Vendor CSV Import/Export

Export and import vendor data using CSV files for backup, sharing, or bulk updates.

Overview

The vendor CSV import/export feature allows users to export vendor data to CSV files for backup or sharing, and import CSV files to add or update vendor records in bulk.

How It Works

Accessing the Feature

The import/export functionality is available from the Configuration home screen:

Navigate to Configuration from the main menu
Tap the menu icon (three dots) in the top-right corner
Select one of the following options:
- Import Vendors — Available only when QuickBooks is not connected
- Export Vendors — Available only when QuickBooks is not connected and vendor data exists

Exporting Data

From Configuration, tap the menu icon
Select Export Vendors
Confirm export in the dialog
The system creates a CSV file and opens the share dialog
Choose where to save or share the file

What gets exported: all vendor records (except internal id); fields: name, address, city, state, zip, mobilePhone, businessPhone, email, notes

File names: vendors.csv

Importing Data

From Configuration, tap the menu icon
Select Import Vendors
Confirm import in the dialog
Select your CSV file from the document picker
Review the summary showing numbers added and updated

Import behavior:

Matching logic: Records are matched by both name AND address
Update existing: If match found, update existing record
Add new: If no match, create a new record
Empty fields: Name and address must have values for matching to occur

CSV Format

Structure

name,address,city,state,zip,mobilePhone,businessPhone,email,notes

Example

name,address,city,state,zip,mobilePhone,businessPhone,email,notes
"Acme Hardware","123 Main St","Seattle","WA","98101","555-1234","555-5678","orders@acmehardware.com","Preferred vendor for hardware"
"Bob's Lumber","456 Oak Ave","Portland","OR","97201","555-8765","555-4321","sales@bobslumber.com","Good prices on lumber"
"City Electric","789 Pine Rd","Tacoma","WA","98402","555-2468","","","Fast delivery"

Field Descriptions

Field	Description	Required	Notes
`name`	Vendor/Merchant name	Yes*	Used for matching during import
`address`	Street address	Yes*	Used for matching during import
`city`	City name	No	Optional
`state`	State abbreviation	No	e.g., WA, CA, OR
`zip`	ZIP/Postal code	No	Optional
`mobilePhone`	Mobile phone	No	Optional
`businessPhone`	Business phone	No	Optional
`email`	Vendor email address	No	Optional
`notes`	Additional notes	No	Optional

*Both name and address are required for matching; records without them are added as new entries.

Special Characters

The CSV format properly handles special characters: commas (wrap fields in quotes), quotes (escape with double quotes), and newlines (wrap fields in quotes).

name,address,city,state,zip,mobilePhone,businessPhone,email,notes
"Johnson's ""Quality"" Supplies","123 Main St, Suite 200","Seattle","WA","98101","555-1234","555-5678","Note:
Special pricing available"

Import Matching Logic

For each record in the CSV:
  1. Check if a vendor exists with matching name (non-empty) AND matching address (non-empty)
  2. If match found: update existing record with all fields from CSV
  3. If no match found: create a new record

Notes: Matching is exact and case-sensitive; both name and address must match for update.

Best Practices

Creating CSV Files

Use a spreadsheet program (Excel, Google Sheets, Numbers)
Include headers in the first row
Wrap complex fields in quotes
Save as CSV with UTF-8 encoding

Data Integrity

Backup before import by exporting current data
Test with small batches
Verify matching fields are accurate
Clean duplicates before import

Common Use Cases

Initial setup: build a spreadsheet and import
Bulk updates: export, modify, re-import
Data migration: ensure headers match expected format
Sharing: export and import across devices

Troubleshooting

Import Issues

Ensure CSV headers are correct
Verify file is CSV (not .xlsx) and not corrupted
Matching failures: check exact name/address matching and extra spaces

Import/Export vendors not available: Vendor CSV import/export is disabled while QuickBooks is connected. Disconnect QuickBooks to use CSV-based vendor import/export.

Export Issues

Export option appears only when QuickBooks is not connected and data exists to export
File not showing: check storage permissions and retry

Technical Details

Temporary files are created in the app's document directory
Files are named vendors.csv
Parser supports RFC 4180, quoted fields, and escaped characters
Invalid rows are skipped with error reporting