Section description
Why do you need this tool?
If you work with supplier price lists, you know how important it is to have accurate communication between your product catalog And items in price lists This connection allows for automatic retrieval of prices, balances, and delivery terms to the required product cards.
Previously, such links had to be built manually, item by item. And if you're just switching to Elbuz from another accounting system where these links had already been built for years, re-importing them is time-consuming and frustrating.
The "Import Mappings from File" tool solves this problem in a couple of minutes. You simply export the accumulated links from your legacy system to a standard CSV file, upload it to Elbuz, and the program will automatically find the required products in the catalog, the required items in the price lists, and link them together.
What you will get in the end: All your manual comparisons will be saved in Elbuz, eliminating the need for routine input. The catalog will "know" which product corresponds to which price list item, and supplier prices will automatically be applied to your warehouse.
What tasks does the tool solve?
- Moving from the old system. Transferring previously collected connections in one file.
- Mass filling. Hundreds and thousands of comparisons are loaded in one pass.
- Saving time. There is no need to manually search for each product and each price list item.
- Transparency. After loading, you receive a clear report: what was connected and what requires attention.
How it works in simple terms
Each line of your file is one mapping, that is, a pair: "product from my catalog" ↔ "item from the supplier's price list" To connect them, the program needs to understand what specific products are being discussed.
- Finds a product in your catalog — by unique code (UUID) or by article number with name.
- Determines the supplier - by his name or address (this is optional, more on that below).
- Binds the price position — by article number and/or product name from the price list.
- Creates a connection in the system and shows the result in the report.
The best part: the connection works even if the supplier's price list hasn't been uploaded yet. Once you upload the price list, the required items will automatically be "picked up" using the created mapping.
File preparation: CSV format
The file must be in the format CSV (a regular table where columns are separated by a symbol—a semicolon, a comma, or a tab). Almost any accounting system, as well as Excel and Google Sheets, can export this file.
It is recommended to specify in the first line of the file column headings — then Elbuz will attempt to automatically sort the columns into the required fields. The column order and names can be any; you can always adjust the alignment manually during the loading step.
Description of file fields
Below are all the fields the tool understands. You don't have to fill them all out—whatever you have is sufficient. The key is to meet the minimum requirements (see the notes below the table).
| Field | What is this | Mandatory | Recommendation for filling |
|---|---|---|---|
| UUID of the BC product | Unique internal code of a product in your catalog. | Desirable | The most reliable way to find a product. If it's available in the old system, be sure to use it. |
| Manufacturer's article number BC | The article number (MPN) of the product in your catalog. | Alternative to UUID | Used if UUID is not available. Best specified with the name. |
| Product code BK | The internal SKU of a product in your catalog. | Alternative to UUID | A fallback search option if there is neither a UUID nor a manufacturer's part number. |
| Product name BC | The name of the product as it appears in your catalog. | Desirable | Improves the accuracy of product searches by item number. Prevents errors when duplicate items are found in the catalog. |
| Supplier (name/address) | Name or address of supplier. | Not necessarily | If specified, the association will be tied to a specific supplier. If left blank, the association will become "global." |
| Manufacturer's part number (price list) | The product article number as it is indicated in the supplier’s price list. | At least one of the price fields | Participates in price list item search. Specify exactly as it appears in the price list. |
| Supplier's article number (price list) | Supplier SKU (stock keeping unit). | Not necessarily | Stored in the comparison as additional information. |
| Name (price) | The name of the item as it is indicated in the price list. | At least one of the price fields | Please indicate the price exactly as it appears in the price list - this will ensure correct communication. |
Minimum line requirements:
- There must be a way to find catalog item: either UUID, or article (manufacturer or internal).
- There must be a way to identify price list position: manufacturer's article number and/or Name from the price list.
Step-by-step instructions
The entire process takes a few minutes and consists of three simple steps: file upload → column matching check → import.
Step 1: Open the Import Window
- Go to the window comparison of product prices.
.png "Importing product comparisons from a file")
- Click the button Import Mappings from File (icon with an arrow pointing up, next to the upload button).
.png "Importing product comparisons from a file")
Step 2: Select a file and set parameters
- Click Select File and specify your CSV.
- If necessary, adjust the parsing parameters (separator, encoding, presence of header—see the section below). In most cases, the program detects them automatically.
- Click Download and check.
.png "Importing product comparisons from a file")
After this a block will appear column mappings and the table preview — the first lines of your file. This will ensure that the file was read correctly.
Step 3: Check the column alignment
For each field, Elbuz will display a drop-down list of columns in your file. If the file had headers, the program will automatically insert the appropriate columns—all you have to do is check them and adjust them if necessary.
Advice: Check the preview table. If the "Name (price list)" column actually displays the names from the price list, everything is configured correctly.
Step 4: Run the import
- Click the button "Import".
- Wait until processing is complete.
- Check out report - it will show how many connections have been created and how many lines require attention.
.png "Importing product comparisons from a file")
Step 5: Parse the missing lines (optional)
If any lines could not be matched, click Download unpaved lines You'll receive a CSV file with these lines and the reason for the error—it's easy to edit and re-upload.
Description of download settings fields
| Setting up | Purpose | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Separator | The character that separates columns in the file: semicolon, comma, or tab. | Usually detected automatically. If the preview is off, select the correct symbol manually. |
| Encoding | Text encoding in the file: UTF-8 or Windows-1251. | If the preview shows "krakozyabry" instead of Russian letters, switch the encoding to Windows-1251. |
| The first line is the title | Specifies that the top line of the file contains column names rather than data. | Leave this enabled if your file has a header row - this will enable automatic column mapping. |
| Column mapping | Links file columns with system fields (UUID, articles, supplier, price list data). | Check the automatic completion. Leave blank fields set to "— not selected —". |
How the program finds products: matching logic
To ensure accurate connections, Elbuz uses cascade search Catalog product listings—from the strictest rule to a simpler one. This prevents errors when duplicate SKUs appear in the catalog.
Search for a product in the catalog (in order)
- By UUID — the most accurate method.
- By manufacturer's article number + name.
- By internal article number + name.
- By manufacturer's article number (if there is only one match).
- By internal article number (if there is only one match).
Each subsequent step applies only to rows for which a product has not yet been found. If several matching products are found at a given step, the row is marked as ambiguous - so as not to create an incorrect connection.
Supplier Definition
The supplier is searched by name and then by address. If the supplier is not found or the column is empty, this is not an error: the mapping will be saved as global (without being tied to a specific supplier) and will work for all price lists with this position.
Linking a price list item
A price list item is identified by the manufacturer's part number and the price list name. Therefore, it's important that these values match those in the supplier's price list.
Import Results Report
After loading, you'll see a summary of the categories. Here's what each one means:
| Category | What does it mean? | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Total lines | How many lines of data were in the file. | — |
| Imported | Mappings created successfully. | No problem, everything is great! |
| Missed (duplicates) | Such a connection already exists in the system. | This is normal - nothing is created again. |
| BC product not found | No product matching the specified data was found in the catalogue. | Check the UUID/article to make sure the product is in the catalog. |
| The BK product is ambiguous | Several products met the condition. | Please add a name or UUID to the line to refine your selection. |
| No price data available for comparison. | Neither the article number nor the name from the price list are filled in this line. | Please fill in at least one of the price list fields. |
Sample file
Below is an example of a simple semicolon-delimited CSV file with a header row. Each row represents one match.
product_uuid;mpn;sku;name_bk;contractor;stipp_mpn;stipp_sku;stipp_name
90d9878f-d001-11ee-876a-...;;;;OOO Supplier;VP-350;3517113;ATX 350W Power Supply VP-350
;Control Inpulse 500;;Hercules Control Inpulse 500 DJ Controller;;RGB-1300;3727389;ATX 1300W RGB-1300 Power Supply
;;13311;;OOO Supplier;CDJ-350;55012;DJ-player Pioneer CDJ-350
- First line Searches for a product by UUID, the supplier is specified.
- Second line Searches for a product by manufacturer's part number and name; if the supplier is not specified, the connection will be global.
- Third line searches for a product by internal article number.
Recommendations for filling out
- Use UUID if available. This is the most reliable way to find a product without errors.
- Add the name of the BC product. Together with the article number, it dramatically increases accuracy and saves when there are identical articles in the catalogue.
- Please provide price details accurately. The article number and name from the price list must match how the supplier sends them in the price list.
- Don't be afraid to leave the supplier blank. Global mappings are a convenient way to describe a relationship for all suppliers with the same position at once.
- Check the preview. This is the best insurance against incorrect separator or encoding.
- Work in iterations. Upload → view report → download failed rows → correct → upload again. Re-uploading is safe: no duplicates are created.
Frequently asked questions
Is it possible to download a file multiple times?
Yes. Existing connections will be marked as duplicates and will not be recreated. This is convenient for uploading corrected rows.
What happens if the supplier's price list hasn't been uploaded yet?
The mapping will still be created. When you later upload the price list, the required items will automatically be linked to the products in this mapping.
Do I need to select a supplier in the window?
No. The supplier is determined from the file itself using the column containing its name or address. If the supplier is not specified, the mapping will be global.
The preview shows strange symbols instead of Russian letters – what should I do?
Switch encoding to Windows-1251 and download the file again.
Why are some products "not found"?
Most often, the cause is that the product isn't yet in the catalog, or the file contains an invalid UUID/SKU. Download the missing rows, check the data, and upload again.
Result
Importing mappings from a file turns the laborious process of transferring links into a quick and straightforward procedure. Prepare a CSV file, check the column matches, click "Import," and your catalog will be linked to supplier price lists automatically. A clear report will always show you what went perfectly and what needs some adjustments.
Less routine - more time for business development.