Prerequisites
Before starting an import, confirm the source file and related setup are ready. This helps you resolve mapping and validation issues before any records are imported.- Know which record type you are importing, such as bank accounts, customers, vendors, items, or journal entries.
- Prepare a CSV or XLSX file with a header row and one record per row.
- Confirm your role includes permission to perform bulk imports.
- For chart-of-accounts-related imports, make sure your chart of accounts is configured first.
- Make sure referenced records already exist when your file depends on them, such as GL accounts, companies, currencies, classifications, or allowed custom field values.
- For bills, invoices, and other transactions that carry VAT or GST, make sure the rates and nexuses exist in Tax Setup. Bulk Import calculates the tax from the rate each line references. See How VAT and GST Work in Bulk Import.
Step 1: Open bulk imports
From the main navigation, open Workflows and choose Bulk Imports. The Bulk Imports page shows prior imports and lets you start another file import.Step 2: Start an import and choose a record type
Choose New Import, then choose the record type you want to load. The record type determines which fields are available in the mapper, which fields are required, and how matching records are identified during import. Examples of available fields include:- Core fields for the selected record type, such as name, company, currency, GL account, or opening balance
- Classifications that apply to that record type
- Custom fields configured for that record type in your organization
Multi-line record types
Some record types, such as journal entries, are made up of a header plus two or more lines. For these, Bulk Import loads the full record, not just a header total. For journal entries, the import creates full entries with individual debit and credit lines. The same balancing rule applies as in the UI: total debits must equal total credits before an entry can post. Choose Download import guide to see the exact columns for header and per-line fields, and how they group multiple lines into one entry. Customer payments work the same way. Rows that share a Customer Payment Id become one payment, with one row for each invoice the payment applies to. To pay those invoices with a credit memo instead of cash, add a Customer Credit Id. See Apply credit memos to invoices in bulk.Step 3: Upload a CSV or XLSX file
Upload your file in the import wizard. Bulk Import reads the file and prepares a preview before any records are imported. For XLSX files, Bulk Import reads the first sheet by default. If the workbook has multiple sheets, choose the sheet you want to import. For CSV files, Bulk Import detects the encoding and the delimiter, including commas, semicolons, and tabs. If your file does not use DualEntry’s column names, choose Download template for the record type and paste your data under its headers. The template’s columns map automatically and show which fields are required before you upload. Files can be up to 256 MB, with a maximum of 1,000,000 rows and 2,048 columns.Step 4: Map your columns
Use the field mapper to connect each source column in your file to the matching destination field. The preview shows the parsed file on one side and the mapping controls on the other. In the mapper, you can:- Map source columns to accepted fields for the selected record type.
- Add optional fields that are available for that record type.
- Remove optional fields you do not need.
- Map classifications and custom fields.
Step 5: Review validation issues
Bulk Import validates rows while you map the file and again when you confirm the import. Rows with validation errors are not imported. Issues can include:
Validation messages include the source row number so you can find the affected row in your original file. Row numbers count from the header row, so the first data row is one higher.
For the full list of messages, with the cause and the fix for each, see Bulk Import Errors.