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Bulk Upload Overview

Choosing the right bulk upload spreadsheet for what you want to accomplish.

Chris avatar
Written by Chris
Updated over a week ago

Bulk uploads are used for mass inventory updates, changes, or additions via a Google Sheets spreadsheet. It is helpful for initially setting up a large inventory or making large-scale changes to existing inventory.

This feature is included on Standard plans and above.

Learn more about our plans and upgrade here.

There are different options depending on what changes you'd like to make. In addition, check out our articles on tips and best practices, and troubleshooting (for when you run into any issues).

Use the links to jump to the section you want to learn about or continue scrolling:


Start a Bulk Upload

Any Bulk Upload can be started from the Bulk Uploads page, as shown here:

Go to Bulk Uploads, click "Start Bulk Upload," refine your desired results, select any mandatory criteria, and click "Generate Spreadsheet."

Bulk uploads can also be generated from other pages in Thrive. The Bulk Upload option is under the Action menu for any applicable tools.

Keep reading for most specific on what each spreadsheet entails:


Catalog

Create Products and Variants

Add new products and variants to your inventory. Choose to include categories, descriptions, SKUs, barcodes, active or inactive status, vendors, vendor SKUs, and quantities. Price, default cost, PAR Level, and Reorder Quantity can be set for the entire product or made location-specific.

Descriptions are product-level, but you can enter a description for each variant on the spreadsheet. Only the first description will be accepted and applied to the product (and the corresponding variants).

A limit of 10,000 rows can be added at a time. If you have more to add, simply submit the first 10,000 and generate another Create Products and Variants spreadsheet to input the rest.

Create Products with Attributes

Create new products with attributes in bulk. The result is a variant created for each attribute option combination entered on the spreadsheet. See example below:

  • NOTE: The Product Name must be filled out for each variant created (as shown in the first column).

Attributes functions and displays are slightly different than creating variants individually. To learn more, click here.

Available fields include product name, categories, description, attribute name, attribute option, SKU, barcode, price, default cost, active or inactive status, PAR level, reorder quantity, vendor assignment, and vendor SKUs. Location-specific fields are also available.

The attribute title columns could be "Size," "Color," "Flavor," or anything that helps you and your customers.

The attribute option is where you'd dig a bit deeper. For example, if "Size" was your attribute title, your options might be "Small" and "Large."

Here's an example of what multiple attributes could look like:

Attribute 1 Name

Attribute 1 Option

Attribute 2 Name

Attribute 2 Option

Size

Small

Color

Red

Size

Small

Color

Blue

Size

Small

Color

Green

Size

Large

Color

Red

Size

Large

Color

Blue

Size

Large

Color

Green

Submitting the above information would create a product with six variant options for the customer to choose from:

  • Small, Red

  • Small, Blue

  • Small, Green

  • Large, Red

  • Large, Blue

  • Large, Green

A limit of 10,000 rows can be added at a time. If you have more to add, simply submit the first 10,000 and generate another Create Products and Variants spreadsheet to input the rest.

Edit Products

Change existing product names, categories, descriptions (plain text only), shipping information, active (or inactive) status, enabled (or disabled) locations, and enabled (or disabled) integrations.

Remember, a product must be enabled at all selected locations to appear on this spreadsheet.

  • NOTE: If you modify a shipping value on this spreadsheet, the shipping toggle for the product will be automatically enabled.

Alter existing variant names, SKUs, barcodes, vendors, vendor SKUs, and quantities. Price, default cost, PAR level, and Reorder Quantity can be set for the entire product or made location-specific.

  • NOTE: You can enable or disable the Use Defaults toggle for each location. If location-specific data is added, the Use Defaults toggle will automatically be disabled.

Variant Names of attributes (created using the "Generate Variants" button or otherwise) cannot be edited on this spreadsheet and will be greyed out. To make edits to those variant names, you will need to edit them directly on the specific product page.

  • NOTE: An item must be enabled at all selected locations to appear on this spreadsheet.
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Edit Variants Default Price

Adjust or add default prices for your products and variants. Only the price field is editable on the spreadsheet.

If you have Use Defaults disabled for a location, this spreadsheet will not override the location-specific price, only the price found in the Variant and Defaults box, as shown here:

  • NOTE: To update Location-specific pricing, generate an Edit Variant spreadsheet and update the price column with the location name. The Use Defaults toggle will automatically be disabled.


Inventory

Receive Inventory Quantities

Enter newly received quantities and have them automatically added to existing totals. Any cost entered will be the lot cost for the products received.

Quantities received will be added to existing quantities. (For example, if I had 10 on the shelf and received 5 via this Bulk Upload option, my total is 15).

Fields can be left blank to skip receiving any quantities.

  • NOTE: An item must be enabled at all selected locations to appear on this spreadsheet.

Edit Inventory Quantities

Update quantities and location-specific default costs.

  • NOTE: An item must be enabled at all selected locations to appear on this spreadsheet. If location-specific default costs are added, then the Use Defaults toggle with automatically be disabled.


Integrations

Edit Sales Channel Prices

Edit existing variants' integration-specific prices. The spreadsheet will include all existing variants enabled at the integration(s) selected.

Edit Products for (Shopify or WooCommerce)

Edit product-level Shopify or WooCommerce-specific fields. Only enabled fields will appear on the spreadsheet.

Edit Variants for (Shopify or WooCommerce)

Edit variant-level Shopify or WooCommerce-specific fields. Only enabled fields will appear on the spreadsheet.


Purchase Orders

Create Purchase Orders

Create purchase orders for any location and one vendor. Only items 1) assigned to the vendor and 2) enabled for the selected location(s) will show up when the bulk spreadsheet is generated.

If multiple locations are selected, this will create a draft purchase order for each location selected.

Fields can be left blank to skip adding quantities to the created purchase orders.


Vendors

Create Vendors

Create vendors that can fulfill Purchase Orders at your locations. A vendor will be created and associated with your selected locations.

Once your vendor is created, assign products to it, as shown here.

Edit Vendors

Edit existing Vendor information, including Vendor Name, Address, Tags, Website, Phone Number, Contact Name, Contact Email, Contact Fax, Order Email, Order Fax, Average Fulfillment Days, and Average Shipping Days with this spreadsheet.

The Vendor must be enabled at all selected locations to appear on this spreadsheet.


Invoices

Create Customers

From the Customers tab, create customers in bulk to invoice for an easier overall process.

This bulk spreadsheet is exclusively for creating new customers. To edit an existing customer, click on the customer and make your edits there.


Things to Note:

  • As of Thursday, February 29th, 2024, you can no longer import outdated bulk upload spreadsheets into Thrive. An outdated spreadsheet is one generated over 120 days ago or on a previous version of bulk uploads.

  • If location-specific data is added in bulk, the Use Defaults toggle will automatically be disabled.

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