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Handling CSV upload

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Goal

It is possible to upload almost all of your existing data to Xentral. To do so, you need to export your data in CSV (comma-separated values) files. This import allows you to upload and update big datasets in Xentral without manually changing data.

After completing the steps from this article, you will be able to create your data import templates and import (or update) your existing data into Xentral.

Note: Apart from the CSV import, there are other possibilities to import data. Some online shops can export data directly to Xentral (Shopware and Shopify). You can also add and update data manually. We recommend CSV import for larger data imports or updates as these imports would be time-consuming for manual import.

Prerequisites

Before performing CSV uploads in Xentral, please ensure that you have saved your data in a CSV file format. Use Excel, Numbers, Google Sheets, or Open Office to create this file type. Alternatively, you can export the data from your old ERP system or your online shop (most of them offer a direct CSV export).

If you are not familiar with handling CSV files, get support from your technical department or ask the Xentral support team for a partner recommendation. But this is only necessary if you are facing a complex data structure. You can handle regular CSV imports with basic technical knowledge.

What is a CSV file?

A CSV file is a file format that allows saving data in a table format. You can create, edit and open a CSV file with any standard spreadsheet editor such as Excel, Numbers, Google Sheets, or Open Office.

CSV files are plain text files. They don't contain formattings, such as column widths, fonts, or font sizes. A CSV file only contains the column header and content in each row of your table. Apart from the content, a CSV file has three parameters that tell your device how to interpret the file. Open Office (recommended editor) requires you to define the following parameters:

  • CSV separator: The separator indicates where a data field in your file starts and ends. (recommended: semicolon  ; ).
  • CSV masking: Masking indicates where a special character in your data starts and ends, like ä, ö, ü. (recommended: quotation mark  ” ).
  • Charset: The charset contains information about how your characters are encoded. Most commonly used is the UTF-8 standard.

When creating a new CSV file from your spreadsheet tool, you can choose these parameters.

What data do I need?

Before importing anything, you should check what exactly you want to import. The most common imports are the following:

  • Products
  • Contacts (such as customers, suppliers, employees)
  • Purchasing and sales prices
  • Bills of materials
  • Past orders and invoices

Each product and address contains several data fields. You should open those objects in Xentral and check the standard fields. If you need a field that doesn't already exist, consider creating free fields in your basic settings (you must do this before importing the field's content).

Note: You don’t need to import all your data in just one import. You can update existing data with another CSV import.

Workflows

The following procedures describe best practices for CSV data import in Xentral.

  1. Preparing the import
  2. Creating a new template
  3. Starting the import

Preparing the import

Go to Master data > Import / Export center > Master data import.

In this area, you can view standard import templates. 

Each data import consists of  two components: 

  • Import template
  • CSV file

The import template tells Xentral which column of your CSV file contains which information. You can either use a standard import template that already exists in Xentral or create a new template. You can adapt Xentral according to your CSV file by changing the import template.

Creating a new template

  1. Log into Xentral and go to Master data > Import / Export center > Master data import.
  2. Click +New entry.
  3. Enter the following data:
    • Description: Enter any name for your import template.
    • Goal: The object you want to import, usually products or addresses.
    • CSV data from line: The first row in your CSV table that contains actual data. If you use headers in your CSV file, the first entry will likely be in row 2 (the count starts from 1, not 0).
    • CSV separator: The separator indicates where a data field in your file starts and ends. Define the separator when creating the CSV file. Add the character that you selected.
    • CSV masking: Usually, you don’t need this option, but you can select it when creating the CSV file. We recommend using the quotation mark for this.
    • Selection charset: The charset is another parameter you select when creating the CSV file. The standard charset is UTF-8.
    • Charset: Alternative way of selecting the charset. We recommend using the Selection charset field instead. This field can remain empty.
    • CSV fields: This text field allows you to tell Xentral which column of your CSV file contains the Xentral data field. The syntax is always the same, no matter what data you import. You can find a list of all data fields for each object in the Formats tab at the top of the page. Each row must end with a semicolon.
      1:name;
      2:number;

   4. Click Save.

You have now successfully created the import template that you can use for your next CSV import.

Starting the import

The final import of your data happens directly within the import template.

  1. Log into Xentral and go to Master data > Import / Export center > Master data import.
  2. Select the CSV file you want to upload.
  3. Click Upload CSV now.
  4. After the upload, the system shows you a preview of the first 50 datasets, ready for import. Use this chance for a final check of your data.
  5. Confirm the import by clicking the Import button.
  6. The import takes a few minutes. The imported data appears in the corresponding section in Master data. If you import a large CSV file, Xentral adds data in phases.

Hint: Never import the whole CSV file immediately. Always perform a "test run" with 1 - 2 lines, check the results afterward, and only then import the entire file.

Common Issues and Questions

When opening my CSV file, there are “?” and “-” characters?

  • This indicates a  wrong charset. Either your CSV file is not UTF-8 encoded, or you opened it with the wrong encoding. Open your file with another encoding, like UTF-7.

Xentral can’t find data in the expected column when opening the CSV file.

  • This indicates a wrong separator. Some exports use tabs as separators (sometimes found in Amazon exports), not commas or semicolons. Copy the content of your CSV file to a new spreadsheet and export it with another separator.

When uploading my CSV file, the preview shows incorrect or empty fields.

  • Your import template might contain a syntax error. Make sure every row matches the pattern [COLUMN_NUMBER]:[VARIABLE_NAME];
    For example:
    1:nummer;
    2:name;
    3:addresse;

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