Bulk uploads allow you to make mass inventory updates, changes, or additions using Google Sheets spreadsheets. This feature is essential for initially setting up large inventories or making large-scale changes to existing products.
Bulk Uploads are included with Standard plans and above.
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There are different options depending on what changes you'd like to make. In addition, check out our articles on tips and best practices, and troubleshooting (for when you run into any issues).
Use the links to jump to the section you want to learn about or continue scrolling:
Catalog (Products & Variants)
Inventory (Quantities & Costs)
Integrations (Sales Channel Settings)
Invoices (Customers)
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Start a Bulk Upload
Any Bulk Upload can be started from the Bulk Uploads page, as shown here:
Go to the Bulk Uploads page
Click "Start Bulk Upload"
Choose your location(s)
Add filters (such as specific categories, vendors, or creation date)
Click "Generate Spreadsheet"
Bulk uploads can also be generated from other pages in Thrive.
The Bulk Upload option is under the Action menu for any applicable tools. You can also start a bulk upload from the Products, Variants, and Bins View of your catalog by pressing the spreadsheet icon.
Keep reading for more specifics on what each spreadsheet entails!
Catalog Bulk Uploads
Use these spreadsheets to create or edit products and variants.
Create Products and Variants
Add new products and variants to your inventory in bulk.
Available fields/columns include:
Product name
Categories
Descriptions (product-level)
SKUs and barcodes
Active or inactive status
Vendors and vendor SKUs
Quantities
Price, default cost, reorder point, and reorder target (can be set for entire product or location-specific)
Notes:
Descriptions are product-level: You can enter a description for each variant on the spreadsheet, but only the first description will be accepted and applied to the product and all its variants
10,000 row limit: You can add up to 10,000 rows at a time. If you have more, submit the first batch and generate another spreadsheet for the rest
Create Products with Attributes
Create new products with attributes in bulk. Thrive creates a variant for each attribute option combination entered on the spreadsheet.
How it works: Each row represents one attribute combination. Thrive automatically generates all variants from the combinations you enter.
The attribute title columns could be "Size," "Color," "Flavor," or anything that helps you and your customers.
The attribute option is where you'd dig a bit deeper. For example, if "Size" was your attribute title, your options might be "Small" and "Large."
Here's an example of what multiple attributes could look like:
Attribute 1 Name | Attribute 1 Option | Attribute 2 Name | Attribute 2 Option |
Size | Small | Color | Red |
Size | Small | Color | Blue |
Size | Small | Color | Green |
Size | Large | Color | Red |
Size | Large | Color | Blue |
Size | Large | Color | Green |
Submitting the above information would create a product with six variant options for the customer to choose from:
Small, Red
Small, Blue
Small, Green
Large, Red
Large, Blue
Large, Green
Available fields/columns include:
Product name (required for each row)
Categories
Description
Attribute names and options
SKU and barcode
Price, default cost, active/inactive status
Reorder point and reorder target
Vendor assignment and vendor SKUs
Location-specific fields
Notes:
Attribute Display Differs: Attributes functions and displays are slightly different than creating variants individually.
10,000 Row Limit: A limit of 10,000 rows can be added at a time. If you have more to add, submit the first 10,000 and generate another Create Products and Variants spreadsheet to input the rest.
Edit Products
Change existing product-level information.
Editable fields include:
Product names
Categories
Descriptions (plain text only)
Shipping information (width, length, height, dimension unit, weight unit)
Active/inactive status
Enabled/disabled locations
Enabled/disabled integrations
Products will be included if any of their variants match the the chosen locations and filters.
Note: If you modify a Shipping Unit (not value), shipping will be enabled for the product.
Edit Variants
Alter existing variant-level information.
Editable fields:
Variant names (with limitations, see below)
SKUs and barcodes
Vendors and vendor SKUs
Quantities
Price, default cost, reorder point, and reorder target (can be set for entire product or location-specific)
Notes:
An item must be enabled at all selected locations to appear on this spreadsheet.
Bundles do not appear on the Edit Variants Spreadsheet.
Variant Names of attributes cannot be edited on this spreadsheet and will be greyed out. To make edits to those variant names, you will need to edit them directly on the specific product details page.
You can enable or disable the Use Defaults toggle for each location. If location-specific data is added, the Use Defaults toggle will automatically be disabled.
Edit Variants Default Price
Adjust or add default prices for your products and variants. Only the price field is editable on the spreadsheet.
If you have Use Defaults disabled for a location, this spreadsheet will not override the location-specific price, only the price found in the Pricing section, as shown here:
To update Location-specific pricing, generate an Edit Variants spreadsheet and update the price column with the location name. The Use Defaults toggle will automatically be disabled.
Inventory Bulk Uploads
Use these spreadsheets to update quantities and costs for the quantities being added/edited.
Receive Inventory Quantities
Enter newly received quantities and have them automatically added to existing totals. Any cost entered will be the lot cost for the products received.
Quantities received will be added to existing quantities. (For example, if I had 10 on the shelf and received 5 via this Bulk Upload option, my total is 15).
Fields can be left blank to skip receiving any quantities.
Note: An item must be enabled at all selected locations to appear on this spreadsheet.
Edit Inventory Quantities
Update quantities and location-specific costs.
Notes:
An item must be enabled at all selected locations to appear on this spreadsheet.
If location-specific costs are added, then the Use Defaults toggle with automatically be disabled.
Integration Bulk Uploads
Use these spreadsheets to manage integration-specific settings.
Edit Sales Channel Prices
Edit existing variants' integration-specific prices. The spreadsheet will include all existing variants enabled at the integration(s) selected.
Edit Products for (Shopify or WooCommerce)
Edit product-level Shopify or WooCommerce-specific fields. Only enabled fields will appear on the spreadsheet.
Edit Variants for (Shopify or WooCommerce)
Edit variant-level Shopify or WooCommerce-specific fields. Only enabled fields will appear on the spreadsheet.
Purchase Order Bulk Uploads
Create Purchase Orders
Create purchase orders in bulk for any location and one vendor.
Only items that fulfill the following appear on the spreadsheet:
Items assigned to the selected vendor, AND
Enabled for the selected location(s)
Notes:
If you select multiple locations, Thrive creates a draft purchase order for each location selected.
Leave fields blank to skip adding quantities to the created purchase orders.
Vendor Bulk Uploads
Create Vendors
Create vendors that can fulfill Purchase Orders at your locations. A vendor will be created and associated with your selected locations.
Once your vendor is created, assign products to it.
Edit Vendors
Edit existing vendor information in bulk.
Editable fields:
Vendor name
Address
Tags
Website
Phone number
Contact name
Contact email
Contact fax
Order email
Order fax
Average fulfillment days
Average shipping days
Important note: The vendor must be enabled at all selected locations to appear on this spreadsheet.
The Vendor must be enabled at all selected locations to appear on this spreadsheet.
Invoice Bulk Uploads
Create Customers
From the Customers tab, create customers in bulk to streamline the invoicing process.
This bulk spreadsheet is exclusively for creating new customers. To edit an existing customer, click on the customer and make your edits there.
Things to Note:
As of Thursday, February 29th, 2024, you can no longer import outdated bulk upload spreadsheets into Thrive. An outdated spreadsheet is one generated over 120 days ago or on a previous version of bulk uploads.
If location-specific data is added in bulk, the Use Defaults toggle will automatically be disabled.
Once a sheet is submitted, it cannot be recovered. If needed, download a copy of the spreadsheet before submitting!