Procurement Schedules can get lengthy and detailed, especially on large projects. Creating or updating them using information outside Felix can be more effective using a spreadsheet which can be imported.
Using a template CSV file, you can create or update packages in bulk in your Procurement Schedules.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key considerations
The following key notes should be observed when using the Procurement Schedule importer:
- The template file is provided in CSV format and should remain in that format for importing. Other formats (e.g. xlsx) are not currently supported.
- The template file contains the existing columns within your schedule. You cannot add columns to the schedule via an import. The importer will ignore any new columns you add. If you desire more columns, add them to the schedule in Felix first and they will be included in the template.
- Each column in a procurement schedule has a different type, including but not limited to text, dates, numbers, dropdown lists or linked values (like RFQ numbers). These types need to be considered when creating or editing packages (rows) in an import file. Use your procurement schedule view in Felix as a reference when filling out a template file.
- You can however remove columns or re-order columns in the CSV as long as the Title column is included (Note: the "Title" column is mandatory and the most common unique field used in CSV imports)
- Note the mandatory fields in your procurement schedule (denoted by * (red asterisk) in the user interface). Including and importing these for all packages will expedite your path to create RFQs from the procurement schedule once your import is complete.
- Linked values - such as Category, Vendor IDs, Vendor names, Package Owner, RFQ IDs, RFA IDs - cannot be modified or "linked" using data from an import file. Attempting to change these values will make a row or cell unrecognised by Felix during the import. This should be done in the Felix user interface.
- Columns with calculated values - such as dollar variances or date variances - are ignored during the import, as they are calculated by Felix in the platform.
- You cannot create new dropdown options by adding new options in an import file. For example, if you have a "Status" column with options "Planned", "Approved" and "Open", you can only use those options in the import file. Unrecognised free text additional options in the import file will be cleared on import. You will see this in the preview step when importing.
- As the import file format is CSV, it cannot store cell formats, formulae, or have more than one tab. Formulae between columns in Felix need to be managed in Felix. Saving cell formats or adding tabs to a CSV will require it to be saved as a XLSX format and be ineligible for import.
- Felix date formats are DD/MM/YYYY in all cases for procurement schedule import files.
- You can create package groups by adding a new package group title in that column in the import file.
Using the importer
The Procurement Schedule Importer has two functionalities - creating packages, or updating them. You can also do both transactions in a single import if desired.
When you go to import (Actions->Import CSV), you will be offered for download a template CSV suitable for your project schedule. This template is most useful for populating a schedule from scratch or adding new packages.
If you wish to update existing packages, then it is recommended to first "Export current view to CSV" or "Export all data to CSV" and then edit existing packages in CSV format. You can also add new packages at the bottom of this data to import new packages while updating existing.
Prefer video? Watch the video below to learn how to import into a procurement schedule.
Importing a new schedule or creating new packages
To import new procurement schedule packages:
- Click the Actions button at the top right corner.
- Select Import CSV.
- In the popup box, click this template to download the template.
- Fill out the downloaded template in your favourite spreadsheet application and save it. Ensure you keep it in CSV file format.
- Come back to Felix. Drop or select the completed CSV file in the drop zone of the modal.
- Click the Import button.
- Next, select the option:
- Add new packages - Every row in the import file will be added as a new package and the existing ones will not be deleted or updated.
- Click the Next button. This will take you to the import preview. Note the "Create" badges on the left in the "Operation" column. This indicates you are adding packages to the schedule.
- If everything looks good on the preview screen, click the Complete Import button. Once the import is complete, the page will refresh and you will see a green popup at the top of the screen informing you of success.
Updating existing packages
To import a procurement schedule and update:
- Click the Actions button at the top right corner.
- Select "Export current view to CSV" or "Export all data to CSV". This will download a CSV file containing the package data you have in the current schedule, for you to update.
- Make the desired updates in your favourite spreadsheet application and save it. Ensure you keep it in CSV file format.
You can also add packages to the bottom of the CSV if you wish to add packages while updating existing ones.
- Come back to Felix and your project procurement schedule again. Click the Actions button at the top right corner.
- Select Import CSV.
- Drop or click and select your edited CSV file using the drop zone in the modal.
- Click the Import button.
- Next, select one of the options:
- Update existing packages - Only matching packages between the schedule and the import file will be updated.
- Selecting this, a dropdown field will appear for you to select a column in the CSV with unique values to match the import file and existing packages.
- Update existing packages and add new packages - Only matching packages between the schedule and the import file will be updated. Non-matching packages will be added as new packages.
- Selecting this, a dropdown field will appear for you to select a column in the CSV with unique values to match the import file and existing packages.
- Click the Next button. This will take you to the import preview. Note the "Update" (and/or "Create") badges on the left in the "Operation" column. This indicates if you are adding or updating packages to the schedule.
When updating packages - if a staff user (e.g. Package Owner) has been deleted since the template was exported, they will be cleared as an invalid entry and you will need to select a new user in Felix.
- If everything looks good, click the Complete Import button.
