How to Import Inventory Locations via CSV
Inventory location imports let you set or adjust product quantities at specific warehouse locations in bulk. This is useful for cycle counts, receiving putaway, stock corrections, and initial inventory setup.
Step 1: Prepare Your CSV File
Create a CSV file with your inventory data. The first row must be a header row with column names. Column names can be customized—during import you will map your CSV columns to Warehance fields.
Required columns (must map to these Warehance fields):
| Warehance Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| sku | Yes | The product SKU. If the product does not exist, Warehance will create it automatically. |
| action | Yes | Either set or adjust. |
| quantity | Yes | A whole number (integer). |
| location | Yes | The location name (e.g., A1-A-001). Must match an existing location in your warehouse. |
| adjustment_reason | Yes | A short description of why the change was made (e.g., Cycle count, Received, Correction). |
| warehouse | Yes | The warehouse name. Must match an existing warehouse. |
Optional columns (for lot-tracked products only):
| Warehance Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| lot_code | Yes if product uses lots | The lot or batch number. Required for products that use lot tracking. |
| lot_expiration_date | Yes when creating a new lot | Expiration date for the lot. Required when adding inventory for a lot that does not yet exist. Use format YYYY-MM-DD (e.g., 2025-12-31). |
Action behavior:
- set — Sets the quantity at the location to the number you specify. Must be 0 or greater.
- adjust — Adds or subtracts from the current quantity. The resulting quantity cannot go below 0.
Step 2: Navigate to the Inventory Locations Import
- Go to Inventory (or Inventory Locations).
- Click Import or open the import option from the table toolbar.
Step 3: Upload Your CSV
- Click Upload or Choose File and select your CSV file.
- Maximum file size is 64 MB.
- After upload, Warehance will show a preview of your columns and sample data.
Step 4: Map Your Columns
Map each CSV column to the correct Warehance field:
- Match your CSV header names to the Warehance fields listed above.
- Ensure all required fields are mapped.
- If you are a 3PL, select the Client whose inventory you are importing.
Step 5: Run the Import
- Click Import to start the process.
- The import runs in the background. You can leave the page; processing continues.
- Check your task or notification area for completion status and any errors.
Example CSV
Example with standard column names:
sku,action,quantity,location,adjustment_reason,warehouse,lot_code,lot_expiration_date
SKU-001,set,50,A1-A-001,Cycle count,Main Warehouse,,
SKU-002,adjust,10,B1-B-001,Received,Main Warehouse,,
SKU-003,set,25,A1-A-002,Initial stock,Main Warehouse,LOT-2025-01,2025-12-31
Example with custom column names (you would map these during import):
product_sku,action_type,qty,bin,reason,wh,lot,best_by
SKU-001,set,50,A1-A-001,Cycle count,Main Warehouse,,
SKU-002,adjust,-5,B1-B-001,Correction,Main Warehouse,,
Validation Rules and Errors
- Duplicate SKU + location: Each product–location combination may appear only once in the file.
- Warehouse/Location: Warehouse and location names must already exist. The location must belong to the specified warehouse.
- Quantity: For set, quantity must be ≥ 0. For adjust, the resulting quantity cannot be negative.
- Bundle parents: Inventory cannot be adjusted for bundle parent products.
- Lot products: If a product uses lot tracking, lot_code is required. If the lot is new, lot_expiration_date is required.
- Lot mismatch: If inventory already exists at that location for a different lot, the lot code in the CSV must match.
Tips
Use Export from the Inventory Locations table to download a CSV template with correct column names and sample data.
For large imports, use set when you know the exact desired quantity. Use adjust when you are adding or removing stock from current levels.
3PL users must select the correct Client before importing, since inventory is stored per client.