Import a spreadsheet
Bring in rows that were never documents — old ledgers, opening balances, supplier lists. Merchaint reads your column headings, works out which field each one belongs to, and shows you its answer before anything is created.
- A walkthrough video, then why spreadsheet import exists
- Where your file actually goes, and why nothing seems to happen at first
- The three import modes, and checking the mapping before you confirm
- Troubleshooting notes — including a count you can't always trust — then FAQ
01 · Video
Feature walkthrough
This walkthrough uses a CSV file — the only format checked end to end. If you're importing an XLSX file, the same steps should apply, but they haven't been verified.
02 · Why
Why do we have this?
Not everything starts as a document. Opening balances, a year of history, a supplier list from another system — these come as spreadsheets. And matching can't check against history you never loaded.
Why is it set up this way?
Real spreadsheets have short, inconsistent headings — Inv No, Net, Ccy. Merchaint guesses what each one means instead of making you rename your columns first.
It then shows you its guesses so you can fix them. That step isn't optional, because a wrong mapping you didn't notice costs far more to undo than a few seconds spent checking.
03 · Use cases
Matching can only pair up what it can see. Import last year's invoices and reconciliation has something to work with from day one.
Export it, import it, and lookups have real records to match against instead of loose text.
A statement exported to a spreadsheet is one document with many lines, not many documents. The import mode handles that.
Which import mode should I use?
| Mode | What it does | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Separate records | Each row becomes its own record | Every line is its own thing — one invoice per row |
| Group into documents | Rows sharing a value are grouped into one document | The file holds several documents, each across several rows |
| Single document | The whole file becomes one document, each row a line item | The file is one statement or order with many lines |
04 · How
- Open the module the data belongs in, choose
ImportthenImport new data, and pick your CSV file. - Go to Inbox. Your file is there, marked
Review Mapping. Click the row. - Check the mapping. Every column is shown next to the field it will fill. Fix anything wrong, and turn on
Skipfor columns you don't want.Show Samplesshows you real values from the file. - Pick your import mode, check the module named at the bottom, then press
Confirm Import.
05 · Expected result
The box shows your file, the schema it matched, and how confident it is — something like AP Invoice at 90% confidence. Every column you care about is paired with a field.
After you press Confirm Import, the Inbox row turns Ready and tells you how many records were made and where they went — something like 3 imported — AP Invoices. Those records are now in the module.
06 · Troubleshooting / notes
| What you see | Why | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing happened after picking the file | The mapping step is waiting in the inbox | Go to Inbox and click the Review Mapping row |
| A column went to the wrong field | The heading was ambiguous | Pick the right field from the dropdown |
| A column shouldn't be imported | Notes, internal references | Turn on Skip for that row |
| The count at the bottom looks wrong | See below | Confirm anyway, then check the inbox row |
07 · FAQ
Do my column names have to match Merchaint's field names?
No. Short forms like Inv No, Net and Ccy get matched to the right fields on their own. You check before anything is created.
Can I leave a column out?
Yes. Turn on Skip next to it.
Common questions
Spreadsheets take the same route as documents. Your file sits in Inbox until you finish the mapping step. Then the records appear in the module.