Import Duplicate Record Options

Overview | Tips

This information is applicable to the duplicate records page of the Data Import Wizard. From the File menu, select Utilities Import.
Note: This topic may refer to data types not applicable to your Point of Sale installation. For example, Point of Sale Free users cannot import customer, vendor, or item quantity information and Basic users cannot import item pictures.

Before the import begins, you have the opportunity to specify how you want to handle potential duplicate records. If you are importing data for the first time as you set up Point of Sale, you probably don't want to allow a duplicate record to be imported. On the other hand, if you are importing to update your records, such as when importing from a vendor catalog with updated prices, you might want to allow the import to update at least some of the information for the existing items.

Each record type (inventory items, vendors and customers) allows you to specify which fields are used to identify duplicates and how you want to handle the import of those records. For example, inventory item duplicates can be identified by their UPC, Alternate Lookup, or Item numbers.

The available options are:

During import, what field should Point of Sale use to determine if a record already exists?

- Specify how duplicate records should be determined.

Choices vary by data type. For example, if importing items and you select UPC to identify duplicates, then when the UPC of an item being imported matches the UPC for an existing item, Point of Sale will detect it and handle it by whatever method you specify below.

What action should be taken when duplicate records are detected during import?

Select an action for when duplicate records are detected:

- Prompt me and let me decide With this option selected, the import will pause when a duplicate record is identified so that you can determine how to handle each instance.

- Keep existing data and discard import data With this option selected, the tool will NOT overwrite an existing Point of Sale record with the information from the import file. Such items are marked in the import log for your review later.

- Replace existing data with import data, ignoring blank fields With this option selected, blank fields in the import file will not overwrite fields in the current record that contain information. All fields in the import file that have an entry will overwrite the existing Point of Sale values. Point of Sale will generate adjustment memos as necessary, with a Source field entry of Import, if the overwritten data affects inventory valuation (quantity or cost values). Example

  You receive updated item cost information from a vendor. On the import file, you should enter only the required information to identify the item (department, and UPC, alternate lookup, or item number as selected above) and the new cost values that you want imported into Point of Sale. Leave all other fields blank and they will not be imported.

- Replace existing data with import data, including blank fields With this option selected, blank fields in the import file will overwrite fields in the current record that contain information (thus leaving the field blank). Point of Sale will generate adjustment memos as necessary, with a Source field entry of Import, if the overwritten data affects inventory valuation (quantity or cost values).

Warning: Be very careful with this choice. Ensure that any field you don't want blanked out has a value entered in the import file. Note:When importing items, this option is ignored for Item numbers.

(Item Import only) If an item has no department specified in the import file, what department should Point of Sale assign it to?

- Select one of your departments from the drop-down list. After the import is completed you can review and change the assigned department if necessary.