Bulk Upload Excel to Create or Edit Inventory
Have a list of new products that you want to add in OneCart or edit a list of products? Here is how you can do it quickly using Excel or CSV bulk upload.
Important Note: If you are already syncing inventory, any inventory quantity change will IMMEDIATELY push the new quantity level to all your linked platforms. Please double-check your values BEFORE uploading. If you don’t wish to update quantity, you can either toggle off inventory sync temporarily before uploading, OR delete the quantity column in your spreadsheet. Please contact Support for assistance if you are unsure.
Getting Started
- Go to Create/Update Items > Bulk Upload
- Click on New Bulk Upload
Step 1: Download the Template
Click on Download template to get the Excel template with all available fields.
After filling out the fields, save your file in .csv or .xlsx format.
Required Columns
Different operations require different columns:
For Creating New Items
| Column | Required? | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Variant SKU | Required | Unique identifier for the item |
| Product Code | Required | Groups variants under a parent product |
| Product Name | Optional | Name of the parent product |
| Quantity | Optional | Starting inventory count |
| Retail Price | Optional | Selling price |
For Updating Existing Items
| Column | Required? | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Variant SKU | Required | Must match an existing SKU in OneCart |
| Product Code | Not needed | SKU alone identifies the item |
| + Any field to update | At least one | Only include columns you want to change |
Tip: When updating existing items, you only need the Variant SKU column plus the field(s) you want to update. For example, to update just buyer categories, your file only needs two columns: Variant SKU and Buyer Category.
Step 2: Upload Your File
Click Choose File to select your spreadsheet.
Step 3: Map Your Columns
Map each column from your spreadsheet to the corresponding OneCart field. Use the dropdown to select the correct mapping.
Available Fields for Mapping
| Your Column | Maps To | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Product Code | Product Code | Parent product identifier |
| Product Name | Product Name | Parent product name |
| Variant SKU | Variant SKU | Unique item identifier |
| Option Name | Option Name | Variant attribute (e.g., “Size”) |
| Option Value | Option Value | Variant value (e.g., “Large”) |
| Quantity | Quantity | Inventory count |
| Retail Price | Retail Price | Selling price |
| Unit Cost Price | Unit Cost Price | Your cost per unit |
| Reserve Qty | Reserve Qty | Safety stock to hold back |
| Brand | Brand | Product brand (auto-creates if new) |
| Buyer Category | Buyer Category | Product category (auto-creates if new) |
| Bin Location | Bin Location | Warehouse location |
| Details | Details | Additional product info |
Brand and Buyer Category Auto-Creation
When you include Brand or Buyer Category columns:
- Existing names are matched (case-insensitive, so “Electronics” matches “electronics”)
- New names are automatically created with proper title capitalization
- No duplicates: “ELECTRONICS” and “electronics” will match the same category
Step 4: Choose Update Options
Select how to handle rows that match existing SKUs:
- Override on Duplicated: Update existing SKUs with new values
- Skip on Duplicated: Keep existing values, only add new SKUs
Step 5: Review and Confirm
Review your data before importing. You can edit individual cells by clicking the pencil icon.
Important: Verify that:
- SKUs are correctly mapped
- Quantities are accurate (they will sync to platforms if enabled)
- New items have both Variant SKU and Product Code
Click Start my import when ready.
Step 6: Import Complete
Your import will process in the background. You’ll receive an email notification when complete.
Common Use Cases
Update Only Buyer Categories
- Create a spreadsheet with two columns: Variant SKU, Buyer Category
- Upload and map the columns
- Choose “Override on Duplicated”
- Import - only buyer categories will update, other fields unchanged
Update Only Prices
- Create a spreadsheet with: Variant SKU, Retail Price
- Upload and map
- Import - only prices update
Add New Variants to Existing Products
- Include: Product Code (existing), Variant SKU (new), Option Name, Option Value
- Upload and map
- New variants are added under the existing product
Important Notes
- Special Price: Not affected by bulk upload
- Listing Price: Not affected by bulk upload (platform-specific)
- Internal Price: Updated by the Retail Price column
- Blank Cells: Columns with blank values are skipped (existing data preserved)
- Quantity: Blank or invalid quantities default to 0
Troubleshooting
SKUs Not Updating
- Verify the Variant SKU exactly matches (case-sensitive)
- Check that “Override on Duplicated” is selected
- Ensure the column is correctly mapped
New Items Not Creating
- Both Variant SKU and Product Code are required for new items
- Check for extra whitespace in your data
Categories/Brands Not Assigning
- Ensure the column is mapped to the correct field
- Check for typos in category/brand names