At Limble, we want to make adding your inventory list as easy as possible. This article will show you how to import spare parts inventory lists you have created in a spreadsheet or exported from other CMMS software.
GETTING STARTED
To import a parts list, you will need to navigate to the Parts page. Each Location can have its own Parts inventory. Click on the Location you want and then select the Parts tab on the left-hand menu.
You can add Parts manually, one at a time, using the green “Add a Part” button. If you already have a list of parts in a spreadsheet, it can be much faster to bulk import your parts list from your existing spreadsheet. To begin importing your parts list, click the “Import” button in the upper right-hand corner of the page.
Import instructions will pop up. Download the “Sample Import File” by clicking on the blue text.
Open the “sample parts file” at the bottom left of your screen or wherever your browser stores your downloaded file. (In this example, we are using the Chrome browser.)
Open the file with a program that allows for editing the spreadsheet. In this example, we’re using Microsoft Excel.
NOTE: Do NOT alter or remove Row 1, Columns A - L (highlighted above), as Limble needs this information to import your spreadsheet successfully. You can modify anything beyond Row 1, Column M, with additional part information (e.g., importing new fields into your parts list).
Once you have downloaded the sample sheet, you are free to start adding your parts list.
You can upload a maximum of 5000 parts with a single spreadsheet. Uploading large numbers of Parts at one will take time; be patient and let the system run.
Rows 2 and 3 contain sample parts. This sample data should be deleted and replaced with your Parts information before uploading your Parts list into Limble.
Only the item’s Part Name (Column 1, Row 1) is required; any additional information is optional.
Default Parts Fields in Limble CSV import file:
These Fields are used in Limble by default.
Part Name (Required): Name of specific Part in your inventory.
Part Number (Optional): Part number or other unique identifying information for a specific Part.
Quantity (Optional): Quantity of a specific Part currently in the inventory.
Part Price (Optional): The cost of the specific Part.
Part Location (Optional): The physical location of the Part in your inventory. For example, you can find the Oil Filter in the sample parts import file at Isle 3, bin 56.
Category (Optional): There is only one Category field per Part. Categories are created by clicking on the “Change Category” icon on a Parts Card or List. Once you have created Categories in Limble, you will see them as options you can choose for any Part. Since Categories are pre-loaded in your Limble account, you can create your own. Common examples of Categories are Electrical, Plumbing, Production, etc.
Stale Threshold (Optional): A stale threshold is used when you want to know if a part has remained in your inventory for a certain amount of time. For example, if you set a Part’s Stale Threshold to “365”, Limble will alert you if you haven’t used that Part on a Task for 365 consecutive days. You can use Stale Threshold alerts to clear inventory that you suspect is not used regularly. If you wish to turn off this feature, assign a value of -1.
Minimum Part Qty. Threshold (Optional): If you have fewer Parts in your inventory than the Minimum Part Quantity, Limble will create a recorder task. For example, if you do not want to have fewer than 3 HVAC filters on hand, your minimum Part quantity would be listed as “3”. If the amount is currently at 2 or fewer, then Limble will automatically create a reorder task. If you wish to turn off this feature, assign a value of -1.
Max Part Qty Threshold (Optional): This will be the number of parts you want on hand when you order more Parts. For example, if your minimum quantity of a specific Part is 2 and your maximum quantity is 10, when there is only 1 of that Part on hand, Limble will notify you to order 9 more of the item, bringing you back up to 10 Parts on hand. If you wish to turn off this feature, assign a value of -1.
Threshold Tasks assigned to (Optional): This will be a person or team that Limble notifies when you reach your Stale, Minimum, or Max Thresholds. The value in your Excel sheet must be a User Name (typically their email address) of an active Limble user at your location or a Team name.
Manually Associate Assets (Optional): This allows you to associate a Part with a specific Asset manually. If you need to assign it to multiple Assets, for example, Roof Top Unit 001; Band Saw 012; etc. The Asset name in the spreadsheet needs to be the same as the Asset name in Limble (the exact spelling, spacing, etc.). It is important to note that you should create the Assets in Limble before associating Assets and Parts.
Manually Associate Vendors (Optional): This lets you associate the part with a specific Vendor, so you know who sells it. If you need to associate a Part with multiple Vendors, list each Vendor separated by a semicolon; for example, McMaster-Carr; Grainger; etc. The Vendor name in the spreadsheet needs to be the same as the Vendor name in Limble (the exact spelling, spacing, etc.). It is important to note that you should create the Vendors in Limble before associating Vendors and Parts.
Additional Fields can be added to the Limble CSV import file, as needed. To create a new, add a Field Title to an empty column on Row 1, starting at Column M or beyond. Adding a new field in the import spreadsheet will create that Field in the Part in Limble, and any information added to that column will be associated with the Part in the same Row. Common examples of additional Parts fields include links to the product webpage for reordering or a manufacturer’s unique part number.
Select your Parts List from the available files and click the “Open” button.
Before you confirm the upload, you will see an overview of the changes the upload will make. If you are adding information fields that do not exist in your Limble account, you will have the option to choose the field type. You will also see the number of Parts being added and the number of Parts being updated.
Upload Warnings:
As seen in the image below, if you receive warnings, they will tell you the issue. In the example, the notice says you can’t associate the Threshold Task with a user because that user doesn’t yet exist. The same holds for the Vendor. If you continue with the upload, you can add the missing Vendors and Users to Limble later. You can also exit the import, add the missing Vendors and Users, and then re-import.
Other types of warnings will also explain what the problem is. You can still upload your parts list, and everything else will work correctly.
Rearranging and Adding Fields:
Congratulations! You’ve now uploaded all your Parts into Limble! If you would like to edit or rearrange the columns visible on your Parts page, click the “Edit Visible Columns” button.
This button shows you all of your existing Columns, plus an “Add Column” option. By checking and unchecking the boxes in front of each column, you can control which are visible on the Parts page. The order in which you select Columns to be visible is how they will appear on the page, from left to right. You can deselect all Columns and then reselect them in the order you want them to appear.