Importing product data allows a business to quickly populate its product catalogue in Qargo. This is highly beneficial for organisations that transport a defined list of items, as it streamlines the order creation process and ensures consistency in descriptions and units of measure. This article outlines the specific requirements, best practices, and common issues related to importing product data.
📖 Key Terminology
For clarity throughout this guide, the following terms are defined.
ADR: The European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road. This treaty governs the safe transport of dangerous goods across international borders, establishing regulations for their packaging, labelling, and documentation.
Product: A specific item or commodity that can be added to an order and transported.
Product Type: A high-level classification used to group products with shared characteristics, such as packaging or form factor. For example, a single Product Type like 'Box' can contain multiple individual products.
✅ Critical Import Requirements for Products
Prior to importing product data, the following requirements and warnings must be considered to ensure data integrity.
Code: Each product must have a unique Code. The import will fail if a duplicate Code is detected within the import file or if it already exists in the Qargo system.
Mandatory Fields: The Name of the product and Type are mandatory fields. An import will fail if either of these is left blank.
🛠️ Step-by-Step Data Import Process
Step 1: Download Template
A specific spreadsheet template is available to upload Product data:
📚 Always use a blank template downloaded directly from here or provided by the Qargo team. Re-using an old template may lead to import errors
Step 2: Fill in the Excel Template
Open the template and populate it with the required data. The template contains column headers that correspond to the fields in Qargo.
Required Fields: Make sure to fill out all the required fields (a comprehensive list of required fields can be found in the next section of this article). An import will fail if these fields are left blank.
Formatting: Close attention should be paid to the specified data format (e.g., dates, numbers, text).
Step 3: Submit for Upload
During Onboarding: Work directly with your onboarding manager to upload your initial business data. They will guide you through the process and ensure a successful import.
After Onboarding: For all future data updates and imports, contact your account manager. They will assist you with the upload process and provide ongoing support.
📝 Details of the Product Import Template
The following table provides a detailed, field-by-field explanation of the Excel template for product import, including data formats, required fields, and best practices for populating each column.
Column name | Required/optional | Remarks | Example |
name | Required | Product name displayed in Qargo | Aardappelen |
description | Optional |
|
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code | Optional |
|
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product_type_name | Required | Product type configured in Qargo. One product type can have multiple products. |
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adr_internal_code | Optional | ADR internal code assigned to the product. |
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adr_edition | Optional | Edition of the ADR regulations. |
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adr_class | Optional | ADR hazard class of the product. |
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un_number | Optional | United Nations (UN) number for the dangerous good. |
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packing_group | Optional |
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specific_gravity | Optional | Specific gravity of the product. |
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absolute_min_temperature | Optional | Lowest temperature the product can handle. |
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absolute_max_temperature | Optional | Highest temperature the product can handle. |
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loading_meters | Optional | Space the product occupies in loading meters. |
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pallet_spaces | Optional | Number of standard pallet spaces the product occupies. |
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actual_pickup_temperature | Optional | Actual temperature of the product at pickup. |
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actual_delivery_temperature | Optional | Actual temperature of the product at delivery. |
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custom_fields__example | Optional | To import custom field values. Remark: the format uses a double underscore ( |
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🔎 Troubleshooting Common Product Import Errors
This section addresses specific errors that may arise during the import of product data.
Duplicate Product Code: The most common error occurs when a Product Code in the template already exists in Qargo. Each Code must be unique.
Missing Mandatory Fields: The import will fail for any row where the Product Name or Type is left blank.
Sheet name: The sheet name in the Excel template file must be named exactly 'Import'. Any other name will cause an error when uploading the file.
Case-Sensitive Column Headers: Column headers must be entered with the correct casing (e.g.,
vat_number, notVAT_number). Using incorrect casing will cause the data in that column to be silently ignored and not imported, as the system will not recognise the header.Leading Apostrophe Errors: Data in a cell cannot begin with an apostrophe ('). If an apostrophe is used, the system will not recognise the value, and an error may occur. This rule is waived only if the article explicitly instructs that an apostrophe should be used for a specific field.
Custom Fields: The column name must follow the convention custom_field__[ID] (don't forget to keep the double underscore to connect the prefix custom_field to the unique field ID), with the specific ID retrieved from the Qargo organisation settings. Click the copy button next to the custom field to copy its ID:
✨ Best Practices for Importing Products
To ensure a smooth and accurate import, consider the following best practices.
Maintain Consistent Units: Using a standard and consistent set of units of measure for all products will ensure accuracy and avoid confusion during order creation.
Test with a Small Batch: It is recommended to test the import process with a small sample of 5-10 products first to verify that the data is formatted correctly before uploading a full catalogue.
➡️ What to Do Next
Once products have been successfully imported, they are available for use within the platform. The next logical step is to begin creating new orders and selecting these products from the catalogue.
📈 Use Cases for Product Import
Importing product data is an invaluable tool for several key business processes.
Populating the Catalogue: The primary use case is to populate an entire product catalogue in bulk, ensuring all commonly transported items are available in the system.
Simplified Order Creation: Having a pre-defined list of products allows dispatchers and sales teams to create orders more quickly and accurately by simply selecting from a list rather than manually entering product details each time.