If you are using import files to create a new database in Fishbowl Inventory, you might be overwhelmed by the number of import files and you might not know where to begin. We’ve listed the suggested order of imports below, with some tips, to help you get started on the right foot.
Suggested Order of Imports
Here’s a list, taken directly from the FishbowlInventory wiki page that gives a list of the order of imports:
- Units of Measure
- Unit of Measure Conversions
- Location Groups/Locations
- User/User Rights
- Payment Terms
- Carriers
- Custom Fields
- Vendors*
- Tax Rates
- Customers*
- Customer Group Relations
- Part Product And Vendor Pricing*
- Kit Items
- Default Locations
- Add Inventory*
- Bill of Materials*
- Product Tree Categories
- Product Tree
- Pricing Rules
- Sales Orders*
- Purchase Orders*
* This is essential data needed to utilize Fishbowl’s features.
The list above will help you set up a robust database that will unlock most of the features in Fishbowl. However, what if you just want to do the basics?
The Bare Essentials
If you are in a rush to get started with Fishbowl Inventory, you can upload your Vendors, Customers, Parts, and Products. That’s it. You can add all of the other stuff later to make the database more robust. This comes with a caveat, though. For example, if your Vendors or Customers have special payment terms, you will need to bring in those payment terms before uploading your Customers or Vendors.
The same thing goes with your Parts and Products list (see this blog post for more information about the difference between Parts and Products). If your Parts or Products use Units of Measure that don’t exist in the default list, you will need to add those Units of Measure first.
Here is a modified list that shows the basic information that you need to have in Fishbowl before being able to use the system:
Units of MeasureUnit of Measure ConversionsLocation Groups/LocationsUser/User RightsPayment TermsCarriersCustom Fields- Vendors*
Tax Rates- Customers*
Customer Group Relations- Part Product And Vendor Pricing* (You can also use the individual Part and Product imports, if this one is too big to chew)
Kit ItemsDefault LocationsAdd Inventory*Bill of Materials*Product Tree CategoriesProduct TreePricing RulesSales Orders*Purchase Orders*
Additional Imports
These imports, that aren’t covered in the list provided on the Fishbowl Inventory wiki page, can also be helpful:
- Associated Pricing
- Country And State
- Currency
- Customer Parts
- Discounts
- Product Pricing
- QuickBooks Class
- Reorder Levels
- Vendor Cost Rules
- Vendor Parts
Please leave a comment if you have questions or experience using import files that could help others who are beginning their journey.
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