When Items are uploaded using the Vendor Item Upload items and corresponding purchase units are automatically imported into the item database. This eliminates the need to manually add each item one by one, thus saving time. Additionally, all nutrition, purchasing, and inventory information for each item is prefilled in the database.
These instructions are based on the assumption that there are no catalog-matched items, meaning items will need to be matched manually. This process should remain the same for each Vendor. If you need instructions on how to correct catalog items, click here.
Download Vendor Item Upload Template
- Go to the Vendors Module on the left-hand side of the screen.
- To create a new Vendor by clicking on the [+] plus sign button on the bottom right-hand side of the Vendors tab. Click the [Add Vendor] button and fill out the required fields. (Skip the steps in this section if your vendor is already setup in the Vendors Module)
- Select the vendor you want to upload the file to.
- Click on the "Items" tab.
- Click on the plus sign located at the bottom right of the screen.
- Select "Upload Items."
- Lastly, select the [Template Icon]
to download the latest Vendor Item Upload template. It is recommended to download the template every year for the best practice.
- Copy and paste the required information from your vendor into the Vendor Item Upload Template.
- Save the completed Vendor Item Upload template to your computer.
- Select the icon (insert a photo or technical name of this icon) under "Select File" and choose your completed Vendor Item Upload template.
- Click [Match]
in the upper right-hand corner. Refresh your page until the match is complete.
Note: This may take a few minutes depending on the number of items you are uploading, Its recommended to upload 500 items at a time.
Search and Match
Once your items are loaded, their status will be displayed. Items that have GTINs will be matched automatically. For items with a status of "No Match," you will need to search by Brand, Generic, or add them manually.
Branded Items 
Start by using the Smart Search feature, the feature allows you to filter the results of the items being uploaded from the Item information provided during the upload.
If you are unable to match the item through the Smart Search feature, you can try using the Standard Search feature instead. The standard search feature allows you to enter additional details such as Name, GTIN, Manufacturer Product ID number, and Brand, to help narrow down the list of potential matches. You can enter a combination of terms to find the best results, by doing so, you can improve the chances of finding the correct match.
- Brand Name along w/ Manufacturer Product ID
- Brand Name and then filter/sort by Manufacturer Product ID or Item Name
- Manufacturer Product ID
Generic Items 
When looking for a match for a Generic Item, it is a good idea to find all the 'As Purchased' descriptions that match the input values. Once you have done this, it is recommended to select all the corresponding 'As Served rows'. This will ensure that the item information is accurately linked, and provides correct nutrients and meal components, for compliance.
Generic items refer to products that do not have any particular brand name associated with them like Fruit, Vegetables, Popsicles, and Local Vendors. Before saving any Generic item information, it is important to verify that the Net Weight provided in the file is consistent with the information in the Item Name and/or Pack Size. If there is a discrepancy or inconsistency, it should be corrected before saving the items to ensure that the information is accurate and complete.
No Match Non-Food Item
If No Match is found and it’s a Non-Food item, then Add the Item Manually
Click on “Add Item Manually” and select the “Non-Food” button. It should bring over most if not all the info to set up the item. Then fill in any missing info if any.
Fix Bad Item Data Errors
After selecting a match for an item, there may be some missing information that needs to be entered before the upload process can be completed. For example, if an item has Bad Item data that needs to be corrected before proceeding with the upload process. If this step is not taken, the item will not be added to the vendor's inventory. This means that the item will not be included in any reports or analyses related to the vendor's sales or inventory management. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that all necessary information is complete and accurate before completing the upload process.
- Click on the N2F Item name.
- The tabs with any missing information will have a Red Exclamation point making it easy to identify and correct the data.
- Once all data is entered select Save & Close
To obtain a more detailed explanation of how to perform a vendor item upload, please click here.