Catalog CSV Uploads

Orderwerks allows you to bulk update your catalog data using CSV (comma-separated values) files. This guide explains each CSV upload type, what columns are required, and tips for a successful upload.

Getting Started

Download CSV Templates and Data

Navigate to Catalogs in the main menu.
Select the checkbox next to your catalog, then click the Download CSV button in the action bar.
Choose the Type of CSV download.

Upload CSV Files

Navigate to Catalogs in the main menu.
Select your catalog, then click the Upload / Update button.
Choose the Type of CSV upload you want to perform.
Download the template for that type (from the catalog actions menu) to ensure your file has the correct column headers.
Fill in your data, save the file as a
```
.csv
```
, and upload it.

Tip: Always download a fresh template before uploading. Templates include your current catalog data and the correct column headers for your account configuration.

CSV Upload Types

1. Item Template CSV

The most comprehensive upload type. Use this to create new catalog items or update existing ones in bulk.Columns:

Column	Description
Catalog	The name of the catalog
Name	Item display name
SKU	Unique stock keeping unit identifier
UPC	Universal product code (optional)
Description	Item description text
Root Category	Top-level category name
Category Level One	First sub-category
Category Level Two	Second sub-category (optional)
Category Level Three	Third sub-category (optional)
UoM	Unit of measurement (e.g., Each, Case, Lb)
Active	Whether the item is active (TRUE/FALSE)
Has Inventory	Whether inventory is tracked (TRUE/FALSE)
Has Alternate Sourcing	Item has alternate sourcing enabled (TRUE/FALSE)
Is Alternate Source	Item is an alternate source (TRUE/FALSE)
Is Customer Orderable	Whether customers can order this item (TRUE/FALSE)
Qty. on Hand	Current quantity in stock
Min. Qty. on Hand	Minimum stock level before reorder alert
Max. Qty. on Hand	Maximum stock level
Max Order Qty.	Maximum quantity a customer can order at once
Min. Order Qty.	Minimum quantity a customer must order
Packs	Number of packs
Has Pack Qty.	Whether pack quantity pricing is enabled (TRUE/FALSE)
Pack Qty.	Number of units per pack
Price Per Pack	Whether pricing is per pack (TRUE/FALSE)
Unit Incr. Qty.	Quantity increment for ordering (e.g., must order in multiples of 5)
Allow Backorder	Whether backorders are allowed (TRUE/FALSE)
Require Addl. Input	Whether additional input is required when ordering (TRUE/FALSE)
MSRP	Manufacturer's suggested retail price
Shipping Weight	Shipping weight of the item
Item Weight	Net weight of the item
Item Order	Display sort order (numeric)
Is Product Group	Whether this item belongs to a product group (1/0)
Product Group Sku	SKU of the parent product group
Product Group Label	Label for the product group variant
Item Guid (Blank for new, Do Not Edit)	System identifier — leave blank for new items, do not modify for existing items
[Price Group columns]	One column per price group in your catalog (e.g., "Retail", "Wholesale") — enter the price for each

Conditional columns (appear in your template if enabled in your account):

Cost - Item cost per unit (when cost pricing is enabled)
Min. Price - Minimum allowed selling price (when below-min-price approval is enabled)
Delivery ETA - Expected delivery timeframe (when delivery ETA is enabled)
Width, Height, Depth / Length, Dimension Unit - Item dimensions (when dimensions are enabled)

Tips:

To create new items, leave the Item Guid column blank. The system will generate one automatically.
To update existing items, ensure the Item Guid column contains the correct value from the downloaded template.
If your catalog has more than 20 price groups, the file is processed server-side. You will receive an email when processing is complete.
Processing may take up to 8 minutes for large files. You will receive an email report when complete.
Set Inactive Non-Present Items - If this option is checked, any items in your catalog that are NOT in your CSV file will be set to inactive. Use this when your CSV represents the complete active catalog.

2. Price List CSV

Use this to update pricing across your catalog without modifying other item details.Columns:

Column	Description
SKU	Item SKU (used to match the item)
Description	Item description (for reference only — not updated)
Item Guid (Do Not Edit)	System identifier — do not modify
[Price Group columns]	One column per price group (e.g., "Retail", "Wholesale") — enter the updated price

Tips:

The template pre-fills all current items and their prices so you can update values directly.
Only pricing values are updated - no other item fields are affected.

3. Inventory CSV

Use this to update stock levels for your catalog items.Columns:

Column	Description
SKU	Item SKU
Description	Item description (for reference)
Track Inventory	Whether inventory tracking is enabled (TRUE/FALSE)
Qty. on Hand	Current stock quantity
Minimum Qty. on Hand	Low stock reorder threshold
Maximum Qty. on Hand	Maximum stock level
Packs	Number of packs
Item Guid	System identifier for the item

Options when uploading:

Action - Choose how the quantity values are applied:
- Add - Adds the quantity in your CSV to the current stock level
- Subtract - Subtracts the quantity in your CSV from the current stock level
- Replace - Replaces the current stock level with the quantity in your CSV
Reference Column — Choose which column to use for matching items:
- SKU - Match by SKU (default)
- Item Guid - Match by the system's internal identifier (more precise if you have duplicate SKUs across catalogs)
Note - Add an optional note to describe the reason for this inventory update

4. Categories CSV

Use this to create or update your catalog's category hierarchy.Columns:

Column	Description
Catalog	Catalog name
Root Category	Top-level category name
Category Level One	First sub-category
Category Level Two	Second sub-category (optional)
Category Level Three	Third sub-category (optional)
Category Guid	System identifier — leave blank for new categories
Discount	Category-level discount percentage (if discounts are enabled)
[Price Group (Discount) columns]	Per-price-group discount columns (if price group category discounts are enabled)

Tips:

To create a new category, provide the category name(s) and leave the Category Guid blank.
To update an existing category, include its Category Guid from the downloaded template.
Category levels are hierarchical — you must include the Root Category for every row.

5. Price Groups CSV

Use this to create or update price groups for your catalog.Columns:

Column	Description
Catalog	Catalog name
Price Group	Name of the price group
Price Group Guid	System identifier — leave blank for new price groups, do not edit for existing

6. Catalog Attributes CSV

Use this to assign or update custom attributes on catalog items.Columns:

Column	Description
Catalog	Catalog name
SKU	Item SKU
Attribute	Attribute name (e.g., "Color", "Material")
Value	Attribute value (e.g., "Red", "Steel")
Category Guid	Category identifier the item belongs to
Item Guid	System identifier for the item

Tips:

Each row represents a single attribute assignment for a single item.
If an item has multiple attributes, include one row per attribute.

7. Price Bands CSV

Availability: This upload type is available when Price Bands are enabled in your account settings.

Use this to define quantity-based pricing tiers (price breaks) for your items.Columns:

Column	Description
Catalog	Catalog name
SKU	Item SKU
Price Group	Which price group this band applies to (optional)
Vendor Source	Vendor source (optional)
Start Qty	Minimum quantity for this price tier
End Qty	Maximum quantity for this price tier (optional — leave blank for unlimited)
Price	Price per unit at this tier
Price Band Guid	System identifier — leave blank for new bands

Options when uploading:

Replace Existing Price Bands - When enabled, deletes all existing price bands for the price groups in your file before importing, giving you a clean slate. When disabled (default), the system merges by GUID: bands with matching GUIDs are updated, and new GUIDs are added. If your file omits GUIDs for price groups that already have bands, you may get a conflict error.

8. Price Bands Bulk Apply CSV

Availability: This upload type is available when Price Bands are enabled in your account settings.

Use this to apply price band configurations across multiple items at once.Columns: Download the template from your catalog to see the exact columns. This template is pre-formatted based on your catalog's price group and item configuration.

9. Item Categories CSV

Availability: This upload type is available when Multiple Categories are enabled in your account settings.

Use this to assign items to multiple categories simultaneously.Columns: Download the template from your catalog to see the exact columns. The template includes your catalog items and available categories.

10. Child Item CSV

Availability: This upload type is available when Child Items are enabled in your account settings.

Use this to define parent-child relationships between catalog items.Columns:

Column	Description
Catalog	Catalog name
Parent SKU	SKU of the parent item
SKU	SKU of the child item

11. Bulk Item Options CSV

Use this to create or update item-level options (such as size, color, or finish selections) in bulk.Columns: Download the template from your catalog to see the exact columns. The template is structured based on your catalog's existing item option configuration.

12. Kit Builder CSV

Use this to define or update kit configurations in bulk. Kits allow customers to build a product by selecting from predefined option groups.Columns: Download the template from your catalog to see the exact columns. The template reflects your current kit configuration and option structure.Tips:

Processing may take up to 8 minutes for large files.
You will receive an email report when processing is complete.

13. Item Options Bulk Assign CSV

Use this to assign existing item options to catalog items in bulk.Columns: Download the template from your catalog to see the exact columns. The template maps your items to available option configurations.

14. Bulk Images

Note: This is a ZIP file upload, not a CSV upload.

Use this to upload product images in bulk.Requirements:

Upload a single
```
.zip 
```
file containing your images.
Image file names must match item SKUs in your catalog.
For detailed instructions, visit the Bulk Image Import Instructions page.

After Uploading

Once your file is processed, you will see a results summary showing:

Total Records - Number of rows in your file
Records Updated - Items that were successfully updated
Records Created - New items that were created
Records Not Updated - Items that were skipped (e.g., no changes detected)
Records Errored - Items that could not be processed (check your data for issues)

For large uploads processed server-side (Item Template, Child Item, Item Categories, Price List, Bulk Item Options, Price Bands, Catalog Attributes, Kit Builder, Item Options Bulk Assign), you will receive an email report when processing is complete.

Troubleshooting

File won't upload - Ensure the file is saved as
```
.csv 
```
(not
```
.xlsx
```
). Open in a text editor to confirm it uses commas as delimiters.
Records not updating - Check that the Item Guid or SKU matches an existing item. The Reference Column setting (for inventory uploads) determines which field is used for matching.
Missing columns - Always download a fresh template before uploading. Column names and available columns depend on your account settings.
Conflict error on Price Bands - If importing price bands without GUIDs for price groups that already have bands, enable the "Replace Existing Price Bands" option for a clean import.