Import items and opening stock

Import the item catalog before documents that reference it. An item name alone does not define its accounting type, sales/purchase availability, or opening stock.

Where to go: Products & Inventory → Items → Import.

Prepare the columns

Field	Preparation
Type	Required: inventory, service, or non-inventory. Do not use inventory for a service.
Name / Code	Name is required. Use stable, distinct names and codes that later documents can match.
Sellable / Purchasable	Set explicit true/false values. Omitted flags default to false in this import workflow.
Sell Price / Cost Price	Per-unit prices, not extended totals. Review currency and decimal precision.
Sales and purchase accounts	Match existing account names or codes, and verify any default supplied in the preview.
Inventory account	Relevant to inventory-tracked items; use the intended inventory asset account.
Category	Match an existing category by name. Create the category first if needed.

A service or non-inventory purchase uses an appropriate expense/cost account; an inventory sale needs the intended cost-of-goods-sold treatment. Do not choose an account solely because its name is similar.

Example: a sellable service

Download the service-item CSV example. It describes Demo Maintenance Visit, code DEMO-SVC-101, sellable true, purchasable false, and a $150 selling price. It deliberately contains no opening stock.

This is a mapping example, not a completed import test. Download the current in-app template for the full field set, then review the sales-account default in the preview before committing. Replace the example before importing real records.

Include opening stock only once

For an inventory item, opening quantity, unit cost, and date work together. For 10 units valued at $8 each, enter quantity 10 and unit cost 8, not 80. Use the actual migration cutoff date.

If warehouses are enabled, provide the correct Opening Warehouse name or code for stocked rows. Do not assume all stock belongs to the primary warehouse. Leave the opening-stock fields blank for service/non-inventory items and for inventory that will be brought in through another method.

Opening stock can create a posted inventory adjustment and affect Inventory Asset and Opening Balance Equity. Do not also import the same stock as an adjustment, purchase, or journal. Review opening balances first.

Import and verify

1. Download the current template and replace its samples.
2. Upload the file, map each field, and review defaults and warnings in the preview.
3. Verify item type, sales/purchase flags, accounts, prices, category, and opening-stock fields for each selected row.
4. Complete the import only when those choices are correct, then read Results.
5. Open a saved item and confirm it appears in the appropriate invoice or purchase selector.
6. If opening stock was included, run Inventory Valuation at the cutoff and compare quantity and value with your source.

Common errors

Imported but unavailable on an invoice or bill: check Sellable/Purchasable, active status, item type, and company context. Account/category not found: match the existing name/code or set up the missing record first. Stock row rejected: check the quantity, cost basis, date, and required warehouse together. Inspect partial results before retrying; another upload is not automatically an update.