Create an Import
Inventory Imports will allow you to generate multiple Inventory Items within Paradigm from a spreadsheet template.
You can find 'Inventory Imports' under the 'Data Imports' navigation menu item.
You can create a new Import by clicking the 'Add New Inventory Import' button found at the top-left of the screen. 
On the 'Import Document' panel, select the 'Company' you wish to import data for. The 'Document Status' will then default to 'In Progress'.
On the 'Import Details' panel, you can select 'Auto Generate Code'. If this is checked, the Inventory Code will be populated automatically using the Paradigm naming Scheme. Leave the Inventory Code field blank on the template if you wish to use this option.
Setting Up Your Data Import File
You now need to attach your data import spreadsheet to your 'Inventory Import' in Paradigm, the following steps will cover how to setup your data import file.
Here is an example of a completed Data Import Template for Inventory Items.
You can download an empty template here, attached to the bottom of this article.
Note : Do not format any of the cells on the template as Paradigm is designed to read this specific setup. Only the data input is required.
The template fields are as follows :
'Inventory Code' : If you are using the 'Auto Generate Code' option, leave this field blank.
'Description' : Description of the Inventory Item.
'Group Code' : The code of the Inventory Group you wish to assign the item to.
'Type Code' : The code of the Inventory Type you wish to assign to the item.
'Category Code' : The code of the Inventory Category you wish to assign to the item.
'Sub Category Code' : The code of the Inventory Sub Category you wish to assign to the item.
'Stocking Unit Weight' : The weight of a single unit of this item. This is dependent on the Stocking Unit Of Measure.
'Manual Unit Cost' : The cost per stocking unit of the item.
'Minimum GP%' : The minimum required GP when selling the item. This determines the items minimum Sales Price.
'Minimum Level' : The minimum amount of stock on hand for this item. This figure plays into the Buffer Level and Replenishment functionality.
'Buffer Level' : The ideal quantity of stock on hand for this item. This figure is used within the replenishment functionality.
'UOM Stocking Code' : The code of the unit of measure to be used when stocking this item.
'UOM Selling Code' : The code of the unit of measure to be used when selling this item.
'UOM Purchase Code' : The code of the unit of measure to be used when purchasing this item.
'UOM Production Code' : The code of the unit of measure to be used when using this item within production.
'Unit Of Measure Item' : To assign any 'Unit Of Measure' to this item, this field needs to be set to 'True'.
'Batch Item' : If you want Batch Tracking to apply to this item then this field must be set to 'True'.
'Finished Good' : Items flagged as Finished Goods are items that represent finished products ready to be sold.
'Raw Material' : Items flagged as Raw Materials are items used within the production module to produce Finished Goods.
'Consumable' : Items flagged as Consumables are items used within the production module to produce Finished Goods.
Once you have filled in all the required data, you must now save the spreadsheet as a (Comma Delimited) CSV file.
In Excel, click 'File' > 'Save As'.
In the file type drop down menu underneath the file name, select 'CSV (Comma delimited) (*.csv)'.
Generating Inventory Items from Your Import Data
Attach the CSV file to the 'Data Import' in Paradigm. You can drag and drop the file onto the open pane on the 'Data Import' screen. Alternatively, you can use the 'Add From File' button.
This button will allow you to browse your local files and select the file you wish to attach.
Once you have successfully attached the CSV file, click the 'Import Data from CSV Attachment' button.
This will populate the 'Inventory Import Data' tab with the lines from the imported file.
In the above scenario, Validation errors were found, indicated by the column on the far right. The note under each line gives a brief description of the validation errors found. In this case, the inputs for some of the fields do not currently exist in the Paradigm system. They must either be created in Paradigm, or the Import Data must be amended to fit what you currently have setup for those fields in your Paradigm system.
To reset the Import Data and/or amend the Import File, click the 'Reset Data Import' button.
This will clear the 'Inventory Import' tab.
Navigate to the 'CSV Attachment' tab and click the 'Unlink' button.
This will remove the attached file. You can now amend the data in the Excel spreadsheet and/or create the necessary categories and groups in Paradigm. Once amended, you can re-attach the Import File and re-import the data.
If you are satisfied with the import data, you can click the 'Approve Import Data' button.
This will set the 'Approval Status' to 'Approved' and set the 'Approval Date' to the current day.
Once the Data Import has been approved, the 'Process Data Import' button will enable.
The Inventory Items will now be added to the Paradigm system, they can be viewed on the main Inventory table.
