Importing Master Files from CSV

1 Where to find it

Open Tools → Import (CSV), choose the master file you want to load from the list (grouped by module, and showing only the masters in your own menu), then press Import CSV.

The same import is also on each master screen itself, as an Import CSV button in the toolbar next to New. Either way the masters covered are:

• Accounts — Chart of Accounts (accounts), Customers, Suppliers, Currency, and the simple masters (areas, salesmen, departments, payment terms…).
• Shipping, Liner, Cargo — Ship Customers, Vessels, Job Categories, Ports, Units and the other code lists.
• Inventory — Products (item header details: code, description, item type, category, units, accounts).
• The simple masters of Warehousing, Transport, Shipchandling, Marine, Payroll and Real Estate.

You need Add rights on a master to import new records into it, and Edit rights to update existing ones. On a master screen the button is hidden without them; on the Tools screen a warning says so.

2 Preparing the file

• Save the sheet as CSV (comma separated). The first row must hold the column headings.
• Use Download template in the import window for a file with every column the master takes, in the right order.
• Up to 5,000 rows per file. Split a larger list into several files.
• Columns you leave out are left blank on new records (or at their usual default, e.g. Active = Yes) and are not touched on records being updated.
• Yes/no columns take Y/N, Yes/No, 1/0 or True/False (or Active/Inactive). Dates take YYYY-MM-DD or DD/MM/YYYY.

3 Matching columns to fields

After you choose the file, Ritzy lists each of your columns with the field it will go into. Columns named like the field (Name, Currency Code…) are matched straight away; for the rest Ritzy’s AI suggests the most likely field.

• Change any match in the Import as drop-down, or clear it (skip this column) to leave a column out.
• Required fields that no column is matched to are listed in a warning — new records need them, so rows without them are reported as errors.

Existing records: skip or update

Choose what to do when a row is already in the master:

A row is “already there” when its code matches (for customers and suppliers the code first, then the name; for vessels and other name-only lists, the name, ignoring capitals).

4 Checking the rows

Check n rows runs the whole import as a trial — with every rule a normal save applies — and then throws it away. Nothing is saved yet. Each row gets a status:

New Update Skip Error

Errors explain what is wrong, for example:

• Name is required — a required column is blank.
• Same Code as row 3 — the file has the record twice.
• Currency “USX”: not found — a code that must already exist in its own list does not.

Warnings do not stop the row, e.g. Name cut to 40 characters. Use the Errors & warnings filter to see only the rows that need attention, fix them in the spreadsheet and choose the file again.

5 Importing and the result

Import n rows saves every good row in one transaction: either all of them are saved or, if the server stops part-way, none are. Rows with errors are simply left out; they never block the others.

The result lists each row as Added, Updated, Skipped or Error, with the code Ritzy gave it. Download report saves this list as a CSV so you can fix and re-import the failed rows.

6 Codes, lists and accounts

Lookup columns

A column that points to another list (currency, country, group, salesman, category, unit, tax code…) takes either the code or the name as shown in that list: USD or US Dollar, BH or Bahrain. If two entries share the name, use the code.

Chart of Accounts, customers and suppliers

• Give the Group (sub-group code or name). Customers must go in a receivable group and suppliers in a payable group.
• Leave the Code blank and Ritzy numbers the account the way the screen does. Where the group uses alphabetic codes, the first letter of the name is used (a warning says so); you can also give just the letter, or a full code.
• Updating cannot move an account to another group — do that on the screen.

Products

• Category and unit are required. Item Type takes Stock, Non-Stock, Kit or Assembled (Stock when blank) and cannot be changed by an update.
• Sales and purchase accounts default from Inventory Settings; a stock item is placed in the default location.
• Opening stock, prices, suppliers and components are entered on the product screen, not by the import.

7 Tips & FAQ

I don’t see the Import CSV button.

You need Add rights on that master. Ask your administrator to tick Add for the screen in User Manager.

Characters such as é or Arabic text come out wrong.

Save the file as CSV UTF-8 in Excel.

Excel dropped the leading zeros from my codes.

Format the code column as Text before typing or pasting, or the codes change before Ritzy sees them.

Can I undo an import?

Not in one step. Use Check first — it shows exactly what Import will do without saving anything.