- CSV: name,quantity,unit,location; optional tool,data,notes
- Paste a header row followed by one item per row. Quote cells containing commas; escape quotes by doubling them. Preview after every edit. Import adds records, so importing the same file twice creates duplicates.
Item name should identify the exact supply or container. Storage location should identify where you can find it now. Minimum stock is compared with the saved quantity in result units, including equality; it is not a days-remaining alert. Notes are included in the readable QR snapshot, so keep them concise and avoid private information.
Item quantity and Quantity unit also support a single record. Supported units are items, packs, bottles, g, kg, ml, litres, rolls, bags, cells, sheets, tablets, pods, servings, layers and labels. Decimal quantities are allowed only for g, kg, ml and litres.
Understanding Your Results
CSV import is separate from Calculate & Save for an individual item. Required headers are name,quantity,unit,location; tool,data,notes are optional. Preview CSV validates every row before Import validated CSV commits them.
The quantity beside the item name is the stock value used for LOW STOCK: quantity at or below your minimum triggers that status. Additional days, cycles, sets or dates describe the entered assumptions; they are not a live measurement. Recount after use, receipt or relocation. A different device reads the printed snapshot and does not automatically receive later inventory changes.
CSV labels describe snapshots rather than live sensors.
Practical Examples
These are illustrative household inputs, not product specifications or recommended use rates. Enter each record below, select Calculate & Save, and compare the displayed calculation.
Import two storage-box labels in one file
Two physical boxes need different counts and locations.
Keep each physical box on its own row.
name,quantity,unit,location
Winter box,4,items,Loft
Camping box,3,items,Garage
Choose Preview CSV, then Import validated CSV. Two records are imported: Winter box = 4 items at Loft; Camping box = 3 items at Garage.
The two generated records retain different quantities and locations.
CSV labels describe snapshots rather than live sensors.
Read the full worked exampleImport a seventeen-bottle garage record without default overwrites
The row must survive selecting its saved record and rebuilding.
Rebuild the imported selected record without changing its values.
name,quantity,unit,location,notes
Bottle reserve,17,bottles,Garage,Keep the reserve separate
Choose Preview CSV, then Import validated CSV. One record is imported with 17 bottles, Garage and the supplied note.
The rebuilt snapshot must retain seventeen bottles at Garage.
Preserve the item ID rather than creating a duplicate.
Read the full worked exampleImport mixed units without adding incompatible totals
A household batch contains mass, roll and bottle records.
Inspect each row’s unit in the previewed batch.
name,quantity,unit,location
Dry product,2,kg,Pantry
Kitchen paper,6,rolls,Kitchen
Soap refill,3,bottles,Bathroom
Choose Preview CSV, then Import validated CSV. Three records are imported with their original units: 2 kg, 6 rolls and 3 bottles.
The records remain separate; there is no meaningful combined total of eleven units.
A generic CSV row does not infer a product-specific use rate.
Read the full worked exampleCommon Mistakes to Avoid
An unquoted comma would create the wrong column count. The quoted comma belongs to the name instead of splitting the CSV row. Counted items still require a clear physical counting boundary.
A different text encoding can corrupt characters before the site reads them. The imported name retains its punctuation rather than becoming an unreadable label. Anyone holding the resulting QR can read this item name.
A comma inside unquoted notes would shift the row structure. The note stays attached to the intended item. Do not include sensitive household details in QR notes.
How do I import notes without turning them into extra columns?
Quote the comma-containing notes field and inspect the selected record. The note stays attached to the intended item.
Do not include sensitive household details in QR notes.
How do I create a product-specific calculator record from CSV data?
Keep the CSV quantity equal to the stock computed from data. The row stores 1,000 ml; forty is a derived load count, not the quantity column.
The dose must come from appropriate product instructions.
How do I reject an empty CSV quantity before any import?
Correct the blank quantity to 4 and preview the corrected file before importing. An empty value is not silently converted to zero.
An intentional zero must be written explicitly.
How do I reject a row with an unexpected extra column?
Remove the unwanted fifth value and preview again. The corrected four-column row imports one four-item record.
Every row must match the selected header width.
How do I edit one imported item without changing the next row?
Open Bottle reserve, change quantity to 12 and location to Kitchen shelf, save, then rebuild. The first record retains its ID while the second record is unchanged.
Verify the second row after a sequence of edits.
