Import your supplier list from a spreadsheet (CSV)
In short
To add your whole supplier or contractor list at once, save it as a CSV file and import it. On Suppliers, choose Import CSV and select a UTF-8 CSV file of up to 5 MB and 5,000 rows. Map its columns to Vendarity's fields, choose whether matching external IDs update existing suppliers, then choose Preview import. Check the rows to create, update and correct, tick the confirmation and choose Confirm import. Nothing changes until you confirm, and no one is emailed.
Importing brings your existing supplier list, such as a spreadsheet export, into Vendarity in one step. Vendarity checks every row first and shows you exactly what will change.
How do I prepare the file?
Save the spreadsheet as a CSV file in UTF-8, with one row per supplier and a header row. A file can be up to 5 MB and 5,000 rows; split a larger list into several files. Only the legal name is required. Header names that match the column names below are mapped for you.
| Header | Vendarity field | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| name | Legal name | Required |
| trading_name | Trading name | Optional |
| external_id | External ID | Your own code for the supplier; used to match updates |
| category | Category | Components, Raw materials, Packaging, Services, Contractors, Facilities, Equipment or Other |
| country | Country code | Two letters, such as US or AU |
| risk | Risk level | Standard, Elevated or Critical |
| abn | ABN | A business identifier; an ABN is checked for format |
| site | Site | The site you buy from |
| contact_name, email, phone | Primary contact name, email and phone | Phone in international format, such as +61412345678 |
| email_permission_source, email_permission_at | Reason you can email this contact, and when it was recorded | Only when your records say why and when, with a time-zone offset |
How do I import the file?
Open the import
On Suppliers, choose Import CSV. The dialog Bring your supplier register opens. Choose your file.
Map your columns
Under Map your columns, pick the header in your file for each Vendarity field, or leave it Not mapped. Unmapped fields stay unchanged on updates. New suppliers default to Other, your workspace country and Standard risk when those cells are blank.
Choose an owner and how to treat existing IDs
Pick the Owner for new suppliers. Under Existing external IDs, choose Report as errors · create only, or Update matching external IDs to update suppliers you already have. Updates keep each supplier's current owner.
Preview the import
Choose Preview import. Vendarity checks the file and shows how many rows are To create, To update and Need correction, with each row's changes and notices.
Fix any errors
Rows with errors stop the import. Choose Download error rows to get those rows with their line number and the reason, correct them in your file, then choose Back to mapping and preview again.
Confirm
Tick the box that states how many suppliers will be created and updated, then choose Confirm import. Vendarity rechecks the preview before it writes anything.
What does Vendarity check?
- Matching is by exact external ID only. Similar legal names are flagged as possible duplicates and never merged automatically.
- An external ID that appears twice in the file, or already exists while you chose create only, is an error.
- An archived supplier cannot be updated by import. Reactivate it first.
- An email address that belongs to another active contact is an error.
- If the new suppliers would go over your plan's supplier limit, the preview says how many places remain.
- New suppliers, and suppliers the import moves to another category, get the requirements your rules for that category assign. The result says how many were added. See Assign requirements to suppliers.
What about the reason you can email each contact?
Map these two columns only when your file records why you can email each contact and when, with a time and time-zone offset such as 2026-09-01T09:00:00+10:00. Blank cells leave a contact's recorded reason unchanged. An import can't resume email that a contact paused, and it can't move a reason to a changed email address.
Note: Importing sends no invitations or messages. Changing a contact's email address in an import ends that contact's existing links and stops queued reminders.
Common questions
- My spreadsheet is in Excel. Can I import it directly?
- Save it as a CSV file in UTF-8 first. The import reads CSV files only, and refuses a file that is not UTF-8 with a message asking you to save it as UTF-8 CSV.
- Will importing the same file twice create duplicates?
- Not if your rows have external IDs and you choose Update matching external IDs. Rows without an external ID are created as new suppliers, and similar names are flagged in the preview.
- Can I undo an import?
- There is no undo, so check the preview first. You can archive suppliers you added by mistake, or merge a duplicate into the record you keep.
Related articles
Still stuck?Contact support with what you were doing and what happened.
Contact support