Bulk uploads are used for mass inventory updates, changes, or additions via a Google Sheets spreadsheet. It is helpful for initially setting up a large inventory or making significant changes to an existing one.
The option to generate a bulk upload is found under the "Actions" button on the Inventory, Invoicing (under the Customer tab), Vendors, or Purchase Orders pages.
For more information, check out our articles on bulk upload spreadsheets and troubleshooting.
Edits and additions
Protected columns are in grey to indicate that you cannot edit the field directly. Make any edits in the corresponding "New" column as shown here:
Any information added to the "New" column will replace the existing data. You will not see the "New" column when bulk-creating products, vendors, customers, etc, but those changes are coming soon. If a column is left blank, nothing will happen to that product, and will not be updated.
For example, if you are making changes to SKUs during selling hours on the Edit Products and Variants spreadsheet, it's okay to upload the spreadsheet as is. The blank quantity will not be affected when the spreadsheet is imported.
Sorting
With so much information in the spreadsheet, it can be time-consuming to pinpoint the specific information you want to edit.
Sorting will help with that!
Here's a quick video🎥 from our Customer Care Team on the different ways to sort.
Paste without formatting
Google Sheets has a limitation that prevents you from pasting data directly from external sources (like Excel or other apps) into your Thrive-generated spreadsheets.
What changed? Google recently updated its "Paste Special > Values" feature. It now only works within the same spreadsheet, not between different files or applications.
How to paste data from another source
Open your Thrive spreadsheet that needs the new data
Add a new sheet by clicking the "+" button at the bottom
Paste your data into this new sheet (regular paste is fine)
Copy the data you just pasted
Switch back to your Thrive sheet and select where you want it
Right-click → Paste Special → Values only
💡 Why this works: By pasting into a temporary sheet first, you're working within the same Google Sheets file, so Paste Special works properly.
Clear, delete, or remove information
For bulk uploads where you are making edits, new instructions are available on how to delete information.
To clear, delete, or remove information, enter %REMOVE% into the corresponding "New" column to remove its contents upon upload. This is also noted at the top of spreadsheets when applicable.
Freeze columns
Depending on which columns (or rows) you are working on, it can be helpful to have the column/row heading available to you, no matter how far down on the spreadsheet your product is.
To minimize scrolling, you can freeze columns and rows in your Google Sheets by selecting the column or row you want to freeze and clicking View > Freeze on the toolbar (as shown above).
Here are more specifics from Google directly.
Use shortcuts
Keyboard shortcuts like Control+F (or Command+F) allow you to quickly search for a word or phrase in the spreadsheet. That means, if you're only looking to make edits to products with "Muffin" in the title, you can quickly and easily pinpoint them, make your edits, and import them.
Submitting a spreadsheet
Once you have made changes to your spreadsheet, you can submit the spreadsheet to upload it into Thrive by clicking the link as shown below:
(The submit link is found at the top of column C in the spreadsheet,
don't forget that 2nd click!)
Once the spreadsheet is submitted, click the "Import this spreadsheet" button, and we will comb through the spreadsheet for any errors.
Any errors will be identified on the following pages, allowing you to make corrections. If you'd like to read more about errors, you can check out this article on troubleshooting.
Recalling a spreadsheet
On the Bulk Uploads page, you can recall active spreadsheets (under 120 days old) that are still eligible for submission.
Recall the spreadsheet and make additional edits or additions by clicking the pencil icon shown below:
A spreadsheet becomes "Completed" when it's been successfully imported. Once it's "Completed," it will not be editable and cannot be undone.
Things to Note:
It is fine to leave Thrive while the spreadsheet is importing.
Images cannot be added via Bulk Upload. Google's spreadsheet API only allows for text-based information.
Uploads cannot be undone! Please read descriptions carefully before proceeding, as there is no option to undo them.
To create multiple Categories (or Vendors), separate each Category using a comma (e.g., "Category 1, Category 2, etc.)