Assisted Import is an AI-powered data import tool that allows you to quickly add items (products or materials) by uploading your own spreadsheets (CSV, XLSX, or XLS) without having to use a pre-defined template.

The AI will automatically map your spreadsheet's column headers to Katana fields, validate the data, and flag potential errors so you can fix them before import.

Step-by-step guide

1. Open up Assisted import

Navigate to Settings and find Assisted import from the right-side menu.

2. Upload your spreadsheet

Choose if you'll be importing products or materials
Drag-and-drop the spreadsheet or click Upload file

Note: If the uploaded spreadsheet contains multiple sheets, only the first one will be included.

3. Column mapping

Each column in your file will be evaluated, and the AI will suggest mapping based on column names and data patterns.
1. Each field mapped by the AI will also be tagged with a qualifier (High, Medium, Low) indicating the AI's confidence in its accuracy.
2. Supported fields: Name, SKU, Sales Price, Purchase Price, Category, UoM, Supplier, Additional Info, MOQ, Lead Time, Supplier Item Code, Purchase UoM, Purchase Conversion Rate, Internal Barcode, Kit/Bundle
Examine the mapping to verify that everything is correct. If fields are missing, drag-and-drop them from the unmapped column.

Note: Required fields must be mapped before import can proceed.
Once ready, confirm the mappings and proceed to validation.

4. Data validation

This step validates each row in the file, ensuring it meets Katana’s rules (required fields, data types, value constraints, and uniqueness).
Rows are split into two groups:
1. Valid rows (green) which are ready to be imported
2. Invalid rows (red) which need correcting or will be skipped.
  1. Only appears if there are invalid rows
  2. Cells can be updated by clicking on them
  3. A report can be downloaded from here to help show what is invalid
  4. Bulk fixes may be offered

5. Import

Click on the Import button
The items (products or materials) are added to Katana.
1. Processing happens in the background and completes quickly, even for larger files.

Note: If an item references a supplier, category, or unit of measure that doesn’t exist in Katana, it will be automatically created during import.

Limitations

Limitation	Details
Row limit: 2,000 per import	For larger files, we recommend splitting the file into batches or use the template-based import.
Existing items can't be updated	The import only creates new items. If you need to update, use the existing import option.
Only the first sheet can be imported	If the spreadsheet contains multiple sheets, only the first sheet is read. We recommend moving all needed data to the first sheet or saving it as a separate file.
4 variant maximum	Assisted import doesn't support any products with more than 4 variant options. If there are more, you will need to use the template-based import.
Item usability is auto-assigned	An item's ability to be Sold, Bought, or Made is automatically set during import. These settings can be edited after import from the product card.
Not supported Fields	BOMs, Operations, Custom fields, Bin locations, Stock levels, and Safety stock cannot be imported via the assisted import. Use a template-based import instead.

Assisted import vs. Template-based import

Assisted import (AI)	Template-based import
Best for: - Setting up Katana for the first time - Existing spreadsheets that you don’t want to reformat	Best for: - Users with complex data (BOMs, stock levels, custom fields). - Updating existing items. - Large files (2,000+ rows)
Mapping: Automatic AI column mapping with confidence scores	Mapping: No automatic mapping, only fixed columns based on the template
Data validation: Can clearly see and fix errors before import	Data validation: If errors occur, an error report is created after an import attempt
Updating: Not possible to update existing items	Updating: Updating can be done by matching SKU
Row limit: Up to 2,000	Row limit: Up to 50,000
Supported imports: Products and Materials	Supported imports: All types, including BOMs, stock, and operations