Import your POS catalogue early and verify it at the till: Import a sample: plain item, two variants, a leading-zero SKU, one-location item.; Use Square's current Australian item template; don't change tokens or column order.; Check fresh carts: right variant, price and location; Shopify POS needs its sales channel.
Image: POS Tech Guide

System Selection

Part of POS implementation and training

Importing a product catalogue before opening day

Prepare a POS catalogue import, protect existing records, check a small sample and verify what staff can sell at the till.

Desk Systems · · 3 min read

Import the POS catalogue early enough to correct it and check it at the till. Approve the opening-day item list, map it to the provider’s current template, import a small sample, then verify the records and fresh carts before loading the rest.

Import sequence before opening day

  1. Approve the opening-day item list
  2. Map it to the provider's current template
  3. Import a small, awkward sample
  4. Verify the records and fresh carts
  5. Load the remaining approved items

Approve the first file

Give the file an owner and a cut-off. For each item staff will sell, record its name, variant, SKU or other internal identifier, selling unit, intended price, location and tax setting for review by the person responsible for tax records.

Keep the source export and approved import file so later changes can be traced. Decide separately whether historical or inactive products belong in the new POS.

Resolve duplicates against the business’s product records. Similar names may be different sizes; different names may describe the same item. Confirm which code and price belong to each variant before upload.

Map fields to the actual provider

Square’s Australian item template includes item and variation fields and tokens. Square says not to change existing items’ tokens when editing them.

Use the current template downloaded from Square Dashboard. Do not change the Token column, reorder columns or delete empty columns.

Shopify’s product CSV behaves differently. If the overwrite option is selected for matching handles, included fields replace existing values; a blank included non-required field can clear its value.

Including a dependent field such as SKU while omitting variant option fields can remove an existing variant option. For inventory quantities at multiple locations, Shopify directs merchants to its inventory CSV. Check the current field guide before either import.

Square item template vs Shopify product CSV

  • Square — Token columnDo not change existing items' tokens when editing them
  • Square — Template structureUse the template downloaded from Square Dashboard; do not reorder columns or delete empty columns
  • Shopify — Overwrite optionWith matching handles, included fields replace existing values; a blank included non-required field can clear its value
  • Shopify — Dependent fieldsIncluding SKU while omitting variant option fields can remove an existing variant option
  • Shopify — Multi-location stockInventory quantities at multiple locations are handled through the inventory CSV

Import an awkward sample

Include a plain item, two variants, a leading-zero SKU if used, and an item intended for only one location. Review Square’s import messages and recommended fixes. All spreadsheet errors must be resolved before items can be imported.

Compare each imported record with the approved file. Open a fresh cart on the intended till. Check that staff can find the item and see the right variant, price and location. For Shopify POS, the product must be available to the POS sales channel; a product in admin alone is not enough.

Check / Compare with the approved list

Identity
Item, variant, SKU and selling unit.
Visibility
Intended location and sales channel.
Checkout
Variant and price in a fresh cart.
Stock
Opening quantity against a separately approved count and import path.
Exceptions
Rejected rows or unintended changes, with an owner.

Sample import verification checklist

  • Identityitem, variant, SKU and selling unit
  • Visibilityintended location and sales channel
  • Checkoutvariant and price in a fresh cart
  • Stockopening quantity against a separately approved count and import path
  • Exceptionsrejected rows or unintended changes, with an owner

Finish the load

After correcting the sample, import the remaining approved items. Recheck products across categories and locations, including some that should be absent from a given till. If prices or stock change between file approval and opening, record those changes and recheck affected carts.

Tell staff which catalogue gaps remain and whom to contact. They should not create a near-duplicate or select a substitute merely because the intended item is hard to find. The handover check is whether the right sellable record appears at checkout.

More from System Selection