How does the Excel import feature work?

Whether you are just getting started with your BlueTally account or have been using it for years, there are going to be times when you need to add multiple inventory items at once. That's where our Import feature can help.

You can find the Import feature in the dropdown menu under the More tab in your BlueTally account's navigation bar.

You'll know you're in the right place when you see the page shown below:

As you can see, our Import feature requires you to upload a spreadsheet to add your inventory data, but each spreadsheet has to be formatted properly. To simplify the process for you, we have an Import Guide in our Knowledge Base that provides spreadsheet templates for every form of data you can import.

If you click on the grey "Import Guide" button on the page, it will open the article in a new tab in your browser.

You can also find the Import Guide article by visiting the Integrations page on our website, scrolling to the Excel section towards the bottom of the page, and clicking the Import Guide button, as shown in the following screenshot.

You can also access the Import Guide by clicking here.

Once you have accessed the Import Guide, you'll see some basic instructions on how to use it at the beginning of the article.

While you can then scroll down to the desired data type you need to import, you can also click on the option found in the bulleted list under the Jump to Section below the initial 3-step instructions.

Spreadsheet templates are available for the following types of data:

Once you've selected the appropriate import spreadsheet you need to use, you can begin filling it out with the relevant data. As you do this, there are a few important things to note:

DO NOT delete or rearrange any of the columns in the spreadsheet

In order for our platform to know where your data needs to be imported, it reads each of the columns in the sheet you uploaded. This is how it can recognize whether data should be added to the Assets section, Accessories section, etc. If any of the columns are missing from the spreadsheet template, this will cause the import to fail, and none of your data will be uploaded to your BlueTally account.

Even if a column is listed as "optional" in the Import Guide, this simply means that the cells within the column can be left blank. It does not mean you can delete the column entirely before uploading.

Fill out ALL "Required" Columns

In the Import Guide, you'll see that each column of a spreadsheet is listed as Required or Optional. As discussed in the previous paragraph, Optional columns can be left blank. However, Required columns must have information in the cells of the columns in order for the data to be imported successfully.

Double-check if a value should be entered in a specific format

Some data will be required to be entered in a specific format in order for it to be recorded on your account properly. For example, the checked_out_to_employee column requires you to enter the email address of the Employee to assign the Asset to the designated employee correctly. You might be tempted to enter the Employee's name instead, but doing so will result in the Asset not being assigned.

You can always consult the Import Guide to confirm if values need to be added in a specific format.

No more than 500 entries per spreadsheet

Our Import feature can only handle so much data during any given upload, so it limits each upload to no more than 500 entries at a time.

For example, if you have anywhere between 501 and 1,000 Assets to add via Import, please separate them into two separate spreadsheets and upload one after the other. For a quantity between 1,001 and 1,500, you'll need to separate them into three spreadsheets, so forth and so on.

The Import Feature can only upload NEW data

It cannot be used to update existing data. Attempting to upload a spreadsheet with the intent to update data may result in either a failed import or the creation of duplicate entries of certain items.

If you need to update or edit your Assets en masse, please see the Knowledge Base guide titled "How can I edit my Assets in bulk?"

The only exceptions to this rule are the checkout templates:

These can be used to update checkout data for existing items that already exist in your BlueTally instance.

Once your spreadsheet is ready, you can then upload the spreadsheet through the Import feature. First, click the Choose File button:

Select your desired file. You'll be able to see it selected before you officially go through with the import.

Then click the blue Import button.

A pop-up window will appear, letting you know that the import is in progress.

Once the import is complete, you will see a new pop-up window confirming it was successful.

If you want to confirm that the data was uploaded as you intended, there are two places you can check.

First, go to the section in your account where the data was uploaded.

Second, you can visit the Activity Report and set up a Filter for Import under Events.

You'll then be able to see a record of what you imported.

If you encounter any errors when attempting to import your data, you can always reach out to our support team for help, either by emailing them at [email protected] or using the chat feature in the Intercom widget available in the lower right corner of your account.

Please make sure to include a screenshot of the error you received and a copy of the XLSX file you used when attempting your import. Our team can then review for any potential errors and determine how to fix them.

Why did I get an error that reads "Import Failed: Your permission level restricts you..." when I tried to import my data?

The permission level on your account may prohibit you from adding certain data. If you encounter this, follow the advice listed above in Troubleshooting Import Errors, and our team will provide some clarity on what data couldn't be imported.

The pop-up window saying "Please wait while the task is running" has been going on for a few hours. What should I do?

While it's very rare, there have been occasions where this message will appear when attempting to run an import. Just let our support team know, and they will clear the task on our end. You'll then be able to attempt the import again without issue.