You can set up your initial stock in Katana using four main methods:
Import from your e-commerce store (e.g. Shopify, WooCommerce)
Manually create a Stock adjustment
Import via Assisted import or spreadsheet
Adding stock levels per item
This guide explains each method step-by-step so your inventory is accurate from the start.
Note: If you use batch tracking (available with the Full Traceability add-on), batch details cannot be imported from e-commerce. You’ll need to import batches separately using our batch import spreadsheet.
Method 1: Import from your e-commerce platform
If you already manage product stock levels in an e-commerce store:
Connect your e-store to Katana (via Integrations).
Import all your products and their current stock levels directly.
Limitations:
Only product stock can be imported this way (materials usually aren’t tracked in e-commerce).
Batch tracking details are not included — use the batch import spreadsheet if needed.
Method 2: Create a Stock adjustment
Use this method to manually enter your initial stock for products and/or materials.
Go to Stock > Stock adjustments tab > + New Stock adjustment.
In the Reason field, type "Initial stock" so it’s easy to find later.
Add existing items from Katana or type a new name and select Create new [item name].
Choose whether the item is a Product or Material and fill in the required details.
If you use batch tracking, specify the batch information here.
Method 3: Import via Assisted import or spreadsheet
Use this method if you want to import both products and materials in bulk.
Open Settings > Import and more > Data import > Stock levels.
From here, you can either use the Assisted import to update stock levels or use a template (required if you need to update more than 5,000 rows).
If you want to use a template, open the template section and click Download current data.
Fill in item names, quantities, and values in the spreadsheet.
If you use batch tracking, follow this guide to import new batches with quantities and values.
Return to Settings > Import and more > Data import > Stock levels and click the Upload data button.
Decide whether to import Value in stock:
If you import it, Katana will recalculate the average cost.
If left empty, Katana will retain the current average cost.
Katana creates Stock Adjustments automatically to record changes (1 for stock removal and another for stock addition) and per location.
Rules applied to imports
Katana ID is required for matching items.
Items not matched by ID and Location will be skipped.
Empty cells are ignored (data won’t be overwritten).
If you change only the value, Katana creates a -1/+1 quantity adjustment to capture the cost difference.
Only active items are included in the download file.
Want to use Excel on a Mac? Export from Numbers via File > Export to > Excel (.xlsx)
Using Google Sheets? Choose File > Download > Microsoft Excel (.xlsx)
With batch tracking
If batch tracking is enabled (requires a Standard plan or higher), the import file will include:
Batch-specific rows per item and location
Batch numbers and expiration dates (if applicable)
"Unbatched" rows (shown if quantity > 0)
You can:
Set stock and value per batch
Remove batch stock by setting quantity and value to 0
Note: You can’t create new batches via this file. Only existing batches can be updated. Use this guide to add new batches.
Note: You can’t create new batches via this file. Only existing batches can be updated. Use this guide to add new batches.
Note on cost:
Average cost in Katana is not batch-specific.
If multiple batches of the same item have different costs, Katana averages them across the total stock.
Additional notes
Changes to item names, variant codes, or unit of measure are not imported.
File naming doesn’t matter — you can rename it before uploading.
Stock values and quantities are overwritten per Location.
Method 4: Add stock levels per item
If you want to add stock levels as you add each item, this is the best method.
Note: If the item is serial number or batch trackable, when adding the initial stock for these items, unbatched batches will be created. To fix this, you'll need to create a stock adjustment to remove unbatched quantities and add the quantities back with the correct batch.
Add a new product or material.
Under the In stock column of the item's table, click on Add initial stock.
Add the stock quantity and cost per unit, and press Add initial stock.
Tip: For the fastest setup, choose the method that best matches your current system:
Already tracking product stock in e-commerce? → Method 1
Want to manually enter stock? → Method 2
Have a large list of items? → Method 3
Want to add stock as you go → Method 4
Quick Comparison of Methods
Method | Best For | Supports products | Supports materials | Tracking | Speed |
Import from e-commerce | You already manage product stock in Shopify, WooCommerce, etc. | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | Fast |
Stock adjustment | Manually entering stock for a small or medium list | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Medium |
Spreadsheet import | Bulk updates for products and materials | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Fast |
Per item | Adding stock when adding individual items | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | Medium |
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