Overview
Importing your parts inventory is a great way to get immediate value out of Limble’s part management system.
This article will walk you through the steps to import your parts list using our sample import .csv file.
Table of Contents
Getting Started
Import Steps
We'll cover each step in detail, but here's the steps of how to perform a bulk import of your parts:
Set up custom fields in Limble first before conducting your bulk import.
Follow the steps in the import screen, first by downloading the sample import file.
Add data in the required field.
If you set any up in Limble, add your optional and custom field columns to the spreadsheet and fill in data.
Import your parts!
Importing Requirements & Best Practices
You are limited to 5,000 parts and 50 custom fields per import. If you have more, be sure to split up your import spreadsheets and label them accordingly.
.csv and .xlsx files are the recommended file types for your upload. .xlsm files are not accepted by Limble.
Photos, documents, or other files cannot be bulk imported. You must upload those manually.
Be mindful of spelling and formatting mistakes.
Incorrectly spelling a field name will bypass the intended match in Limble and create a new custom field.
If something is formatted incorrectly in your spreadsheet, you’ll receive an error message about what went wrong, but checking for errors before you upload will save you any hassle.
Dates can be in one of the following formats: YYYY-MM-DD, MM-DD-YYYY, MM-DD-YY, or M-D-YY.
Setting Up Custom Fields in Limble
Before performing a bulk import, make sure any custom fields are set up in Limble first.
Field types, such as text, number, or currency, cannot be edited once created, which is why we recommend doing this within the system.
Navigate to the Manage Parts page, Locations > Select Your Location > Parts
Click on the edit visible columns icon. Then, click “Add Column.”
Name your field. In this example, we'll call this "Rating." Then select your field type. In this example, we'll use the text field type. Finally, click "Create."
Repeat this process until you've added all desired fields for your import.
Download & Modify the Sample Import File
Now you're ready to modify the spreadsheet.
On the Manage Parts page, click the “Import/Export” button from the toolbar.
From the dropdown, select “Import Parts.”
You will be taken to a new window with a list of instructions.
Download the spreadsheet by clicking on Sample Import File.
(Note: Limble will recognize your file even if you decide to rename it. Feel free to change the file name to something you can easily find later!)
Once you've opened the spreadsheet, you're ready to edit.
Hovering over a column name will show you an explanation of what it’s for, and how you need to format the data to import properly.
The sample file includes sample data so you can see how to add information. Be sure to remove the sample data and enter your own information here.
Required Fields
The following fields are required, and the columns should not be moved or renamed:
Part Name is what your part will be called in Limble.
Optional Fields
All other columns can be modified or removed. The following columns are included in Limble by default and are optional fields that can be edited or deleted:
Part Number: Part number or other unique identifying information for a part.
Quantity: How many of this part is currently on hand in your inventory.
Stock Unit (Enterprise customers only): This is used in our Unit of Measure feature for seamless stocking and bulk purchasing.
Price: The cost of the part.
Location: The location where your part is stored.
Category: Enter the part category.
You should pre-create categories in Limble prior to bulk importing. You can do from the Manage Parts page this by selecting the pencil icon under the category field, and clicking "Add New Category."
Common examples of categories are: Electrical, Plumbing, Production, etc.
Stale Threshold: A stale threshold lets you know when a part has not been used for a length of time, which can be helpful for clearing out inventory that you suspect is not used regularly. This is entered in days.
For example, if you set a stale threshold to "365," Limble will alert you if a part has not been used for 365 consecutive days.
If you don't want to set a threshold for a part, enter a value of "-1."
Minimum Part Qty Threshold: Minimum Part Quantity creates a reorder task if your part quantity drops below the entered threshold number.
For example, if you enter "3" in this field, Limble will automatically generate a task to order more of this part when you have less than 3 of the part in your inventory.
If you don't want to set a threshold for a part, enter a value of "-1."
Max Part Qty Threshold: Maximum Part Quantity will be the number of parts you want on hand when ordering more. The reorder task will tell you how many parts to order based on this threshold.
For example, assume a part has a min threshold of 2 and a max threshold of 10. You'd receive a reorder task when you only have 1 part left, and you'll be instructed to order 9 of the part based on the max threshold.
If you don't want to set a threshold for a part, enter a value of "-1."
Threshold Tasks assigned to: This field will assign a person or team to part threshold-based tasks, or when stale, minimum, or maximum thresholds are reached.
The value must be a user name (typically their email address) of an active user at this location, or a team name.
Manually Associated Assets: This field allows you to manually associate a part with a specific asset. You can associate a single part to more than one asset using a semicolon to separate them.
This is formatted as [Asset ID]; [Asset ID]
The asset must already exist in Limble, and the number entered in the spreadsheet must be identical to the asset ID in Limble.
(Note: optionally, you can use the asset name, but it is highly recommended to use the asset ID. Any spelling or grammatical errors may bypass the intended match in the system.
To use the asset name, format the field as [Asset Name]. For multiple assets, this is formatted as [Asset Name]; [Asset Name])
Manually Associated Vendors: This field allows you to manually associate a part with a specific vendor. You can associate a single part to more than one vendor using a semicolon to separate them.
This is formatted as [Vendor ID]; [Vendor ID]
The vendor must already exist in Limble, and the number entered in the spreadsheet must be identical to the vendor ID in Limble.
If you have part numbers and prices associated with the vendor, be sure to include the following information: [Vendor ID] | [Part Number] | [Price]. Otherwise, the update will remove the existing part number and price.
(Note: Optionally, you can use the vendor name, but it is highly recommended to use the vendor ID. Any spelling or grammatical errors may bypass the intended match in the system.)
The last field is Optional Custom Fields. You can use and duplicate this field to import information for fields you set up in Limble earlier. If you don’t have any custom fields to include, you can delete this column.
In this example, I'll rename this field "Rating" as it was created in Limble earlier, and enter data in the rows that follow.
Make sure to double-check that you’ve spelled the field name exactly as you have it in Limble. Spelling errors will bypass the intended field match and create an additional custom field.
If you need to add more custom fields, copy the column, then change the name to match the existing field in Limble.
Upload and Import
Once you’ve added your desired parts and fields, it’s time to upload.
Navigate back to the import screen, and select “Upload File.”
Select your spreadsheet and click “Open.”
If your spreadsheet has any errors, Limble will define where those errors are, and what you need to do to fix them.
If your spreadsheet does not have any errors, your upload will begin.
In the new window, you will see how many parts will be added. You can click on the blue text to see the exact action being taken on the parts.
When you're ready to upload, click "Confirm."
Your information will begin to upload. Depending on how many parts and fields you are uploading, this may take several minutes.
Watch the Video Tutorial
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Still don’t see what you’re looking for? Check out our YouTube channel for more tips and tricks! You can also reach out to us anytime at support@limblecmms.com.