Content

Description

The Item import tool allows you to quickly add large amounts of products or items to Visma Severa's cases by uploading information in a CSV file. Both items and products are displayed in "Products" section of a case. The difference is that "product" is connected to a product register using product code. If you are using product register, then you can for example report how many, and with what value of certain products you have as cost or billed fees on your cases. Item is just an individual row that can be cost or billable fixed fee. Using the item import tool you can import both costs or billable fees, depending if the unit price of the row is zero or has a price. In Visma Severa, go to Tools > Item import, and download the item import template. The template provides the necessary column headers and examples of how your data should look in the CSV file to upload properly.

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Important notes before start

  • Item data can be imported to Visma Severa in a CSV file.
  • CSV files can be created and edited with spreadsheet software such as Microsoft Excel, Open Office Calc and Apple Numbers.
  • Do not use double quotes ("), semicolons (;) and line breaks (enter) in your data.
  • Numbers can't have country-specific formatting. For example Dutch 1.200,80 should be 1200,80 in the file.
  • Do not delete column headers in the item import template file. Even if you don't insert data in a column, the header is necessary for correct positioning and uploading of your data.
  • Special characters, including Ä, Ö, Å need to be encoded according to ISO/IEC 8859-1 and Windows-1252.
  • Please make sure that your data is correct before uploading your CSV file. Once data is in Visma Severa, editing or deleting can be done manually for each case, but not with “one click.”

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Using item import template

1. Select Tools - Item import and click to download "item import template". Save the CSV file to your computer.

2. Open the item import template with for example Microsoft Excel, Open Office Calc or Apple Numbers.

3. The first row is reserved for column headers, such as Case number, Account number, Product code, etc. and then there are two rows of example data that represent four unique item rows.

4. Headers should NOT be deleted. Use the example data as a guide, but remember to delete it before uploading file to Visma Severa.

5. Enter your product or item data in the cells. For example, from your item data file select all data in a column that holds description or name of the items, and copy and paste the data into the column below the header "Item description" in the item import template.

  • Go to section Field formatting and import logic to read about each column in more detail to see how data should be entered.
  • Some cells in a row can be empty if you don’t have data to enter.
  • To add multiple items to one case, enter each item on it's own row and connect each row to correct case.

6. When the all data has been entered, save the file in CSV format for upload.

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Uploading CSV-file to Visma Severa

1. Open Tools - Item import

2. Click Browse, select the file and click Open.

3. Click Upload.

4. The text on the top of the window will describe how many items will be created when file is uploaded or it warns if there are errors in the data (see step 6.). The first 10 entries will display in the table below for review.

5. Click Confirm to finish the upload if there are no errors and the example data looks correct. A list of your imported item data is then presented in the report. Once import is successful, continue using Visma Severa as usual.

6. If there are errors in the CSV file, a note will appear in red. Download the error report to see which rows are causing the problems and correct the CSV file accordingly. Cancel the upload and once corrections are complete, upload and test the file again. Rows, which have errors in them, are not imported.

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Multi-currency add-on

If Multi-currency add-on is enabled in the organization, it is possible to select in which currency the data in the CSV is in. This selection applies to both unit price and unit cost in the file. By default the company's base currency is selected to the dropdown. In addition to base currency, all active organization currencies, which have currency rates, are available in the drop down. Selecting a value is mandatory and it is done before uploading CSV into Visma Severa. System will use the exchange rates entered in the settings to convert prices or cost into case's base currency and invoicing currency.

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Field formatting and import logic

To connect the items to correct cases there are multiple options how to fill in the CSV file. Quickest option is to use Case number to find the correct case, then there is no need to fill in any details related to account or use case name. If case name is used instead of number to look for the correct case, then information about the account must be entered as well.

Below are the column headers with information about field formatting and logic for correct uploading of the CSV file.

  • Case number
    • Case with matching number is searched from Visma Severa and item is added to the case.
    • Other account and case data in the columns for the particular row are then ignored.
  • If case number isn't given, the following information is used to identify correct account and case:
    • VAT number
      • Maximum 50 characters.
      • VAT number must be an exact match to account's VAT number.
      • If no account is found with VAT, account number is used to find an account from the system.
    • Account number
      • Account with matching number is searched from Visma Severa, if account wasn't found with VAT number.
      • If account number can't be parsed into a number, show error: "Account number must be a number."
      • If no account is found with the account number, account name is used to find an account from the system.
    • Account name
      • Account with matching name is searched from Visma Severa, if account wasn't found with account number or VAT number.
      • Maximum 100 characters.
    • Case name
      • Case name is mandatory if case number hasn't been given.
      • When account has been found with either VAT number, account number or account name, a case for the account is found with the case name (not short name).
      • Maximum 100 characters.
      • Case name needs to be an exact match and case needs to belong for the found account.
  • Product code
    • Not mandatory to give.
    • If given, row is mapped to an active product (in product register).
    • If product is inactive in the product register, it won't be recognized.
    • Maximum 100 characters.
  • Item description
    • Text, 100 characters.
    • If description is given, it is used.
    • If product code is given, description is not mandatory to give and product name is used as both name and description.
    • If product code is not given, description is mandatory to give.
  • Quantity
    • Mandatory to give.
    • Quantity can be between -100000 and 1000000 (but not zero).
    • Maximum 4 decimals.
  • Measurement unit
    • Not mandatory.
    • Maximum 50 characters.
    • If measurement unit hasn't been given, but product code is given, measurement unit from product is used if it has one.
  • Unit price
    • Price can be positive or negative.
    • Leave unit price as empty if you want to have price as zero.
    • Price can have 2 decimals.
    • Price is mandatory to give if item is not related to a product using product code.
    • If product code is given and unit price is left empty; price comes based on pricing in Visma Severa, either so that product has pricing on case, or pricing on price list, or in product register.
    • If product doesn't have price, price is 0.
    • In the CSV file the price is given either in organization's base currency, or in selected currency. Different currencies can be selected on the Item import tool if multicurrency addon is active.
    • Price is always converted with currency rate to case currency.
  • Unit cost
    • Cost can be positive or zero.
    • Cost can have 2 decimals.
    • Cost is mandatory to give if item is not related to a product using product code.
    • If product code is given and unit cost is left empty; cost of the item comes from product register.
    • If product doesn't have cost, cost is 0.
    • In the CSV file the cost is given either in organization's base currency, or in selected currency. Different currencies can be selected on the Item import tool if multicurrency addon is active.
    • Cost is always converted with currency rate to base currency.
  • VAT
    • Not mandatory to give.
    • If VAT is given, it is used. Given VAT needs to exist in organization's VAT settings and be active.
    • If VAT is not given; item gets VAT either from account, product (if product code is used) or from default VAT of the organization.
  • Date
    • Date is not mandatory.
    • If given, needs to be in format "dd.mm.yyyy".
    • If not given, item gets current day as date.
    • Date can be current day, or in the past or in the future.
  • User code
    • Not mandatory.
    • Maximum 100 characters.
    • If code is given, it is used to find an active user in Visma Severa.
    • If user code is given, user name is ignored.
    • If user code or user name haven't been given, the items won't get user information, and won't belong to any user.
  • User name
    • Not mandatory.
    • If code has not been given, user name is used to find an user.
    • Format is "Firstname Lastname".
    • Maximum 100 characters.

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Common problems when importing items

If you encounter problems while uploading your CSV file, please consult the list below and double check your file for these common problems. Review the list of the most common errors and their explanations are found below.

  • The column header or headers are deleted or in wrong order.
  • There are empty rows between item rows.
  • Data includes marks, such as the semicolon (;), double quotes (") or a hard return (enter).
  • Field character limitations are exceeded (see: Field formatting).

Errors

  • "Account is not recognized.": Vat number, account number and/or account name is not found in Visma Severa. Check and enter correct information.
  • "Account name can't have more than 100 characters.": Account name has more than 100 characters.
  • "Account number must be a number.": Account number can't be parsed into a number. Verify that account number doesn't have any characters.
  • "Account number, VAT number or name is needed.": Case number hasn't been given, so either Vat number, account number or account name is needed
  • "Case is not recognized.": Case number or case name is not found in Visma Severa. Check and enter correct information.
  • "Case name can't have more than 100 characters.": Case name has more than 100 characters.
  • "Case name is missing.": Case name is mandatory when case number hasn't been given.
  • "Case number must be a number.": Case number can't be parsed into a number. Verify that case number doesn't have any characters.
  • "Code can't have more than 100 characters." Product code is longer than 100 characters.
  • "Cost can't have more than 2 decimals.": Unit cost has too many decimals.
  • "Cost is missing.": If product code hasn't been given, unit cost is mandatory.
  • "Cost must be a number.": Unit cost can't be parsed to decimal format. Verify that quantity doesn't have any characters (other than comma for decimals).
  • "Cost must be a positive number or 0.": Unit cost cannot be a negative number.
  • "Description can't have more than 100 characters.": Item description is longer than 100 characters.
  • "Description is missing.": If product code hasn't been given, item description is mandatory.
  • "Event date not recognized. Date must be in format "dd.mm.yyyy".": Date is given in incorrect format. Verify that date is in format dd.mm.yyyy.
  • "Many accounts are found with the same VAT.": There are many accounts with the same VAT number in Visma Severa. Enter also account name into the CSV to clarify which account should be used.
  • "Many cases are found with the same name.": Change the case name in Visma Severa to identify it correctly.
  • "Many products are found with the same code.": Enter individual product codes for products in product register (Tools > Settings > Products), then check and enter correct information into the CSV.
  • "Many users are found with the same code.": Enter individual user codes for your employees in User management, then check and enter correct information into the CSV.
  • "Many users are found with the same name.": Enter individual names for your employees in User management, then check and enter correct information into the CSV./li>
  • "Measurement unit can't have more than 50 characters.": The measurement unit is longer than 50 characters.
  • "Price can't have more than 2 decimals.": Unit price has too many decimals.
  • "Price is missing.": If product code hasn't been given, unit price is mandatory.
  • "Price must be a number.": Unit price can't be parsed to decimal format. Verify that quantity doesn't have any characters (other than comma for decimals).
  • "Product is not recognized.": Product code is not found in product register, or product is inactive. Check Tools > Settings > Products and enter correct information.
  • "Quantity can't have more than 4 decimals.": Quantity has too many decimals.
  • "Quantity is missing.": Quantity is mandatory to give.
  • "Quantity must be a number.": Quantity can't be parsed into a decimal format. Verify that quantity doesn't have any characters (other than comma for decimals).
  • "Quantity must be between -100000 and 1000000.": Quantity is outside the accepted range.
  • "User code can't have more than 100 characters.": User code is longer than 100 characters.
  • "User is not recognized.": User code or user name is not found in Visma Severa, or user is inactive in Tools > User management.
  • "User name can't have more than 100 characters.": User name is longer than 100 characters.
  • "VAT is not recognized.": VAT doesn't exist or is not active in Tools > Settings > Tax rates.
  • "VAT must be a number.": VAT can't be parsed into numeric format. Verify that VAT doesn't have any characters.
  • "VAT number can't have more than 50 characters.": Vat number has more than 50 characters.
  • "VAT % must be between 1 and 99.": VAT is outside the accepted range.

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