Stock Import Tool
Table Of Contents
The Stock Import Tool provides a quick and efficient way to create new stock items or update existing ones in Khaos Control. To ensure a successful import, your file must follow the required field names, formats and naming conventions used by the system.This article explains how to prepare your import file, import stock items into Khaos Control, and understand the available mapping fields.Important: If you are unsure which fields you need to use, contact the Development team before creating your import file.
Important: Packs, bundles and move-with items cannot be imported using the Stock Import Tool. If you need these items importing, please contact the Development team.
The Stock Import Tool provides a quick and efficient way to create new stock items or update existing ones in Khaos Control. To ensure a successful import, your file must follow the required field names, formats and naming conventions used by the system.
This article explains how to prepare your import file, import stock items into Khaos Control, and understand the available mapping fields.
Important: If you are unsure which fields you need to use, contact the Development team before creating your import file.
Important: Packs, bundles and move-with items cannot be imported using the Stock Import Tool. If you need these items importing, please contact the Development team.
Before You Begin
Before importing stock items, check the following:- Verify that all data is accurate before importing. If the data has been exported from another system, validate it carefully before proceeding.
- Remove any columns containing information that is not required.
- If you have a mixture of SCS and non-SCS stock items, create separate import files for each type.
Note: If you use the eBay integration, contact the Development team before importing. eBay requires a specific SCS structure which must match eBay exactly.
- Be aware that Microsoft Excel removes leading zeros from numeric values. If your stock codes or barcodes contain leading zeros, ensure the columns are formatted correctly before saving the file.
- Save the import file in one of the following formats:
- XLS
- XLSX
- TXT
- Remove any blank rows at the bottom of the spreadsheet before importing.
Before importing stock items, check the following:
- Verify that all data is accurate before importing. If the data has been exported from another system, validate it carefully before proceeding.
- Remove any columns containing information that is not required.
- If you have a mixture of SCS and non-SCS stock items, create separate import files for each type.Note: If you use the eBay integration, contact the Development team before importing. eBay requires a specific SCS structure which must match eBay exactly.
- Be aware that Microsoft Excel removes leading zeros from numeric values. If your stock codes or barcodes contain leading zeros, ensure the columns are formatted correctly before saving the file.
- Save the import file in one of the following formats:
- XLS
- XLSX
- TXT
- Remove any blank rows at the bottom of the spreadsheet before importing.
Importing Stock Items
Once your import file has been prepared:- Open a Stock screen.
- Open the Other Actions menu by:
- Pressing F9, or
- Clicking the down arrow to the right of the toolbar button.
- Select Import > Import Stock Items.
- Browse to and select your import file.
- Click OK to begin the import.
Once your import file has been prepared:
- Open a Stock screen.
- Open the Other Actions menu by:
- Pressing F9, or
- Clicking the down arrow to the right of the toolbar button.
- Select Import > Import Stock Items.
- Browse to and select your import file.
- Click OK to begin the import.
Import Results
After the import completes:- If no errors are reported, the stock items will be imported successfully.
- Existing stock items will be updated using the values contained within the import file.
- New stock items will be created automatically if they do not already exist.
After the import completes:
- If no errors are reported, the stock items will be imported successfully.
- Existing stock items will be updated using the values contained within the import file.
- New stock items will be created automatically if they do not already exist.
Import File Requirements
Boolean Fields
All Yes/No fields must be imported as Boolean values:
Value Import Format Yes -1 No 0
All Yes/No fields must be imported as Boolean values:
| Value | Import Format |
|---|---|
| Yes | -1 |
| No | 0 |
Stock Import Field Mapping
Core Stock Information
Field Name Description Type Character Limit CONTROLLED Indicates whether the item is stock controlled. Yes/No 4 STOCK_CODE Unique stock code for the item. For SCS items this forms the first part of the generated SCS stock code. Free Text 55 SHORT_DESC Short description displayed on sales orders, purchase orders, invoices and picking documents. Free Text 250 LONG_DESC Long description used for telesales information and website descriptions. Free Text 2000 OTHER_REF Alternative reference, commonly used for barcodes. Free Text 40 MANUFACTURER Product manufacturer. Manufacturers should exist in [ System Data Manufacturers ] before import. Free Text 100 AVAILABILITY Availability message or status. Free Text 50 DISCONTINUED Indicates whether the stock item is discontinued. Yes/No 4 DROP_SHIP Indicates whether the item is a drop ship item. Yes/No 4 RUN_TO_ZERO Indicates whether the stock item is marked as Run to Zero. Yes/No 4
| Field Name | Description | Type | Character Limit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CONTROLLED | Indicates whether the item is stock controlled. | Yes/No | 4 | |
| STOCK_CODE | Unique stock code for the item. For SCS items this forms the first part of the generated SCS stock code. | Free Text | 55 | |
| SHORT_DESC | Short description displayed on sales orders, purchase orders, invoices and picking documents. | Free Text | 250 | |
| LONG_DESC | Long description used for telesales information and website descriptions. | Free Text | 2000 | |
| OTHER_REF | Alternative reference, commonly used for barcodes. | Free Text | 40 | |
| MANUFACTURER | Product manufacturer. Manufacturers should exist in [ System Data | Manufacturers ] before import. | Free Text | 100 |
| AVAILABILITY | Availability message or status. | Free Text | 50 | |
| DISCONTINUED | Indicates whether the stock item is discontinued. | Yes/No | 4 | |
| DROP_SHIP | Indicates whether the item is a drop ship item. | Yes/No | 4 | |
| RUN_TO_ZERO | Indicates whether the stock item is marked as Run to Zero. | Yes/No | 4 |
Stock Type Structure
Stock Types are used for categorisation, reporting, promotions, discounting and nominal mappings.
Field Name Description Type Character Limit STOCK_TYPE1 Top-level stock type. Free Text 25 STOCK_TYPE2 Main stock type level. Used for discounting, promotions, reporting and nominal mappings. Free Text 100 STOCK_TYPE3 Optional third stock type level. Free Text 100 STOCK_TYPE4 Optional fourth stock type level. In three-level structures this becomes the final level. Free Text 100
Stock Types are used for categorisation, reporting, promotions, discounting and nominal mappings.
| Field Name | Description | Type | Character Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| STOCK_TYPE1 | Top-level stock type. | Free Text | 25 |
| STOCK_TYPE2 | Main stock type level. Used for discounting, promotions, reporting and nominal mappings. | Free Text | 100 |
| STOCK_TYPE3 | Optional third stock type level. | Free Text | 100 |
| STOCK_TYPE4 | Optional fourth stock type level. In three-level structures this becomes the final level. | Free Text | 100 |
Pricing and Tax
Field Name Description Type BUY_PRICE Default purchase price. Can be imported as net or gross. Numeric SELL_PRICE Default selling price. Can be imported as net or gross. Numeric TAX_CODE Tax code: 1 = Standard, 2 = Zero, 3 = Exempt, 4 = Reduced. Numeric TAX_RATE VAT percentage. Use this instead of TAX_CODE if preferred. Numeric
Important: Use either TAX_CODE or TAX_RATE, not both.
| Field Name | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
| BUY_PRICE | Default purchase price. Can be imported as net or gross. | Numeric |
| SELL_PRICE | Default selling price. Can be imported as net or gross. | Numeric |
| TAX_CODE | Tax code: 1 = Standard, 2 = Zero, 3 = Exempt, 4 = Reduced. | Numeric |
| TAX_RATE | VAT percentage. Use this instead of TAX_CODE if preferred. | Numeric |
Important: Use either TAX_CODE or TAX_RATE, not both.
Supplier Information
Multiple suppliers can be linked to a single stock item.
Field Name Description SUPPLIER:COMPANY_CODE Supplier URN. SUPPLIER:COMPANY_NAME Supplier name. SUPPLIER:SUPPLIER_REF Supplier's product reference. SUPPLIER:PURCHASE_COST Supplier-specific purchase cost. SUPPLIER:DISCOUNT Supplier discount percentage. SUPPLIER:REORDER_QTY Default reorder quantity from this supplier. SUPPLIER:DEFAULT_SUPPLIER Indicates whether this supplier is the default supplier.
Important: Use either SUPPLIER:COMPANY_CODE or SUPPLIER:COMPANY_NAME, not both.
Important: Only one supplier should be marked as the default supplier for each stock item.
Multiple suppliers can be linked to a single stock item.
| Field Name | Description |
|---|---|
| SUPPLIER:COMPANY_CODE | Supplier URN. |
| SUPPLIER:COMPANY_NAME | Supplier name. |
| SUPPLIER:SUPPLIER_REF | Supplier's product reference. |
| SUPPLIER:PURCHASE_COST | Supplier-specific purchase cost. |
| SUPPLIER:DISCOUNT | Supplier discount percentage. |
| SUPPLIER:REORDER_QTY | Default reorder quantity from this supplier. |
| SUPPLIER:DEFAULT_SUPPLIER | Indicates whether this supplier is the default supplier. |
Important: Use either SUPPLIER:COMPANY_CODE or SUPPLIER:COMPANY_NAME, not both.
Important: Only one supplier should be marked as the default supplier for each stock item.
Reordering and Purchasing
Field Name Description PURCHASE_MULTIPLE Purchase quantity multiple. REORDER_QTY Default reorder quantity. REORDER_LEVEL Safe stock level. MIN_LEVEL Minimum stock level. LEAD_TIME Lead time in days.
| Field Name | Description |
|---|---|
| PURCHASE_MULTIPLE | Purchase quantity multiple. |
| REORDER_QTY | Default reorder quantity. |
| REORDER_LEVEL | Safe stock level. |
| MIN_LEVEL | Minimum stock level. |
| LEAD_TIME | Lead time in days. |
Weights and Dimensions
These values can be used for warehousing, delivery calculations and handheld terminals.
Field Name Description AVERAGE_WEIGHT Average item weight. POSTAGE_WEIGHT Alternative shipping weight. HEIGHT Product height. WIDTH Product width. DEPTH Product depth. NET_WEIGHT Net weight used on customs documentation. Supports up to four decimal places.
Important: If you are using HHT devices, AVERAGE_WEIGHT, HEIGHT, WIDTH and DEPTH are mandatory.
These values can be used for warehousing, delivery calculations and handheld terminals.
| Field Name | Description |
|---|---|
| AVERAGE_WEIGHT | Average item weight. |
| POSTAGE_WEIGHT | Alternative shipping weight. |
| HEIGHT | Product height. |
| WIDTH | Product width. |
| DEPTH | Product depth. |
| NET_WEIGHT | Net weight used on customs documentation. Supports up to four decimal places. |
Important: If you are using HHT devices, AVERAGE_WEIGHT, HEIGHT, WIDTH and DEPTH are mandatory.
Images
Multiple images can be imported for a stock item.
Field Name Description IMAGE:FILE_NAME Image file path or URL. IMAGE:IMAGE_NAME Internal image reference. IMAGE:IMAGE_DESC Image description. IMAGE:SORT_ORDER Image display order.
Multiple images can be imported for a stock item.
| Field Name | Description |
|---|---|
| IMAGE:FILE_NAME | Image file path or URL. |
| IMAGE:IMAGE_NAME | Internal image reference. |
| IMAGE:IMAGE_DESC | Image description. |
| IMAGE:SORT_ORDER | Image display order. |
Barcodes
Field Name Description BARCODE:TYPE Barcode type, such as EAN13 or ASIN. BARCODE:BARCODE Barcode value.
| Field Name | Description |
|---|---|
| BARCODE:TYPE | Barcode type, such as EAN13 or ASIN. |
| BARCODE:BARCODE | Barcode value. |
User Defined Attributes (UDAs)
Field Name Description UDA:<NAME> Imports a user-defined attribute. Replace <NAME> with the actual UDA name.
If you are unsure how UDAs are configured in your system, contact Khaos Control Support before importing.
| Field Name | Description |
|---|---|
| UDA:<NAME> | Imports a user-defined attribute. Replace <NAME> with the actual UDA name. |
If you are unsure how UDAs are configured in your system, contact Khaos Control Support before importing.
Picking and EPOS
Field Name Description PICKING_LOCATION Picking location when Warehouse Control is not being used. EPOS_DESC Description shown on the EPOS quick stock entry button. REWARD_POINTS Reward points earned when purchasing the item.
| Field Name | Description |
|---|---|
| PICKING_LOCATION | Picking location when Warehouse Control is not being used. |
| EPOS_DESC | Description shown on the EPOS quick stock entry button. |
| REWARD_POINTS | Reward points earned when purchasing the item. |
SCS Fields
The following fields are only required when importing SCS stock items.
The following fields are only required when importing SCS stock items.
SCS Configuration
Field Name SCS_TEMPLATE SCS_DESC_TEMPLATE
For details of SCS configuration, see [ System Operations | Edit System Values | Stock | SCS ].
| Field Name |
|---|
| SCS_TEMPLATE |
| SCS_DESC_TEMPLATE |
For details of SCS configuration, see [ System Operations | Edit System Values | Stock | SCS ].
SCS Elements
Stock Codes
- SCS_SK1
- SCS_SK2
- SCS_SK3
- SCS_SK4
- SCS_SK1
- SCS_SK2
- SCS_SK3
- SCS_SK4
Descriptions
- SCS_DESC1
- SCS_DESC2
- SCS_DESC3
- SCS_DESC4
- SCS_DESC1
- SCS_DESC2
- SCS_DESC3
- SCS_DESC4
Captions
Captions define the variant type, such as Colour or Size.- SCS_CAPTION1
- SCS_CAPTION2
- SCS_CAPTION3
- SCS_CAPTION4
Captions define the variant type, such as Colour or Size.
- SCS_CAPTION1
- SCS_CAPTION2
- SCS_CAPTION3
- SCS_CAPTION4
Country of Origin, Intrastat and Customs Data
Country of Manufacture
Field Name Description COUNTRYMANUF_ID Country where the product was manufactured. This must exactly match an entry in [ System Data Countries ].
Examples include:
- United Kingdom
- France
- Italy
- China
| Field Name | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| COUNTRYMANUF_ID | Country where the product was manufactured. This must exactly match an entry in [ System Data | Countries ]. |
Examples include:
- United Kingdom
- France
- Italy
- China
Intrastat Commodity Codes
Field Name Description ICN:CNCODE_ID Intrastat code. ICN:SHORT_DESC Intrastat description. ICN:SUP_UNIT Supplementary unit description. SUP_UNIT_VALUE Quantity measured by the supplementary unit.
Supplementary Units must match the values configured within [ System Data | Intrastat ICN ].Examples include:- p/st (Number of Items)
- l (Litre)
- m (Metre)
| Field Name | Description |
|---|---|
| ICN:CNCODE_ID | Intrastat code. |
| ICN:SHORT_DESC | Intrastat description. |
| ICN:SUP_UNIT | Supplementary unit description. |
| SUP_UNIT_VALUE | Quantity measured by the supplementary unit. |
Supplementary Units must match the values configured within [ System Data | Intrastat ICN ].
Examples include:
- p/st (Number of Items)
- l (Litre)
- m (Metre)
Harmonisation Codes
Field Name Description HARMONISATION:CODE Harmonisation code. HARMONISATION:COUNTRY Country linked to the harmonisation code. HARMONISATION:ZONE Trading zone linked to the harmonisation code. HARMONISATION:DUTY Duty amount. HARMONISATION:SHORT_DESC Harmonisation description.
| Field Name | Description |
|---|---|
| HARMONISATION:CODE | Harmonisation code. |
| HARMONISATION:COUNTRY | Country linked to the harmonisation code. |
| HARMONISATION:ZONE | Trading zone linked to the harmonisation code. |
| HARMONISATION:DUTY | Duty amount. |
| HARMONISATION:SHORT_DESC | Harmonisation description. |
Harmonisation Rules
- Country and Zone cannot be used together.
- Values must exactly match those configured within Khaos Control.
- Country and Zone cannot be used together.
- Values must exactly match those configured within Khaos Control.
Linked Documents
You can import links to external files associated with stock items.
Field Name Description LinkedDocument:EXTERNAL_SHORT_DESC Description of the linked document. LinkedDocument:EXTERNAL_DATA File path or URL. LinkedDocument:EXTERNAL_SORT_ORDER Display order. LinkedDocument:EXPORT_ITEM Export via web services.
Boolean values must be entered as:
- -1 = Yes
- 0 = No
You can import links to external files associated with stock items.
| Field Name | Description |
|---|---|
| LinkedDocument:EXTERNAL_SHORT_DESC | Description of the linked document. |
| LinkedDocument:EXTERNAL_DATA | File path or URL. |
| LinkedDocument:EXTERNAL_SORT_ORDER | Display order. |
| LinkedDocument:EXPORT_ITEM | Export via web services. |
Boolean values must be entered as:
- -1 = Yes
- 0 = No
Additional Information
- Existing stock items are updated during import.
- New stock items are created automatically.
- Any field not included in the import file remains unchanged.
- Large imports should always be validated before being imported into a live system.
- For complex imports including SCS structures, eBay integrations, packs, bundles or move-with items, contact the Development team before importing.
- Existing stock items are updated during import.
- New stock items are created automatically.
- Any field not included in the import file remains unchanged.
- Large imports should always be validated before being imported into a live system.
- For complex imports including SCS structures, eBay integrations, packs, bundles or move-with items, contact the Development team before importing.