Import Overview

PrepStation lets you bulk import data from spreadsheets and scanned documents, saving hours of manual data entry.

What You Can Import

The Import Workflow

All imports follow the same general process:

┌──────────┐    ┌──────────┐    ┌──────────┐    ┌──────────┐    ┌──────────┐
│  UPLOAD  │ ─► │ ANALYZE  │ ─► │   MAP    │ ─► │ RESOLVE  │ ─► │ PROCESS  │
│   File   │    │ Columns  │    │  Fields  │    │  Issues  │    │  Import  │
└──────────┘    └──────────┘    └──────────┘    └──────────┘    └──────────┘

1. Upload

Upload your file (CSV, Excel, PDF, or image). The system checks the file format and prepares it for analysis.

2. Analyze

PrepStation reads your file and detects:

• Column headers
• Data types
• Row counts

3. Map

Match your file's columns to PrepStation fields. The system suggests mappings based on header names, but you can adjust them.

4. Resolve

If the system finds issues (unknown vendors, missing units, etc.), you'll resolve them before processing:

• Match unknown vendors to existing ones or create new
• Map unknown units to your unit types
• Handle duplicates (skip, replace, or merge)

5. Process

The data imports into PrepStation. You'll see a summary of:

• Successful imports
• Skipped rows
• Any errors

Imports Dashboard

Navigate to Imports to see all your import activity:

Filter by status or date range to find specific imports.

Supported File Formats

Spreadsheets

Documents (Invoice OCR)

Handling Duplicates

When importing data that might already exist, choose how to handle duplicates:

Import Templates

For invoices and sales data, you can save column mappings as templates:

1. Complete a successful import
2. Save the mapping as a template
3. Future imports from the same vendor auto-map columns

This is especially useful for vendors who send invoices in consistent formats.

Common Questions

Q: What's the maximum file size?
A: Files up to 10MB are supported. For larger datasets, split into multiple files.

Q: Can I undo an import?
A: Imports can't be undone in bulk, but you can edit or delete individual imported records.

Q: Why did some rows fail?
A: Check the import results for specific errors. Common issues: missing required fields, invalid units, or unresolved vendors.

Next Steps

• Importing Ingredients — Bulk add your ingredient database
• Importing Invoices — Process vendor invoices with OCR
• Importing Sales Data — Import POS data for forecasting