a link to this heading [[https://docs.msupply.org.nz/import_and_export:importing_items#import_new_item_codes|Import new item codes]] :-).+If you need to change the item codes for a selection of items, it is a technically challenging process that is easy to get wrong if done manually, especially if you intend to re-use existing codes (not recommended!).  Custom code has been developed to do this in bulk.  Please contact Sustainable Solutions on <support@msupply.foundation> to discuss this.  Include a link to this heading [[https://docs.msupply.org.nz/import_and_export:importing_items#import_new_item_codes|Import new item codes]] :-).
  
 The relevant details are: The relevant details are:
  • Last modified: 2021/12/18 14:43
  • by Gary Willetts