Helm Imports and Exports Guide

Managing imports and exports in Helm allows you to maintain control over your inventory, inventory location, orders, purchase orders, and contact records with efficiency and precision.

Last updated 4 months ago

Imports and Exports

This functionality is indispensable during initial setup, large-scale updates, or when migrating data from another system.

While the process is broadly uniform across Import Type, the Import and Export features remain the most expansive, affording numerous configuration options.

When and Why to Use Imports

Imports are particularly valuable in the following scenarios:

Initial setup – bulk upload product data, suppliers, or existing customer records.
Data migration – transfer records from a previous warehouse management system.
Bulk updates – revise SKUs, prices, barcodes, or stock levels at scale.
Ongoing maintenance – update supplier relationships, packaging details, or category assignments.

General Import Process in Helm

All imports follow the same overarching workflow:

Obtain the Template – download the relevant CSV template from the Imports/Exports page.
Prepare Your Data – remove notes or colour coding, populate mandatory and optional fields as required, and save the file as CSV.
Navigate to the Import Type – for example:
- Imports/Exports → Orders → Orders Import
- Imports/Exports → Inventory → Inventory Import
- Imports/Exports → Purchase Orders → Purchase Order Import
- Imports/Exports → Contacts → Contact Import
Upload Your File – select the appropriate import type and process your CSV.
Map Your Fields – use Helm’s mapping tool to align CSV headers with system fields. Fields that already match system defaults will map automatically.
Validate and Submit – review mappings carefully, then click Submit Mapped Data to finalise the import.

Optional refinements include tagging your import for traceability and saving your mapping configuration for reuse.

Inventory Imports in Detail

Because inventory is the foundation of operational accuracy, Helm offers multiple specialised import types.

General Inventory Import

This is the most common form of import, used to create or update product records.

Field Reference

Compulsory	Header	Description	Example
YES	Name	Product name.	Product 1
NO	SKU	Unique product identifier (Stock Keeping Unit).	ABC-123
YES	Type	(1: Inventory, 2: Component, 3: Group). Defines whether the entry is a stock item, component, or group.	2
NO	Batching Type	(0: No Batching, 2: Batch Numbers).	0
NO	Serial Numbered	(0: No, 1: Yes). If “Yes”, batching is disabled.	1
NO	Image URL	Web link to the product image.	https://host/pic.jpg
NO	Description	Detailed product description.	A detailed note.
NO	Cost Price	Item cost.	19.99
NO	Sync Stock	(0: No, 1: Yes). Determines whether stock is synchronised with sales channels.	1
NO	Unit Price	Selling price per unit.	49.50
NO	Item Barcode (1–5)	One or more barcodes for the item.	0123456789123
NO	Product Weight (Kg)	Weight in kilograms.	4.5
NO	Product Height (cm)	Height in centimetres.	25
NO	Product Width (cm)	Width in centimetres.	20.5
NO	Product Length (cm)	Length in centimetres.	5.2
NO	HS Code	Harmonised System code for customs.	8543400000
NO	Country of Origin	Two-letter ISO code.	GB
NO	Customs Description	Short customs description.	Short desc.
NO	Inventory ID	Unique identifier within Helm.	00001
NO	Dynamic Components Type	(1: Enabled, 0: Disabled).	0
NO	Include Assembly Stock Level	(1: Enabled, 0: Disabled).	0
NO	Service Option	Additional service notes/options.	Repair Warranty
NO	Fabric Content	Materials used in the product.	100% Cotton
NO	Global Stock Warning Level	Low stock threshold for alerts.	20
NO	Drop Shipping Type	(1: Enabled, 0: Disabled).	0
NO	Default VAT Rate Percentage	VAT rate (0, 5, 10, 17.5, 20, 100).	17.5
NO	Inventory Archive Status	(1: Enabled, 0: Disabled). Determines if archived.	0

Compulsory Fields: SKU and Name.
Optional Fields: barcodes, cost/price, VAT rate, dimensions, country of origin, HS code, batching and serialisation options, dynamic components, drop shipping configuration, archive status, and many more.

👉 Practical Tip: Helm provides a populated sample file with five example SKUs. Importing this file is an excellent way to familiarise yourself with the system before handling your live data.

Step-based (General Inventory Import):

Navigate to Imports/Exports.
Select Import Type → General Inventory.
Upload your CSV and click Upload and Process File.
Map CSV fields to Helm fields.
Verify mappings, then click Submit Mapped Data.
Monitor progress until the message All chunks are processed appears.
Review imported items in your inventory catalogue.

Move Stock Location Import

Transfers product stock between warehouse locations.

Field Reference

Compulsory	Header	Description	Example
YES	SKU	SKU of the product to be moved.	SKU-123
YES	Source Location ID	ID of the current location (see Warehouse > Locations).	5
YES	Target Location ID	ID of the new destination location.	2
YES	Quantity	Number of items to move.	20
NO	Notes	Optional remarks.	Shelf re-arranged

Compulsory Fields: SKU, Source Location ID, Target Location ID, Quantity.
Optional: Notes.

Steps:

Download the template for Move Stock Location.
Complete SKU, source location, target location, and quantity.
Save as CSV.
Upload under Inventory > Imports/Exports.
Map fields and click Submit Mapped Data.

Relationship Import

Defines groupings and product relationships (e.g. kits, bundles, assemblies).

Field Reference

Compulsory	Header	Description	Example
YES	Primary SKU	Group SKU.	FSX-3050
YES	Required Quantity	Quantity of the secondary SKU within the group.	20
YES	Secondary SKU	SKU of the linked inventory item.	0001
YES	Packing Option	(1: Assembled, 0: Ship as is).	0

Compulsory Fields: Primary SKU, Secondary SKU, Required Quantity, Packing Option.

Steps:

Populate the Relationship template with primary SKU, secondary SKU, and required quantity.
Upload under Inventory > Imports/Exports → Relationships.
Map and submit.

Inventory Categories Import

Assigns SKUs to predefined categories.

Field Reference

Compulsory	Header	Description	Example
YES	Inventory SKU	SKU of the product.	SKU-123
YES	Category Name	Must match an existing category in the system.	Electronics > Tablets

Compulsory Fields: SKU, Category Name.

⚠ Categories must already exist in Settings → Inventory Categories prior to import.

Steps:

Ensure categories are created under Settings > Inventory Categories.
Populate the template with SKU and Category Name.
Upload under Imports/Exports → Inventory Categories.
Map and submit.

Stock Levels Import

Updates stock-on-hand per SKU and location.

Field Reference

Compulsory	Header	Description	Example
YES	SKU	SKU of product.	SKU-123
YES	Location ID	Location identifier.	4
NO	Stock Level On Hand	Quantity available at the location.	20
NO	Location Stock Warn Level	Minimum threshold before alert.	10
NO	Location Max Stock Level	Maximum allowed before overstocking.	50
NO	Priority	Optional priority level.	1

Compulsory Fields: SKU, Location ID.
Optional: Stock Level On Hand, Warning Level, Max Stock Level, Priority.

Steps:

Download the Stock Levels template.
Populate SKU, Location ID, and stock levels.
Upload, map, and submit.

Supplier Relationships Import

Links SKUs to suppliers.

Field Reference

Compulsory	Header	Description	Example
YES	Email	Supplier’s email address.	supplier@email.com
YES	SKU	Product SKU linked to supplier.	SKU-123
YES	Primary Supplier	(1: Yes, 0: No).	1
NO	Supplier Reference	Supplier’s internal reference.	SUP-2436
NO	Minimum Order Quantity	MOQ for this supplier.	10
NO	Cost Price	Cost price from supplier.	49.99
NO	Active	(1: Yes, 0: No).	1

Compulsory Fields: Supplier Email, SKU, Primary Supplier flag.
Optional: Supplier Reference, MOQ, Cost Price, Active flag.

⚠ Suppliers must already exist in Contacts before importing.

Steps:

Confirm supplier exists under Contacts.
Populate the Supplier Relationships template.
Upload, map, and submit.

Packaging Configurations Import

Overrides product packaging details at the SKU level.

Field Reference

Compulsory	Header	Description	Example
NO	SKU	SKU (optional reference).	SKU-Demo1
YES	Type	(1: PCS, 2: Inner, 3: Outer, 4: Carton, 5: Box, 6: Pallet, 7: Crate, 8: Container).	1
YES	Quantity	Number of packages of this type.	2
YES	Weight	Override weight (kg).	5
YES	Height	Override height (cm).	50
YES	Width	Override width (cm).	30
YES	Length	Override length (cm).	20

Compulsory Fields: Packaging Type, Quantity, Weight, Height, Width, Length.
Optional: SKU.

Steps:

Download Packaging Configurations template.
Fill in SKU (optional) and package details.
Upload, map, and submit.

Batching Numbers Import

Creates batch records with expiry dates, ideal for perishable goods.

Field Reference

Compulsory	Header	Description	Example
YES	SKU	Unique product identifier.	Demo-SKU-1
YES	Location ID	Location identifier.	Location-04
YES	Location Name	Human-readable location name.	Aisle-5
YES	Batch Number	Identifier for the batch.	Batch-2
YES	On Hand	Quantity in this batch.	20
YES	Expiry Date	Expiry date (YYYY-MM-DD).	2023-07-27

Compulsory Fields: SKU, Location ID, Location Name, Batch Number, Quantity on Hand, Expiry Date.

Helm automatically enforces FIFO (First-In, First-Out) during order despatch.

Steps:

Prepare batch data in template format.
Upload to Imports/Exports → Batching Numbers.
Map and submit.

Order Imports

The import process mirrors inventory but requires fewer mandatory fields.

Compulsory Fields: minimal (e.g. Order Reference).
Recommended: shipping address, order value, customer name, additional shipment data.

You may also assign a Target Sales Channel, add a Tag for traceability, and save your mapping.

Steps

Download the appropriate template (Orders, Purchase Orders, or Contacts).
Populate with required details (minimal compulsory fields).
Upload and process.
Map manually if headers differ.
Optionally tag or save mapping.
Submit.

Purchase Order Imports

Almost identical to Order Imports.

Download and populate the template.
Upload, map, tag if necessary, and submit.

Steps

Download the appropriate template (Orders, Purchase Orders, or Contacts).
Populate with required details (minimal compulsory fields).
Upload and process.
Map manually if headers differ.
Optionally tag or save mapping.
Submit.

Contact Imports

Imports suppliers, customers, or other business contacts.

Download the template.
Populate, upload, map, and process.
Optionally, tag or save mappings.

Steps

Download the appropriate template (Orders, Purchase Orders, or Contacts).
Populate with required details (minimal compulsory fields).
Upload and process.
Map manually if headers differ.
Optionally tag or save mapping.
Submit.

Inventory Location Imports and Exports

Navigating to the Inventory Location Import/Export Page

Click the Settings icon on the left-hand side of the screen.
Select Inventory Locations.
On the page that opens, click the Imports/Exports button.

This brings you to the dedicated area where you can configure, bulk-update, or back up your warehouse location data.

Step-based (Importing Inventory Locations):

Importing Inventory Locations

The Inventory Location import functionality enables you to configure and maintain your storage areas in bulk, saving time compared to manual edits. You may:

Create new warehouse zones or shelves.
Reassign or restructure existing storage locations.
Establish hierarchical or logical groupings (e.g. linking a shelf to a parent warehouse).

⚠ Important:
Importing will overwrite existing data. Always check your CSV carefully before processing.

Step-based (Importing Inventory Locations):

Download the empty CSV template containing all required headers.
Populate the file with your warehouse locations, using the fields listed below.
Navigate to Settings > Inventory Locations > Imports/Exports.
Select Import and upload your CSV file.
Map the CSV headers to Helm fields using the mapping tool.
Verify the mapping (system will auto-match headers where possible).
Click Submit Mapped Data.

CSV Fields for Inventory Location Imports

Compulsory	Header	Description	Example Input
YES	Location Name	The unique name of the inventory location.	Example Location Name
YES	Location ID	A unique identifier (ID) for the inventory location.	5001
NO	Location Type ID	Defines the location type: 1 Tote, 3 Shelf, 4 Warehouse, 5 Pallet, 6 Box, 7 Assembly, 9 Faulty Stock.	4
NO	Parent Location ID	References a parent location to create hierarchy.	0001
NO	Pickable (1/0)	Indicates whether the location can be used for picking.	0
NO	Priority	Lower numbers = higher priority when selecting locations.	1001
NO	Allow Negative (1/0)	Whether negative stock levels are permitted.	1
NO	On Hand Stock (1/0)	Whether the location contains on-hand stock.	0
NO	Allow Box Splitting (1/0)	Whether box splitting is permitted at this location.	1
NO	Warehouse ID	The identifier of the warehouse to which the location belongs.	2524

Exporting Inventory Locations

The export feature allows you to safeguard or review your current warehouse structure.

Scroll to the bottom of the Inventory Locations Imports/Exports page.
Click the highlighted export link.
A CSV containing your location data will download instantly.

Regular exports serve as a reliable backup, ensuring that if any bulk import introduces errors, you can swiftly restore your prior configuration.

Exports in Helm 3.6

Exports provide structured data for reporting, analysis, or migration.

Inventory Exports

Most comprehensive; options include:

Inventory
Relationships
Categories
Stock Levels
Suppliers
Packaging
Batch Numbers
Accounting Options
Archived Inventory (optional inclusion)

Order Exports

Select date range.
Filter by order status (Draft, On Hold, Despatch Ready, Picking, Despatched, Cancelled, Returned).
Optionally include deleted orders.
Define sort order.

Purchase Order Exports

Select date range.
Filter by status (Draft, Submitted, Partially Completed, Completed, Cancelled, Archived).

Contact Exports

Export all current contacts in CSV format.
Optionally include archived suppliers.

Final Notes

Helm offers a powerful and flexible framework for bulk data management. Whether you are onboarding thousands of SKUs, restructuring supplier connections, or maintaining accurate stock levels across multiple warehouses, the imports and exports functionality streamlines what would otherwise be a painstaking manual task.

For further assistance, contact Helm Support