Vendor Item Upload

District Admin (DA) users have the ability via the Vendor Upload tool to import a spreadsheet of all purchased items by Vendor directly into the Vendors module and will automatically have their Items and corresponding Purchase Units imported into their item database. This bypasses the need to perform this action manually item by item and therefore saves menus planners and the procurement team hours of time in getting their items into the item database with all nutrition, purchasing, and inventory information prefilled. Importing Items into the Vendors module is the first step for Menu Planning, Forecasting, and Inventory and must be completed before users will be able to enter Recipes or Base Menus. The high-level process for importing items is: 

1. Create a New Vendor
2. Download Spreadsheet Template and Fill in Items

3. Upload File and Review Results Summary

4. Match Your Data

   1. Matching Branded Items (Non-Generic) with a Status of No Match

   2. Matching Branded Items (Non-Generic) with a Status of No Match That Are Already in Local Item Database

   3. Correcting Branded Items (Non-Generic) That Have Been Matched But Have a Status of Bad Item Data

   4. Matching Generic Items
   5. Manually Adding Items
   6. Correcting Branded Items (Non-Generic) That Have a Status of Bad Input Data
5. Process The Upload
6. Troubleshooting 

   1. What does the red "X" mean next to matched items?

   2. Aborting an Upload

   3. Why does the Item Say Bad Item Data in the Status Column?

   4. How do I view the Upload History

   5. I Matched an Item to the Wrong Thing

Create a New Vendor

**You do not need to create a new Vendor each time you do a Vendor Item Upload. If the Vendor already exists in the Vendor Module, you can skip this section and move on to the next.

1. From the Vendors Module, 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. (Skip the steps in this section if your vendor is already setup in the Vendors Module)
2. Enter Vendor information into the pop-out window. The Vendor Name is a required field, all other fields are optional and can be edited/added/updated at any time. Click the [Save & Close] button when complete.

Download Spreadsheet Template and Fill in Items

1. From the Vendors Module, located on the left-hand navigation bar select the correct Vendor from the list and click on the Vendor you will be uploading items to.
2. Click over to the Items tab. Click the [+] plus sign and click the [Upload Report] button.
3. Click on the download icon and download the spreadsheet template to your computer. Click the [OK] button when the template has been downloaded.
4. Open the downloaded spreadsheet. The 2nd tab of the spreadsheet lists instructions for how the data from your Vendor Order Guide should be copied into the corresponding columns. You'll find a key for what columns have mandatory, recommended, and optional data. The more data you can enter into the spreadsheet for each item, the more accurate the match/import process will be. 
   1. On the first tab, at minimum, you must enter for each item: 
      1. Vendor Item Name - the name of the item as provided by the vendor on the vendor's order sheet (ex: 23445CRAISINS(R) STRAWBERRY-NF)
   2. It's recommended you enter for each item: 
      1. Pack Size - the quantity of product per purchase unit (ex: 200/1.16z)
      2. Vendor Product ID - the item number as provided by the vendor on the vendor's order sheet (ex: 12443)
      3. GTIN - the 14 digit Global Trade Identification Number (ex: 94131200234452) 
      4. Brand Name - the brand name of the product if the product is a branded item (ex: Ocean Spray)
      5. Manufacturer Part Number - the manufacturer code of the item (ex: 23445)
      6. Net Weight (Lbs) - the total weight of the package (ex: 14.5)
      7. Servings Per Pack - the total number of inventory units per purchase unit (ex: 200)
      8. Serving Size Value - the weight or measure of a single serving (ex: 1.16)
      9. Serving Size Unit Of Measure - the unit of measure of a single serving (ex: ounces)
      10. Procurement Category - this is based off of the GPC code and must be one of the predefined values setup in the excel spreadsheet template (ex: Dry Goods)
   3. It's optional for you to enter:
      1. District Item ID - this is an internal ordering number for an item that is different than the Vendor Product ID (ex: 300123)
      2. Commercial Price - the cost of the item per purchase unit (ex: $24.14)
      3. Contract # - the contract number associated with the purchase pricing (ex: 10098)
      4. Price Effective Date - the starting date of the contract that locks in the pricing per item (ex: 07/01/2020)
      5. Item Name - a specific name for an Item already in use by the district (If this is blank, then the name from the N2F database will be used) (ex: CRAISINS STRAWBERRY)
5. Delete the items in rows 3-7 on the first tab of the spreadsheet. These items should all have asterisks and say "EXAMPLE - DELETE ROW" in the Vendor Item Name column. These rows are only intended to provide users an example of the data type that should be entered into each column of the template. 
6. Save the spreadsheet to your computer and close it.

Upload File and Review Results Summary

1. If a contract for your vendor has been set up, select the contact for the vendor.
2. Click the Select File Icon. Locate the file from your computer to upload into CNCentral then click the [Open] button. Once uploaded, you will see the file path displayed next to the Select File icon. Click the [Match Items] button on the top right hand side of your screen. This process can take several minutes.
3. If nothing happens after a few minutes, click the [Refresh Page] button on the top right-hand side of your screen to process the matched items search.
4. Review the results.
   1. The top section shows a summary of all records from the spreadsheet and their status. The categories each item could fall into are:  
      1. Match - an exact match from GDSN was found and no further manipulation is needed for this item to be processed and imported
      2. Duplicate - the item already exists in the users Item Database from this Vendor and no further manipulation is needed for this item to be processed and imported
      3. Manual Item - the item was created manually (this requires manual data entry for this item and no data from GDSN will be used)
      4. Bad Item Data - the matched item is missing required information and will need to be corrected before the item can be processed and imported
      5. Bad Input Data - the input data from the uploaded file is invalid and will need to be corrected on the file and re-imported to match this item
      6. Not Match - no item was found that matches the imported item and this item will need to be manually entered or more data provided on the import spreadsheet
   2. The bottom section shows you each individual item that was imported and provides you with error flags (shown in red text), item status, and the action performed on each item. This is also where you can see which items need to be matched and click on them to search for the appropriate match

Match Your Data

CNCentral allows users to search the K-12 Data Exchange for the exact products they purchase and pull in all associated attributes saving hours of time when getting setup to use the system. Items in the K-12 Data Exchange receive attribute data via GDSN (Global Data Synchronization Network) or a database of generic items found in USDA's Food Data Central and Food Buying Guide. In this step of the item import, users are searching those databases via the K-12 Data Exchange link for exact matches to the products they purchase if they are not automatically matched during the import process. 

Note: How you match your items or correct any issues with the data will depend on what the item is and what the status of the item is (bad item data, bad input data, no match, etc.). 

Matching Branded Items (Non-Generic) with a Status of No Match

Branded Items are imported using the Vendor Import Tool and will be run through the K-12 Data Exchange. If they can be matched on any of the data points provided in the import spreadsheet, they will be automatically matched and added without further data entry needed. Some, however, will not be able to be matched based on the information in the spreadsheet and the user will have to manually select the appropriate match. When a match is selected, all attributes of the product will automatically get populated but the process of selecting the match must be manual so the District Administrator can ensure the Item gets correctly matched to the exact product desired.

1. Click on the Search K-12 Data Exchange link to search the K-12 data exchange for the correct product
2. Leave the default selection of GDSN as the database to search for and match this item and click the [Search] button
3. Search through the results to locate the correct match. Click on the match when it is found (note that the closest match will always appear on the top of the results list and each successive item on the list is ranks less close based on the data from the import spreadsheet). The desired item will appear highlighted in blue when selected. Click the [Select] button to confirm the match
   1. If the correct match is not found, click the [Cancel] button and refer to the section below on how to Add Item Manually 
4. If no further data entry is required (no missing data or invalid data), the item will be successfully matched with no further manipulation required. The Status of the Item will change to Match and the Action will change to Add. When the upload is processed, this item will appear in the Item Database with all associated attributes

Matching Branded Items (Non-Generic) with a Status of No Match That Are Already in Local Item Database

Items that are purchased from multiple Vendors will go through the import and matching process similar to other Items. The flow is the same however, the user interface is slightly different than Items not already in the local Item Database. When items that have previously been imported from a different vendor are imported, they are updated in the item database to have multiple purchase units from the different vendors for the same item. Users can select which Vendor they'd like to purchase the items from on the Forecast.

1. Click on the Search K-12 Data Exchange link to search the K-12 data exchange for the correct product to match your item to
2. Leave the default selection of GDSN as the database to search for and match this item to and click the [Search] button
3. Search through the results to locate the correct match. Notice that if the item has already been imported from another Vendor or otherwise already entered into the Item Database, the Item will have a notation in green that states In Local Database. Click on the match when it is found (note that the closest match will always appear on the top of the results list and each successive item on the list is ranks less close based on the data from the import spreadsheet). The desired item will appear highlighted in blue when selected. Click the [Select] button to confirm the match
4. The Item will be successfully matched with no further manipulation required. The Status of the Item will change to Match and the Action will change to Update which indicates the existing Item has been updated with a second Vendor. When the upload is processed, this item will be updated in the Item Database to account for both Vendor purchase options

Correcting Branded Items (Non-Generic) That Have Been Matched But Have a Status of Bad Item Data

Items can be imported and run through the matching process but if they have any critical data from the manufacturer that is missing or bad, you'll be made aware of an issue and need to correct the issue before the Item can get imported into the local Item Database. Critical item data is data such as serving size, unit of measure, required nutrition information such as calories, saturated fat, or sodium, etc.

1. Click on the K-12 DEX Item Name link of the product that has a Status of "Bad Item Data"
2. The Edit Matched Item Information screen will open. Toggle between the tabs (Item Info, Nutrients & Meal Components, and Inventory Setup) and locate any issues in the data indicated by a red exclamation point
3. Correct the issue by consulting your Vendor Item List, contacting the manufacturer, or reviewing the data from an Item Product Formulation Statement/Item Spec Sheet (note that there may be multiple errors or the different tabs and all will need to be corrected)
4. Click the [Save & Close] button when all desired data has been entered and no red exclamation points remain
5. This Item has been successfully matched with no further manipulation required. The Status of the Item will change to Match and the Action will change to Add. When the upload is processed, this item will appear in the Item Database with all associated attributes

Matching Generic Items

Generic items are those such as produce, dairy, spices, and bakery items that have a common standard of identity (nutrition and creditable information doesn't change depending on what brand of an item you purchase). The Generic Item Database contains item data with attributes coming from USDA's Food Data Central and Food Buying Guide to help you match your purchased items with generic equivalents so the data entry process on generic items is streamlined.

1. Click on the Search K-12 Data Exchange link to search the K-12 data exchange for the correct generic product to match your item to
2. Change the default selection of GDSN to Generic
3. Click the pencil icon to enter the Net Weight of the Item you'll be matching to a generic (the net weight is used to scale the selected purchase unit option)
4. . When the pop up window opens, enter the weight and click the [OK] button when ready
5. Click the [Search] button to search the generic database for an item that matches the item imported in the upload
6. Select one or more matches when it/they are found (note that the closest match will always appear on the top of the results list and each successive item on the list is ranks less close based on the data from the import spreadsheet). The desired item(s) will appear highlighted in blue when selected. 
7. Click the [Select] button to confirm the match(es)
   1. If multiple generic item selections were made, they will appear on the upload list as separate line items as shown below. They will have the same Vendor Item Name and some of the data used on the upload to identify this item will no longer be stored with each item
   2. If you'd like to make any changes to the Item Info, Nutrients & Meal Components, or Inventory Setup for one or all of the different Generic Matches, you can do so by clicking on the K-12 DEX Item Name link for the appropriate Item
   3. Enter any desired data into any open field available. Click the [Save & Close] button when all desired changes have been made
8. The Item(s) have been successfully matched with no further manipulation required. The Status of the Item will change to Match and the Action will change to Add. When the upload is processed, the item(s) will appear in the Item Database with all associated attributes

Manually Adding Items

Manually adding items is an option for District Administrators when Item matches can not be made to an Item from GDSN or a Generic equivalent. No standardized data is provided when Items are added manually, they are not updated automatically when updates are made to Items by the manufacturer, and they do not feed back into the K-12 Data Exchange making them a less desirable option for creating items than pulling in data from GDSN or the Generic Database. 

1. Click on the Search K-12 Data Exchange link to search the K-12 data exchange for the Item that is unmatched
2. If no match can be made from GDSN and no Generic equivalent can be located, click the Add Item Manually hyperlink in the top right hand side of the screen
3. Data that was entered into the upload spreadsheet will pre-populate the corresponding fields but all other fields for this item will be open. Those that have an asterisk indicate they are required when manually entering an item. Fill in all available data on the Item Info, Nutrients & Meal Components, and Inventory Setup tabs
4. Make sure to fill in all fields with an asterisk and correct any red exclamation point flags on any of the data entered if they appear. Click the [Save & Close] button to save changes made to this manually entered item
5. This Item has been successfully manually entered. The Status of the Item will change to Manual Item and the Action will change to Add. When the upload is processed, the item will appear in the Item Database with all associated attributes

Correcting Branded Items (Non-Generic) That Have a Status of Bad Input Data

Items at minimum must have a Vendor Item Name as provided on a Vendor's bid list or order guide. If this information is missing from the spreadsheet that gets uploaded during a Vendor Item Upload, that item will get tagged as having Bad Input Data and must be corrected. 

1. Items missing a Vendor Item Name will have no available actions the user can take to import the item. An item without a Vendor Item Name will always have an Action of Skip and will get skipped in the import/upload process
2. To correct this issue, determine what the item in that was on the upload spreadsheet that was missing a Vendor Item Name. Enter a Vendor Item Name into the spreadsheet, remove the other items that didn't have an issue getting imported, and Save the changes to the spreadsheet
3. Re-upload the spreadsheet and follow the workflow shown above for the type of item you're importing

Process the Upload

After all Items on the Vendor Item List have been matched, manually added, or purposefully skipped, the upload is ready to be processed. Any Items with a Status of Add will be added during this process. Once the function is performed, the upload cannot be reversed and users can no longer abort the import. 

1. Review the Record Summary and ensure all expected Items have been Matched or Manually Added. Items with Bad Item Data and Bad Input Data will not be imported and will be skipped  
2. Click the [Process Upload] button when ready to process the Vendor Item Upload
3. If the Upload doesn't automatically move into the Complete phase, click the [Refresh Page] button
4. Review the completed upload summary and ensure all expected Items were Added or Updated. Download the Results in an Excel file if desired by clicking on the download icon in the Complete step box

Congratulations! You've successfully uploaded, matched, and processed your Vendor Items. This process will be repeated for all Vendor Item Lists for all Vendors. This process will also be repeated each year or when new items are ordered. If a single new item is ordered, it is unnecessary to go through the import process. Rather, District Admin users can add a single item (either via GDSN search, Generic search, or manually) by following the instructions here.     

Trouble Shooting

What does the red "X" mean next to matched items?

The red "X" allows you to un-match a matched item. Clicking the red "X" will clear the matched item and allow a user to match the item to a different item by going through the matching process. When the red "X" is clicked, there will be a confirmation window pop-up to which warns the user of the action being taken before initiation. If the user selects [OK], the process will be performed. If the user selects [Cancel], nothing will happen and the user will be taken back to the list of matched/unmatched items from the upload.

Aborting an Upload

Uploads can be aborted should the user decide they would like to abort the process and start over or abort the upload all together. Aborting an upload can only be done from the Preview Results stage. Once the upload has been processed (Process Upload or Compete stage), the upload can no longer be aborted. To abort an upload, from the Preview Results stage, click the [Abort Upload] button. A confirmation pop-up window will appear. Clicking the [Abort] button will abort the upload and no data will be processed or entered. Clicking the [Cancel] button will return to the list of matched/unmatched items and nothing will happen.

Why does the Item Say Bad Item Data in the Status Column?

A Bad Item Data warning is caused when an item is missing one or more critical pieces of data. Critical pieces of data can include:

• Serving Size
• Unit of Measure
• Calories
• Saturated Fat
• Sodium

If an uploaded item has a status of Bad Item Data, click on the K-12 DEX Item Name and scroll through the tabs (Item Info, Nutrients & Meal Components, Inventory Setup) to locate and enter data into any open field that has a red asterisk that doesn't currently have any data input. Click the Save & Close button and ensure the Bad Item Data status warning changes to a status of Match. This item will be added to the item database when the file is processed.

How do I view the Upload History

All uploads will be kept for a period of 30 days, after which they will be deleted. All uploads and their statuses (Preview Ready, Aborted, Complete) can be viewed from the Vendors module at any time within the 30 window. To view the upload history from the last 30 days:

1. Click on the Vendors module from the left side black menu panel
2. Locate the vendor you'd like to view an upload history for and click on the Vendor name
3. Click on the Items tab
4.  Click the View Upload History hyperlink

I Matched an Item to the Wrong Thing

During the upload process, it is possible to remove a match in the event a match was incorrectly made to the wrong product prior to processing the upload. To un-match an item, simply click on the red "X" corresponding to the item with the incorrect match. You will get a confirmation window to confirm you'd like to clear the clear the matched item. If the [OK] button is selected, the status of Match will change to No Match.

Once an upload has been processed, there will not longer be the ability to clear the match. Rather, the user will have to delete the item from the item database and re-add it either via a different Vendor Item Upload or by searching the K-12 Data Exchange from the Item Database or the Vendors module.