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Getting started with data imports

Please note that the following fields should be configured in the settings menu before completing data imports as the options configured will guide the input.

Sales > Sectors
Stock > Part categories
Stock > Supplier ratings

Stock Locations

Use this template to add your location hierarchy.

Note - you MUST add the main locations in the settings menu before completing this import.

Column Name	Input type	Description	Required?
Organisation Location	Dropdown	These locations must be added to setting menu before uploading this CSV	Yes
Stock Location	Text	This is a sub location within a main location e.g. Warehouse 1, Bay 1	Yes

1. Companies Import Template

Use this template to add your customers and suppliers.

Column Name	Input type	Description	Required
Company Name	Text		Yes
Sector	Sector (from settings)	Only sectors that have been added in the settings menu should be used as an input here.	No
Default Currency	Currency (from settings)	The currency in which you sell to or buy from the company	Yes
Default Payment Term Days (only applies where company is a customer)		Use in conjunction with default payment term days. Example, enter 30 for 30 days from invoice date.	No
Payment Terms Offset (only applies where company is a customer)Payment Term	Text lookupText lookup	Available input options:Invoice DateEnd Of Current MonthEnd Of Following MonthOr leave blank if no payment terms agreed.Can only be eitherCreditPro Forma	No
Customer	Y or N	Is this a customer?	No
Supplier	Y or N	Is this a supplier?	No
Supplier Rating	Supplier rating (as per settings)	Only ratings that have been added in the settings menu should be used as an input here.	No
Tax Rate (Purchases)	Text lookup	Tax rates must exist in the settings as this is a lookup field. Please set up your accountancy connection before adding tax rates. Once set up, use name of tax code name, eg 20% (VAT on Expenses).	No
Tax Rate (Sales)	Text lookup	As above.	No
Notes	Text		No
Update?	Y or N	Add Y if you want to update the company record	No
Existing Company Name	Must be an existing company name	Use this field if you wish to update a company record	No

2. Parts Import Template

This should be considered the “master” template for all parts.

Everything you buy, sell or manufacture is considered a part in Flowlens. This template should be completed first with all parts, be they manufactured, bought or a sub assembled part.

Note - whilst not all columns need to be completed for the upload to work, it’s important to upload as much information as is available in the first instance.

Column Name	Input type	Description	Required?
Part Number	Text		Yes
Revision	Text	Only if applicable	No
Name	Text		No
Manufactured	Y or N	Is this a manufactured part?	No
Purchased	Y or N	Is this a part you purchase?	No
Sellable	Y or N	Is this a part you sell?	No
Part CostCost Price Strategy	Number to with 2 decimal placesText dropdown	How much does it cost you to buy? If 0 keep blankMust be entered as Manual	NoYes
Sell Price	Number with 2 decimal places	If 0 keep blank	No
Track Stock	Y or N	Do you want to track the stock quantities of this part?	No (will default to Y if not added)
Default Stock LocationHas batch numbers	Locations from settingsY or N	Stock locations must first be added in the settings menu and only the locations added can be used as an input. This must match a stock location within an organisation location e.g. Warehouse - Shelf 1Is this sold or pruchased in batches	Yes.No
Automatically Allocate From Stock	Y or N	If the part is available, do you want it to be automatically allocated?	No
Automatically Build InlineSubcontractedAutomatically add subcontracting steps	Y or NY or NY or N	If the part is available, do you want it to be automatically built as part of the manufacturing workflow on a job card?Is this a subcontracted part?If subcontracted - do you want the subcontracting steps automatically adde dto the job card?	NoNoNo
Minimum Stock Level	Whole Number	Must be less than warning	No
Warning Stock Level	Whole Number	Must be less than maximum	No
Maximum Stock LevelMinimum Order Quantity	Whole NumberWhole Number	This will be enforced on purchase orders	NoNo
Sales Description	Text	This will appear on all quotations	No
Purchase Description	Text	This will appear on all purchase orders	No
Fractional Quantity	Y or N	Can this part be ordered, sold and used in fractional quantities rather than whole quantities?	No
Serialised	Y or N	Will this part (manufactured or otherwise) be given a serial number?	No
Serial Strategy	Manual or Automatic	If Automatic then Flowlens will assign serial numbers based on the below columns.	Only required if serialised (above) is marked as Y
Prefix	Text	The starting sequence of the automatic serial number e.g. ABC0001	No
Postfix	Text	The ending sequence of the automatic serial number e.g. 0001FL2	No
Pad length to	Number	How many digits in length should the automatic serial number be (e.g. 8 etc)	No
Pad With	Number	If the automatic serial is starting at 1 and has to be 5 number of digits long, what number should the serial be filled with e.g if 0, serial would look like 00001	No
Part Category	Category from settings	Part categories must first be added in the settings menu	No
Unit of Measure	Text dropdown	Square MetreIndividual ItemPackCentimetreMillimetreRollGramKilogramMilligramDayHourLitreMillilitre	No
Weight	Number		No
Volume	Number		No
Country of OriginCommodity Code PurchasesCommodit Code Sales	TextTextText	Must be full country name i.e. not country code	NoNoNo
Nominal Account (Purchases)	Text dropdown	These must exist in settings. These can be pulled down once you have connected your accountancy package.	No
Nominal Account (Sales)	Text dropdown	These must exist in settings. These can be pulled down once you have connected your accountancy package.	No
Update?	Y or N	Add Y if you want to update the part record	No
Existing Part number	Must be an existing part number	Use this field if you wish to update a part record	No
Existing Part revision	Must be an existing part revision	Use this field if you wish to update a part record	No

3. BoM (Bill of Materials) Import Template

Use this template to add the workflow for all of your manufactured parts and assemblies.

*Note - the parts import must be completed so part numbers are added to the system before this import can be completed.

Column Name	Input type	Description	Required?
Parent Part Number	Text	Must be added against every component line	Yes
Parent Revision No	Text	Must be added against every component line if applicable	No
Child Part Number	Text		Yes
Child Revision No	Text	If applicable	No
Quantity	Number	Can be fractional if the part has been set up as fractional.	Yes
Step Name	Text	e.g. 1. Assembly	No
Workflow Resource	Text dropdown	Only resources that have been added in the settings menu should be used as an input here.	No
Workflow Stage	Text dropdown	Only stages that have been added in the settings menu should be used as an input here.	No
Schedule Start Day	Number greater than 0	On what day of production does this step start? Must be a value greater than 0	Yes
Estimated Time	Text	How long does this step take in minutes?	No
Description	Text		No
Update?	Y or N	Add Y if you want to update the step	No
Existing Child Part number	Must be an existing part number	Use this field if you wish to update a step of the BOM	No
Existing Child Part revision	Must be an existing part revision	Use this field if you wish to update a step of the BOM	No
Existing step name	Must be an existing step name	Use this field if you wish to update a step of the BOM

4. Supplied Parts Import

Use this template to add suppliers to each supplied part.

*Note - the parts import and company import must be completed before this import can be completed.

Column Name	Input type	Description	Required?
Part Number	Text	Part number must exist in system	Yes
Revision	Text		No
Supplier	Text	Supplier must already be added to company list	Yes
Supplier Part Name	Text		No
Manufacturer Part Number	Text		No
Unit Cost	Number	Must be in number format to 2 decimal places (no currencies)	Yes
Lead TimeMinimum Order Quantity	NumberNumber	Must be greater than 0?Can be 0 or more	YesYes
Notes	Text
Link	Text	Link to the supplier purchase site
Update?	Y or N	Add Y if you wish to update the supplier details.

5. Stock Quantity Import

Use this template to add your stock quantities to each location.

*Note: The parts import and stock location import should be completed before this import is completed.

Column Name	Input type	Description	Required?
Part Number	Text		Yes
Revision	Text		No
Stock Location	Text	Locations must already be added in settings
Quantity	Number
Unit Value	Number	Units must already be added in settings and associated with the part in the parts list

6. Addresses Import

Use this template to add your address list and associate with each company.

*Note: The company import should be completed before this import is completed.

Column Name	Input type	Description
Company Name	Text	Company must already be added to company list
Address Name	Text
Default Billing Address	Yes or Blank	Is this the default billing address?
Default Delivery Address	Yes or Blank	Is this the default delivery address?
Email	Text
Phone	Text
Fax	Text
Website	Text
Street 1	Text
Street 2	Text
City	Text
County/State	Text
Postcode	Text
Country	Text	Full country name e.g. Ireland, United Kingdom etc

7. Contacts Import

Use this template to add your contact list and associate with each company.

*Note: The company import and address import should be completed before this import is completed.

Column Name	Input type	Description
Company Name	Text	Company must already be added to company list
Address Name	Text	Address must already be added to address list
Title	Text
Pronouns	Text
Role	Text
Email	Text
Role	Text

Updated on: 15/07/2026

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