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 large-scale changes to existing inventory.

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).

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Add new products and variants to your inventory. Choose to include categories, descriptions, SKUs, barcodes, active or inactive status, vendors, vendor SKUs, and quantities. Price, default cost, PAR Level, and Reorder Quantity can be set for the entire product or made location-specific.

Descriptions are product-level, but you can enter a description for each variant on the spreadsheet. Only the first description will be accepted and applied to the product (and the corresponding variants).

A limit of 10,000 rows can be added at a time. If you have more to add, simply submit the first 10,000 and generate another Create Products and Variants spreadsheet to input the rest.

Create new products with attributes in bulk. The result is a variant created for each attribute option combination entered on the spreadsheet. See example below:

Attributes functions and displays are slightly different than creating variants individually. To learn more, click here.

Available fields include product name, categories, description, attribute name, attribute option, SKU, barcode, price, default cost, active or inactive status, PAR level, reorder quantity, vendor assignment, and vendor SKUs. Location-specific fields are also available.

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:

Submitting the above information would create a product with six variant options for the customer to choose from:

A limit of 10,000 rows can be added at a time. If you have more to add, simply submit the first 10,000 and generate another Create Products and Variants spreadsheet to input the rest.

Change existing product names, categories, descriptions (plain text only), shipping information, active (or inactive) status, enabled (or disabled) locations, and enabled (or disabled) integrations.

Remember, a product must be enabled at all selected locations to appear on this spreadsheet.

Alter existing variant names, SKUs, barcodes, vendors, vendor SKUs, and quantities. Price, default cost, PAR level, and Reorder Quantity can be set for the entire product or made location-specific.

Variant Names of attributes (created using the "Generate Variants" button or otherwise) 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 page.

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 Variant and Defaults box, as shown here:

Update quantities and location-specific default costs.

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.

Edit existing variants' integration-specific prices. The spreadsheet will include all existing variants enabled at the integration(s) selected.

Create purchase orders for any location and one vendor. Only items 1) assigned to the vendor and 2) enabled for the selected location(s) will show up when the bulk spreadsheet is generated.

If multiple locations are selected, this will create a draft purchase order for each location selected.

Fields can be left blank to skip adding quantities to the created purchase orders.

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, as shown here.

Edit existing Vendor information, including Vendor Name, Address, Tags, Website, Phone Number, Contact Name, Contact Email, Contact Fax, Order Email, Order Fax, Average Fulfillment Days, and Average Shipping Days with this spreadsheet.

The Vendor must be enabled at all selected locations to appear on this spreadsheet.

From the Customers tab, create customers in bulk to invoice for an easier overall process.

This bulk spreadsheet is exclusively for creating new customers. To edit an existing customer, click on the customer and make your edits there.

To edit any Shopify-specific fields enabled, head to your Settings page, then click Catalog>Integrations. From this page, click "Bulk Upload Shopify Fields."

Next, choose whether you want to edit the product or variant-specific fields:

Once the spreadsheet is generated, only the enabled fields will be editable.

As of Thursday, February 29th, 2024, you can no longer import outdated bulk upload spreadsheets into Thrive.