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Getting started with data imports

Written by Rich Dale

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

  1. 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 lookup

Text lookup

Available input options:

  • Invoice Date

  • End Of Current Month

  • End Of Following Month

Or leave blank if no payment terms agreed.

Can only be either

  • Credit

  • Pro 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 Cost

Cost Price Strategy

Number to with 2 decimal places

Text dropdown

How much does it cost you to buy? If 0 keep blank

Must be entered as Manual

No

Yes

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 Location

Has batch numbers

Locations from settings

Y 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 1

Is 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 Inline

Subcontracted

Automatically add subcontracting steps

Y or N

Y or N

Y 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?

No

No

No

Minimum Stock Level

Whole Number

Must be less than warning

No

Warning Stock Level

Whole Number

Must be less than maximum

No

Maximum Stock Level

Minimum Order Quantity

Whole Number

Whole Number

This will be enforced on purchase orders

No

No

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 Metre

Individual Item

Pack

Centimetre

Millimetre

Roll

Gram

Kilogram

Milligram

Day

Hour

Litre

Millilitre

No

Weight

Number

No

Volume

Number

No

Country of Origin

Commodity Code Purchases

Commodit Code Sales

Text

Text

Text

Must be full country name i.e. not country code

No

No

No

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 Time

Minimum Order Quantity

Number

Number

Must be greater than 0?

Can be 0 or more

Yes

Yes

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

Required?

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

Required?

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

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