Fastbase

This option is used to import products and prices from a file, this file may be generated from a spreadsheet (eg: Excel) and must be saved as a CSV (comma separated values) file.

This option is found in the 'Maintenance - Misc - Inventory' menu.

When you select this option you are first prompted to select a file, locate the file you want to import and select the 'Open' button.

FastBase will try and read the file and display it in such a way to make it easy for you to specify which columns are to be imported.

You must specify which column is the part number field. This column must match the part number field stored in your inventory file.

You can then also specify a multitude of other fields to be imported from the spreadsheet including description, extra description, unit measure, sell prices and cost prices. Each selection requires that you select the associated column.

Report or Update?:
To see the results of our selections first run the 'Report' option. When you are confident with your selections use the 'Update' option to update the live data.

Create New Parts?:
Template Part:
If you are updating the data you can choose what to do when the imported part number doesn't exist in Fastbase.
If you select to 'Create New Parts' then a new part number is created automatically. You need to enter a 'Template Part', all fields from this template part will be used as the basis for all imported parts.

Supplier:
Update Main Supplier?:
If the parts in the import all have the same supplier, you can select a supplier to apply to the entire import. The supplier will be added to all the parts being updated, either as an alternate supplier or if 'Update Main Supplier' is selected, as the Main Supplier. If the supplier is added or already exists as an Alternate Supplier (Parts Alternate Suppliers) and the import contains a 'Supplier List Price' field, the 'Cost Price' of the alternate supplier will be updated with this.
Note that if a Template Part is used, the supplier will be the Template Part's Main Supplier.

Once you have made your selections click on the 'Start' button to produce a report and optionally update your products.

See also Automatic Price Updates.