Importing Serials from Excel
When to Use Import
The serial import feature is useful when you need to add many serial numbers at once. Common scenarios include:
- Setting up serial tracking for existing inventory — You already have stock on hand and need to enter serial numbers for all current units
- Receiving a large shipment — A vendor delivers a large quantity and provides a list of serial numbers in a spreadsheet
- Migrating from another system — You are switching to AccuArk and have serial records exported from your previous software
Where to Find It
To import serials for an inventory item:
- Open the inventory item in AccuArk
- Navigate to the Serials tab
- Click the Import Serials button above the grid
The import dialog opens and prompts you to select an Excel file.
Excel File Format Requirements
Your Excel file must follow this column layout:
| Column | Field | Required |
|---|---|---|
| A | Serial Number | Yes |
| B | Condition Notes | No |
| C | Warranty Start Date | No |
| D | Warranty End Date | No |
Date format: Dates should be in standard Excel date format. AccuArk reads the underlying date value, so any standard Excel date formatting will work.
Step-by-Step Import Process
- Prepare your Excel file — Enter serial numbers in column A, starting from row 1. Add optional condition notes in column B and warranty dates in columns C and D.
- Click Import Serials — On the Serials tab of the inventory item, click the Import Serials button.
- Select your file — Browse to and select your prepared Excel file (.xlsx or .xls).
- Review the preview — AccuArk displays a preview showing the serial numbers that will be imported. Review the list to confirm accuracy.
- Confirm the import — Click Import to create the serial records.
What Happens During Import
Each row in the spreadsheet creates a new serial record with the following defaults:
- Status is set to In Stock
- Location is set to the item's primary location
- Date Received is set to the current date
- Condition Notes and Warranty Dates are populated from the spreadsheet if provided
Duplicate Handling
If a serial number in the spreadsheet already exists for this item, that row is skipped during import. The import summary shows how many serials were imported and how many were skipped as duplicates. Existing serial records are never overwritten by the import process.
Tips for a Successful Import
- No headers in row 1 — Start your serial numbers directly in cell A1. Do not include a header row.
- Plain text format — Format the Serial Number column as Text in Excel before entering data. This prevents Excel from auto-formatting serial numbers that look like numbers (removing leading zeros or converting to scientific notation).
- Clean spreadsheet — Use a new, clean spreadsheet with only the required columns. Remove any extra columns, formatting, or blank rows.
- One item at a time — Each import applies to the item you have open. To import serials for multiple items, repeat the process for each item.