Introduction
This guide explains how to use Bukku’s batch import feature to quickly migrate your contacts in bulk, instead of adding each contact manually, using the provided Excel template. It’s recommended to complete this import before recording any transactions.
If you’re new to setting up Contacts, we recommend reading the Creating a New Contact article first. It explains in detail what each field means and how contacts work in Bukku. Once you’re familiar, you can use this batch import to speed up setup.
Steps to Batch Import Your Contacts
1. Download the Bukku Excel Template
Go to Contacts.
Click the ⋯ (3 dots) next to + New and select Import.
On the Import screen, you’ll see Template File to download.
2. Review the Instructions in the Template
Open the downloaded template and read the instructions provided within the file. This will help you understand the required format and data for each column before entering your contacts.
Notes:
Avoid removing the header lines in the template file.
Please do not rearrange the order of the columns.
You may upload up to 1,000 contacts in a single file, split into multiple files if you are importing more.
The contact record will be updated if the Legal Name already exists in your Bukku account.
3. Understand Each Column and Update the File
Update the file with your desired list of contacts. The template includes sample rows with 4 examples to help you understand how to fill it in.
Here’s what each column means:
Only columns marked with * are required.
Column | What to Enter | Notes / Format |
Legal Name (1)* | The registered name of the contact. | Must be unique. If name already exists in Bukku, system updates instead of creating new. |
Update Legal Name (2) | New name (if renaming). | Leave blank if no update needed. |
Entity Type (3) | One of: Malaysian Company, Malaysian Individual, Foreign Company, Foreign Individual, Exempted Person, or General Public | Leave blank for Malaysian Company. Spelling must match exactly. |
Other Name (4) | Internal or alternate name. | Optional. |
Reg. No. Type (5) | One of: NRIC, BRN, PASSPORT, None. | Depends on Entity Type. |
Registration / ID No. | Latest registration or ID number. | Depends on Entity Type. |
Old Registration No. (6) | Old SSM / registration number. | Malaysia only. |
TIN | Tax Identification Number. | Malaysia only. |
SST Registration No. | SST number in format | Only if SST registered. |
Billing Contact Person (7): First Name Last Name | First name & last name of billing PIC. | Set as default billing attention. The contact person will be updated if First or Last Name is entered. |
Shipping Contact Person (7): First Name Last Name | First name & last name of shipping PIC. | Set as default shipping attention. The contact person will be updated if First or Last Name is entered. |
Is Customer Is Supplier Is Employee (8)* | 'Yes' or 'No'.
| At least one must be 'Yes'. A contact can have multiple roles. Case-sensitive. |
Receivable A/C Code (9) | Account code for receivables. | Customer only. Defaults if blank. |
Credit Limit (10) | Numeric value only. | Prevents AR from exceeding limit. Leave blank to disable. |
Payable A/C Code (11) | Account code for payables. | Supplier / Employee only. Defaults if blank. |
Groups (12) | Assign existing contact groups, if any. | Separate multiple with commas. Groups must already exist in the system. |
Price Level (13) | Assign an existing price level, if any. | Price level must already exist in the system. |
Contact No. (14) | Up to 3 numbers. | Format: No “+”. First number = primary number. |
Email Addresses (15) | One or more emails. | Separate with commas. Used for invoices/statements. |
Billing Address (16): Street + | Street address line. | Required to add billing address.
|
Billing Address (16): City | City name. | Free text. |
Billing Address (16): State (17) | State name. | For MY, must match exactly, for eg: Johor, Selangor, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur.
Free text for non-Malaysian address. |
Billing Address (16): Postcode | Postal / ZIP code. | Numbers only. |
Billing Address (16): Country Code (18) | 2-letter ISO code (e.g., |
|
Shipping Address (16): Street + | Street address line. | Required to add shipping address. |
Shipping Address (16): City | City name. | Free text. |
Shipping Address (16): State (17) | State name. | For MY, must match exactly, for eg: Johor, Selangor, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur.
Free text for non-Malaysian address. |
Shipping Address (16): Postcode | Postal / ZIP code. | Numbers only. |
Shipping Address (16): Country Code (18) | 2-letter ISO code (e.g., |
|
Currency Code (19) | 3-letter code (e.g., | Optional. |
Payment Term (20) | Must match payment term in Bukku. | Example: Case-sensitive. |
Income A/C Code | Account code for income. | Optional. |
Expense A/C Code | Account code for expenses. | Optional. |
Location (21) | Location code. | Must match an existing location code in system. |
Tags (22) | Tag name(s). | Separate with commas. |
Myinvois Action (23) | One of: Normal, Validate, External. | Optional — can be left blank. |
Monthly Statement (24) | 'Yes' or 'No'. | Defaults to Yes if blank. |
Invoice Reminder (24) | 'Yes' or 'No'. | Defaults to Yes if blank. |
Remarks | Any internal notes. | Optional. |
Custom Fields (if any) | Values / Data for your custom fields. | Only if created in system. |
4. Upload and Save
Upload the Excel file, click View to preview, then click Import to save.
Understanding Import Messages
Contact records appear under 'Added'
The system detected a new contact name in the uploaded Excel file and automatically created the contact using the provided data.
Contact records appear under 'Updated'
The system found the same contact name in Bukku as in the uploaded Excel file and updated the contact with the Excel data.
Contact records appear under 'Ignored'
A record may be ignored for the following reasons:
Missing legal name – The contact's legal name is required but not provided.
Duplicate legal name – The same name appears more than once in the Excel file.
No contact type selected – None of the roles (Customer, Supplier, Employee) were set to 'Yes'.
Invalid entry format for contact type - Must enter exactly 'Yes' or 'No' (case-sensitive). Do not use
yes,no,y, orn.
Attempt to change contact type from 'Yes' to 'No' – Removing a role is not allowed. For example:
A contact is already set as Customer = Yes in Bukku.
The Excel file attempts to change it to “No”.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How many contacts can I import at once?
You can import up to 1,000 contacts per file. If you have more, split them into multiple files.What happens if a contact already exists in Bukku?
If the Legal Name in your file matches an existing contact in Bukku, the system will update that record instead of creating a new one.Why is my record ignored during import?
A record may be ignored if:Legal Name is missing.
Legal Name appears more than once in your file.
No Contact Type (
Customer,Supplier,Employee) is marked asYes.Invalid entry format — you must type exactly
YesorNo(case-sensitive).The file tries to change a Contact Type from
YestoNo, which is not allowed.
Can a contact have more than one role?
Yes. A contact can be marked as both Customer and Supplier, or even all three roles (Customer, Supplier, Employee).Do Groups, Price Levels and Payment Terms, need to exist before import?
Yes. You can only assign contacts to Groups or Price Levels or Payment Terms that already exist in Bukku. Create them in the system first if needed.Why is my State rejected?
For Malaysian addresses, the State name must match exactly the predefined list (e.g., Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Pulau Pinang, Perak, Perlis, Selangor, Terengganu, Sabah, Sarawak, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Labuan, Wilayah Persekutuan Putrajaya).
Free text for non-Malaysian address.
Can I use short forms for Yes/No, like Y/N?
No. You must enter exactly Yes or No (case-sensitive). Entries likey,n,YES, orNo.will be rejected.What should I do if I still see errors after fixing the file?
Double-check the following:Spelling and case sensitivity (Yes/No, States, Payment Terms, etc.).
Correct formatting of numbers, emails, and phone numbers.
That all mandatory fields are filled in.
Can I update existing contacts using import?
Yes. If the contact Name already exists, the system will update the contact with the new Excel data. To rename an item, use the Update Legal Name column.
How can I batch update multiple contacts at once?
There are two ways:
Method 1: Use the batch update table directly in Bukku at Contacts > Click on the (...) besides +New > Batch Update.
Method 2: Export your Contacts list at Control Panel > Backup Data > Contacts, edit the file, then re-import it into the Contacts module.
If a contact Name already exists, the system will update it with the new Excel data. If you want to rename a contact, use the Update Legal Name column in the template.
