When transitioning your Bill of Materials (BOMs) from an Excel spreadsheet to Bottleneck, it's crucial to ensure your data is prepared correctly for a smooth import process. This article is meant as a step by step guide to importing this information using Bottleneck's standard operating procedure, saving you valuable time and speeding up onboarding time.

Before you start to format your BOM data, it’s best to start with Bottleneck’s own BOM template. This ensures that your data is structured in a way that Bottleneck can understand.

This template is available through Google Sheets - To copy or download the template, click the link and select file. If you would like to open this file in Excel, select to download and choose the .csv or .xlsx option. If you prefer Google Sheets, select Make A Copy under file. A file attachment is also located at the bottom of this page.

Ensure your Excel BOMs are properly formatted to match the Bottleneck import requirements. Based on the provided spreadsheet screenshot, you should have the following columns:

- Name: The exact name of the product or part.

- Inventory Item: The specific item from inventory related to the BOM.

- Input/Output: Indicate if the item is an input to the process or an output of it. Inputs are materials used to create something else, while outputs are products resulting from the process.

- Quantity: The amount needed for production.

- Unit of Measurement (UOM): The measurement unit for the quantity (e.g., Bottle, Pound, Cap).

Log into Bottleneck and navigate to the 'Bills of Material' section. Locate the import option, which will be labeled 'Import Bill of materials CSV' in the top right corner.

After uploading, Bottleneck might provide a preview of how the data will look once imported. Review this carefully to ensure accuracy. Pay special attention to the Input/Output columns to confirm that they correctly represent the flow of materials in your processes.

If everything looks correct, proceed with the import. Monitor the process for any errors and confirm all BOMs have been imported successfully.

Check the newly imported BOMs against your original Excel spreadsheet to ensure that all data has transferred correctly. Verify that the quantities and units of measurement are consistent with your records.

If you receive any errors during the import process, please reach out to support@bottleneck.com

By following these steps and utilizing a template CSV file, you can effectively import your Excel BOMs into Bottleneck, paving the way for a more streamlined inventory and production management system.