Importing and Exporting Data

Introduction

Importing and exporting data plays a crucial role in maintaining organized and accessible catalog information. It enables seamless integration of spreadsheet data, ensuring accuracy and efficiency in managing product catalogs. Understanding these processes is essential for streamlining workflows and enhancing collaboration across teams.

Essentials for Spreadsheet Preparation

  •     Preparing Your Spreadsheet
  •     Part Number Column: Ensure a unique “Part Number” for each item.
  •     Avoid Duplicate Headers: Use distinct column headers to prevent confusion.
  •     Simplify Formatting: Advanced formatting is ignored; keep it straightforward.
  •     Single Sheet Import: OpenBOM imports data exclusively from the first sheet.
  •     Image Integration: Images tied to cells will be seamlessly imported.

 

  •     Updating an Existing Catalog
  •       Add New Items: Integrate new spreadsheet data into the catalog.
  •     Update Existing Items: Apply spreadsheet updates to existing catalog entries.
  • Ignore Missing Items: Maintain unchanged catalog entries not found in the     spreadsheet.

Import From Excel

OpenBOM provides two ways to import a catalog

  •       To create a new catalog from an import, use the Green “Create” button on the  dashboard.  To update an existing catalog, use the import icon while you are editing the Catalog.
  •       First, Navigate to Create and Select Import Catalog:

Access the option to import a catalog.

  •       Click on Import menu:

Initiate the import process.

Fig 1: Import Catalog from Create Menu

  •       Alternatively, go to the Catalog created in the “Importing and Exporting Data” and choose the import menu at the top right corner next to history.
  •       Import Catalog dialog box opens (From both methods):

The dialog box appears, offering import options.

  •       Choose the source of your catalog, either from Excel or Google Sheets.

In our example, we used Excel: Select the appropriate source for your catalog data.

Fig 2: Catalog in Excel

  •       Click “Import”:

Confirm the import action.

  •       On choosing the second method, you’ll encounter an “Attention! Imported data will append and update Catalog.”:

A notification about appending and updating existing data will appear.

  •       Click on “Ok Append and update existing data”:

Confirm the action to append and update existing data in the catalog.

Fig 3: Catalog Page Import Menu

  •       After confirming, you’ll see a notification stating ‘Catalog was imported successfully’.
  •       Final Imported catalog will be created as shown in the below image

Fig 4: Final imported catalog

Before importing data from Excel into OpenBOM, ensure all Part Numbers are correct. OpenBOM does not check Part Numbers during the import process, so accurate preparation of your data is essential for a smooth import experience.

Export Catalog

  •       Navigate to the catalog you wish to export:

Locate and select the catalog you want to export from.

  •       Click on the Export menu at the top right corner:

Access the export option by clicking on the “Export” menu located at the top right corner of the screen.

  •       Export options window opens up:

After clicking the export menu, a window will appear presenting export options.

Fig 5: Export catalog

  •       Select the details you want to export:

Choose the specific details or properties you want to include in the export.

  •       Choose the format of the exported document – Excel, CSV, and PDF:

Decide on the format in which you want the catalog to be exported. In this example, we will select PDF.

  •       In this example, we selected PDF:

Specify the desired format for the export.

  •       Click Export:

Confirm your selections and initiate the export process by clicking on the “Export” button.

Fig 6: Export catalog to PDF

Conclusion

Incorporating best practices for importing and exporting data empowers users to maintain accurate and up-to-date catalog information in OpenBOM. By adhering to these guidelines, you can effectively manage your product data, improve workflow efficiency, and foster collaboration within your organization.

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