Importing Ingredients

Bulk import ingredients from a spreadsheet to quickly build your ingredient database.

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Overview

Ingredient imports let you:

• Migrate from another system
• Add multiple ingredients at once
• Include vendor pricing in the same import

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File Format

Required Columns

Column	Description	Example
name	Ingredient name	"All Purpose Flour"

Optional Columns

Column	Description	Example
description	Notes or details	"Unbleached, organic"
category	Ingredient category	"Dry Goods"
unit_type	Base unit for the ingredient	"weight" or "volume"
vendor	Vendor name	"Sysco"
purchase_cost	Price paid	"25.99"
purchase_qty	Quantity purchased	"50"
ingredient_unit_qty	Unit for purchase qty	"lb"

Example CSV

name,category,unit_type,vendor,purchase_cost,purchase_qty,ingredient_unit_qty
All Purpose Flour,Dry Goods,weight,Sysco,25.99,50,lb
Extra Virgin Olive Oil,Oils,volume,Restaurant Depot,45.00,1,gal
Kosher Salt,Seasonings,weight,Sysco,12.50,3,lb

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Import Steps

1. Start Import

Navigate to Imports → New Import → Ingredients

Or go directly to Ingredients → Import

2. Upload File

1. Click Choose File or drag and drop
2. Select your CSV or Excel file
3. Click Upload

3. Map Columns

Match your file's columns to PrepStation fields:

1. Review the suggested mappings
2. Adjust any incorrect mappings using the dropdowns
3. Mark columns to skip if needed
4. Click Continue

4. Configure Options

Set how to handle the import:

Option	Description
Duplicate handling	Skip, replace, merge, or create duplicates
Create missing categories	Auto-create categories that don't exist
Create missing vendors	Auto-create vendors that don't exist

5. Resolve Issues

If there are unmatched items, resolve them:

• Unknown categories — Map to existing or create new
• Unknown unit types — Map to existing unit types
• Unknown vendors — Map to existing or create new

6. Process Import

Click Import to process. You'll see:

• Progress bar during import
• Summary when complete
• Details on any failed rows

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Downloading Templates

Need a starting template?

1. Go to Imports → Ingredients
2. Click Download Template
3. Fill in your data following the column headers

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Tips for Success

Prepare Your Data

• Remove empty rows at the bottom of your file
• Ensure consistent naming (don't mix "lb" and "pound")
• Use your existing category names when possible

Unit Types

Map to these standard unit types:

Unit Type	Used For
weight	Items measured by weight (flour, meat)
volume	Items measured by volume (oil, milk)
count	Items counted individually (eggs, lemons)

Vendor Pricing

If including vendor pricing:

• One row per ingredient-vendor combination
• Include purchase_cost, purchase_qty, and ingredient_unit_qty together
• The system calculates unit cost automatically

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Common Questions

Q: Can I import the same ingredient from multiple vendors?
A: Yes. Create one row per vendor with different pricing. The system links them to the same ingredient.

Q: What happens to existing ingredients?
A: Depends on your duplicate handling setting. "Skip" leaves existing untouched, "Replace" overwrites.

Q: Can I update just prices without creating new ingredients?
A: Yes. Use "Merge" duplicate handling to update only the cost fields.

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Next Steps

• Import Overview — General import workflow
• Vendor Costs — Manage pricing after import