Import your menu from a CSV or spreadsheet

What you’ll do: You will load your full menu in one go from a CSV or Excel file. Then you will check the result, add sizes as variations, and add photos so the online store looks right.

Before you start

• Finish the getting-started setup, including your location and tax settings.
• Have your current menu as a spreadsheet, or export it from your old system. See switching from another POS.
• Decide your categories, for example Starters, Mains, Desserts, Drinks.
• Keep the file small for the first try: ten rows is enough to test.

Steps

1. Create categories. Add your categories and sub-categories in the product settings first. For example, “Drinks” with sub-categories “Hot”, “Soft” and “Juice”. Items import into categories that already exist, so this step saves cleanup later.
2. Prepare the file. Put one menu item per row. Use these columns:
   • Name: as it should print on tickets and show online.
   • Category: spelled exactly like the category you created.
   • Price: the selling price.
   • Tax: the tax rate or tax group the item uses.
   • SKU: a short unique code. Use the sample template from the import screen if one is offered, and keep its column order.
3. Check prices and tax. Prices must be plain numbers: 12.50, not “$12.50” or “12,50 AED”. Tax names must match the tax rates in Settings. In the UAE, decide whether your prices include the 5% VAT before you import.
4. Upload the file. Open the product import, choose your file and start. Fix any rows the import reports as errors, then upload again. Rows with a SKU that already exists will not create duplicates.
5. Review the imported items. Open the product list. Check five items from different categories: name, category, price and tax. Ring one on the POS screen to see the total.
6. Add variations and photos. Edit items that come in sizes, such as half and full portions, and add each size as a variation with its own price. Add a photo to each item; photos appear on your online store.

Tips from the onboarding team

• Import a test file first. Ten rows tell you if the columns are right. Then import the rest.
• Write names for the kitchen. “Chk Biryani Lg” is hard to read. Use the full name; staff can see it in their own language on screen.
• One price per row. If an item has sizes, import the base item and add variations after.
• Keep your spreadsheet. It is your backup. Update it when prices change and re-import.
• Next, add modifiers. Spice level, cooking temperature and add-ons belong in modifier sets.

If something goes wrong

Problem	Fix
The import says a category was not found	Create the category first, or fix the spelling in the file so it matches exactly.
Prices came in as zero	Remove currency symbols, spaces and thousands separators from the price column.
Names show strange symbols	Save the file as CSV UTF-8 and import again.
Items have the wrong tax	Check the tax column matches a tax rate name in Settings, or edit the items in bulk.
Some items imported twice	Two rows had no SKU or different SKUs. Delete the duplicates and add SKUs to your file.

Related help

• Create modifier sets and forced choices
• Publish the online store built from your menu
• Taxes, currency and receipts in the US, UAE and Pakistan