Warning: Importing Spares will overwrite everything in your Spares, not add to existing content. It's important to export all existing information and re-import it with the new data.
Note: It's a good idea to import 'ALL' as opposed to only 'Active' if you want to maintain the inactive parts in your site and L2L.
The Spares File Import feature is used by clients who are looking to sync the company accounting ERP system with the Leading2Lean Spare Parts module as well as those without an ERP that maintain their cost & quantities in Leading2Lean. This is done in lieu of software integration and involves the download of the ERP quantity data and an upload of that data to Leading2Lean.
When clicking on the spares file import button, you'll be given two options:
1. Import a New File. In most cases you are going to choose a new file to import. To do so, you'll need to click on the 'Choose File' button and browse your computer for the file you want to import.
2. Select an Existing File to Import. This option is rarely used, but is a good history of imports that have been done in the past.
After selecting your file, you'll click on the 'Next Step' button. Note: If you don't have a Spares File Import Template, please contact Support to receive one. You will need to follow the template accordingly for your file to import correctly.
On the next screen, you'll see the file you are importing as well as the top three rows to reference while filling out your Table Mapping Fields.
In Step 2, you'll see you can filter to certain rows or columns that you are importing. This is rarely, if ever used.
In Step 3, select the table to import the data to. This will be the Spares Full Sync.
In Step 4, you will need to map your fields to match your spreadsheet. Each Table Mapping Name should match the Column drop-down name. Sometimes you will have a Table Mapping that doesn't have a corresponding Column Header and does not need to be imported; you can empty string or null that column header and click the 'Do Not Import' box. Once all of your fields have been mapped, you should see a 'Do Import' button. Once clicked, a confirmation message with your site will pop up. Click okay.
Sample Table Mapping Fields:
Active | Active |
Additional Info | Info |
Cost | Cost |
Critical | Critical |
Date to Order | date_to_order |
Description | Description |
Flag for Refresh | Refresh |
Issuance Unit of Measure | unit_of_measure |
Manufacturer | Manufacturer |
Manufacturer Part Number | manufacturer_partnumber |
Minimum Stock Level | Minimum |
Obsolete | Obsolete |
Optimum Stock Level | Optimum |
Part Number | part_number |
Purchasing Unit of Measure | po_unit_of_measure |
Purchasing Units per | units_per_unit_of_measure |
Short Part Number | shortpartnumber |
Taxable | taxable |
Total on Hand* |
Total On Hand |
United Nations Standard Products & Services Code |
UNSPSC |
externalid | externalid |
part category | part_category |
Vendor Part Number | Vendor Part Number |
Vendor Name | Vendor |
Vendor Code | Null |
Vendor Account # | Null |
Vendor Phone | Null |
Vendor Fax | Null |
Vendor Address 1 | Null |
Vendor Address 2 | Null |
Vendor City | Null |
Vendor State | Null |
Vendor Zip | Null |
Vendor PO Box | Null |
Vendor Country | Null |
Vendor Web URL | Null |
Bin Location | Bin Location |
Quantity by Bin | Quantity by Bin |
Warehouse | Warehouse |
Unit of Measure Precision | Precision |
Purchasing Unit of Measure Precision | Precision |
External Master* | External Master |
Notice that some of the table mapping columns have been mapped to Null. If your spreadsheet doesn't contain the information, and it's not required for import, select Null or Empty String along with the 'Do Not Import' checkbox.
Null vs. Empty String for Spares file imports
When you are responsible for uploading spare parts, you must respect the powerful import tool you are working with. This is true whether you upload spares on a daily basis, or just when adding new parts or vendors, for example.
Before you read any further, STOP! Export all of your current spares before proceeding and then do so with caution. You do not want to be the person who single handedly wiped all the spare parts for your company off the face of the earth.
It is extremely important to be aware that the Table Mapping Fields need to be 'mapped' to corresponding column headers from your import file. (Like when you are asked to pick similar objects from different lists.)
A good rule of thumb is to choose 'Null' if the Table Mapping Field is looking for a numeric response and choose 'Empty String' if the response is a word or alphanumeric.
As a general best practice, never presume that any part of a spares load will ignore anything. Expect that everything can be overwritten and lost. Always prepare for a spares load by first exporting all current spares. Retain that file. Then edit that file as appropriate, while retaining the original. Load your edited file.
Multiple Bin Locations
When mapping parts with multiple bin locations, you will want to map the total on-hand quantity to the bin quantity on your spreadsheet. Not doing so will result in a display issue (double #) for your total on-hand quantity.
External Master
The External Master field is used to indicate which system is the master record for a Spare part. If set to True, a Spare part is managed by an external system, such as an ERP, MRO, or even Spreadsheet. If set to False, L2L is considered the master record for the Spare part. The import will default your Spare parts External Master to True if the field is not mapped or is null.
Most often, all Spares will have External Master set to either True or False. In some cases a plant may have a mix, where some Spares are managed from L2L only, and other Spares are managed externally. This is the reason for having the External Master setting on the part.
Some Spare reports only report on Spare parts where the External Master is set to False.
When performing a Spares Sync, the upload tool will remove all locations and vendors from all parts in the system if the location or vendor is not included in the uploaded file and the External Master field on the part is either True, Null, or not mapped.