V8 VIDEO TUTORIAL

Bulk editing rules

What you’ll learn in Bulk editing rules

• Understand the rules to observe when editing data on a spreadsheet

Video transcript: Bulk editing rules

Video purpose and recommendations before beginning

Adhering to the rules of bulk editing is critical to importing data successfully into SOS Inventory. This video will explain the rules you need to follow in working with data on a spreadsheet.

Before we get into the rules, there’s a couple of recommendations that we urge you to take. The first is that if you are bulk editing items with Quantity on Hand revisions, we encourage you to export, edit, and import the data file during a period when no transactions occur. This ensures that when you import your changes into the system, the inventory quantity on hand will be accurate.

The second recommendation is that before you begin the editing process, make a backup copy of the data file you exported from SOS Inventory. This action serves as a safeguard against any potential issues that could arise from importing incorrect data back into the system. If needed, you can import the backup file to overwrite the erroneous data.

Now let’s get into the rules of bulk editing …

Editing Rules

• One of the most important bulk editing rules is not to change the numbers present in the ID column, which is located in Column A of your spreadsheet. When the revised file is imported, the system uses the ID numbers in the file to match them to the corresponding data records already in SOS Inventory. The type of ID in Column A depends on your data type. Column A contains the item ID for item records; the customer ID for a customer file, and the vendor ID for vendor data.
• If you add a new row of data, leave the ID field blank. SOS Inventory will assign IDs to new items, vendors, and customers when they are imported into the system.
• If you choose to sort the data, the ID numbers must stay matched to their proper rows. SOS Inventory has protected the data to ensure that a mismatch does not occur; but if you override that protection, sort your data carefully.
• When working with your spreadsheet, do not make any changes to column headings. The template used by SOS Inventory is fixed. If headings are added, edited, or deleted, your import will fail.
• If you are making no changes to a row of data, delete that row from the spreadsheet. This will make your file shorter and help to expedite the import process.
• When naming items, vendors, and customers, make sure that each name is unique. SOS Inventory limits the length of a name to 100 characters.
• In columns for email addresses, enter the address in a standard email format, such as a@b.com. Web addresses should be formatted using the standard prefix http or https, followed by ://. Including www in the web address is not required.
• On items, if you change the Quantity on hand figure, the Value on hand amount must be changed manually as well. SOS Inventory does not automatically calculate the updated value for you.
• In addition, be sure to enter the appropriate income, asset, cost of goods sold, and/or expense accounts for your items.

Preparing for file import

After you have finished making your edits, it’s time to prepare the file for uploading into SOS Inventory.

• Did you use any special features during the editing process? Filters, formulas, freeze panes, hidden columns or rows, and the like? If so, make sure these are removed from the file.
• If you performed a sort on a sheet by anything other than Column A (the ID column), execute an ascending re-sort by Column A. Move all new rows without an ID to the end of the spreadsheet.
• Finally, break a long file into multiple sheets in your spreadsheet workbook. Uploads will be faster if rows are less than 1,000 per sheet. If your file has multiple sheets, SOS Inventory will prompt you to indicate the workbook sheet to be imported.

This concludes our tutorial on bulk editing rules. Be sure to view our other videos on bulk editing.

Thank you for watching this presentation!