Documentation
Validate inventory CSV before import
Validate product and stock CSV files before import — catch missing SKUs, bad quantities, and duplicate rows before they reach your ERP or store.
Importing inventory data without validation is risky. One bad row can block the entire upload, create duplicate products, or silently write wrong stock levels. Validating your CSV before import saves hours of cleanup in your live system.
What to validate before any inventory import
| Check | What goes wrong if skipped |
|---|---|
| Required fields | Rows rejected or products created without SKU/name |
| Numeric fields | Quantities, min, max, or price imports fail |
| Unique SKUs | Duplicate products or conflicting updates |
| Column mapping | Data lands in the wrong attribute |
| Row completeness | Partial rows pass visually but fail on import |
Validation should run on the full file, not a sample. Errors are often evenly scattered — row 47, row 1,203, row 4,891 — so spot-checking the first 50 rows is not enough.
Manual validation in Excel (limitations)
Teams often try to validate in Excel with filters, conditional formatting, and formulas. That works for small files but breaks down when:
- Files exceed a few thousand rows
- Multiple people edit different versions of the sheet
- Errors span several columns (SKU + quantity + store)
- You need a repeatable process every week from suppliers
Excel does not know your import rules. You build fragile formulas that still miss edge cases.
Validate with Import Ready
Import Ready validates your file against inventory import rules as soon as you upload and map columns.
Upload CSV or Excel
See Upload a file. Supported workflows include product catalogs, stock quantities, and min/max replenishment files.
Map columns correctly
Validation only works if headers map to the right fields. See Match columns. A common false "error" is mapping Stock to SKU — every row then looks broken.
Review errors and warnings
Validation issues separates:
- Errors — must fix before import
- Warnings — review; may indicate data you should change
The issues panel lists every problem. Jump directly to each cell from the list.
Fix at scale
Use edit rows for one-off fixes and bulk edit when the same correction applies to hundreds of rows — including rows not currently visible in the grid.
Save and export
Save changes so you can return later. Download a corrected Standard CSV or Shopify product CSV when validation passes.
Validation workflow (recommended)
- Receive supplier or store export (CSV/Excel)
- Upload to Import Ready and map columns
- Fix all errors; review warnings
- Save and download corrected file
- Import into Shopify, ERP, or hand off to operations
Tip: Treat validation as a gate — do not import into production until the error count is zero.
When to revalidate
Revalidate after:
- Bulk edits
- Deleting or adding rows
- Changing column mapping (requires re-upload in most cases)
- Merging data from a second supplier file
Import Ready re-runs validation when you save or apply bulk changes so you always see an up-to-date issue count.