Bulk Upload

Upload multiple vehicles at once using our bulk upload feature. Save hours of manual data entry by importing your entire inventory via Excel or CSV files.

Overview

Bulk upload is designed for dealers, fleet operators, and high-volume sellers who need to:

• Import 10-1000+ vehicles in a single operation
• Synchronize inventory from external systems
• Update multiple listings simultaneously
• Maintain inventory across platforms
• Schedule regular automated imports

Subscription Required

Bulk upload is available on Professional and Enterprise plans. Upgrade your plan to access this feature.

Getting Started

Accessing Bulk Upload

1. Go to your Seller Dashboard
2. Click "Bulk Upload" in the sidebar
3. Or use keyboard shortcut G + B

Bulk Upload Dashboard

The bulk upload section shows:

• Recent import history
• Scheduled imports
• Import templates
• Error logs

Upload Methods

Method	Best For	Setup Complexity
Manual File Upload	One-time or occasional imports	Simple
Scheduled Import	Regular inventory sync	Medium
FTP/SFTP	Automated from your systems	Advanced
API Integration	Real-time synchronization	Developer required

Template Download

Getting the Template

1. Click "Download Template" on the Bulk Upload page
2. Choose your format:
   • Excel (.xlsx) - Recommended for manual editing
   • CSV (.csv) - For system exports
3. Optionally select a category to get category-specific fields
4. Download the file

Template Versions

Template	Includes
Standard	All common fields across categories
Trucks	Truck-specific fields (cab type, fifth wheel, etc.)
Buses	Bus-specific fields (seating, door config, etc.)
Construction	Equipment-specific fields (bucket size, boom length, etc.)
Agriculture	Agricultural machinery fields
Full	Every possible field (extensive)

Template Structure

The template includes clearly labeled columns organized by section:

Section 1: Required Fields

Column	Description	Format	Example
title	Listing title	Text (max 100)	"2021 Volvo FH 500 Euro 6"
category	Main category	Exact name/code	"Trucks" or "TRUCK"
subcategory	Subcategory	Exact name/code	"Tractor Units"
brand	Vehicle brand	Exact name	"Volvo"
model	Model name	Text	"FH 500"
year	Manufacturing year	YYYY	2021
price	Asking price	Number	75000
currency	Price currency	ISO code	"EUR"
condition	New/Used	Text	"Used"

Section 2: Recommended Fields

Column	Description	Format	Example
mileage	Odometer reading	Number	245000
mileage_unit	km or miles	Text	"km"
hours	Operating hours	Number	4500
fuel_type	Fuel/power source	Text	"Diesel"
transmission	Gearbox type	Text	"Automatic"
power_hp	Horsepower	Number	500
description	Full description	Text	"Full service history..."
country	Location country	ISO/Name	"Netherlands"
city	Location city	Text	"Rotterdam"

Section 3: Optional Specifications

Column	Description	Format
vin	Vehicle ID Number	Text
registration	License plate	Text
euro_standard	Emissions class	Text
color_exterior	Exterior color	Text
color_interior	Interior color	Text
drive_config	Axle config	Text (4x2, 6x4, etc.)
gears	Number of gears	Number
gvw	Gross vehicle weight	Number (kg)
length_m	Length in meters	Number
width_m	Width in meters	Number
height_m	Height in meters	Number
wheelbase_m	Wheelbase	Number

Section 4: Features

Features are specified as comma-separated lists or individual columns:

Column	Format	Example
features	Comma-separated	"ABS, ESP, Air Conditioning, GPS"
feature_abs	Yes/No	"Yes"
feature_aircon	Yes/No	"Yes"

Section 5: Photos

Column	Format	Example
photo_urls	Comma-separated URLs	"https://..., https://..."
photo_primary_url	Single URL	"https://..."

Section 6: Internal Reference

Column	Purpose	Format
external_id	Your internal ID	Text
listing_id	Our listing ID (for updates)	Number

Preparing Your File

File Requirements

Requirement	Specification
Format	.xlsx (Excel) or .csv
Maximum Size	10MB per file
Maximum Rows	1,000 vehicles per upload
Encoding	UTF-8 (required for CSV)
Header Row	First row must be column headers

Data Formatting Rules

Text Fields:

- No special characters in titles that could break parsing
- Use UTF-8 encoding for special characters (ü, é, etc.)
- Avoid line breaks within cells
- Maximum 5000 characters for description

Numeric Fields:

- Numbers only (no currency symbols)
- Use period (.) for decimals: 12.5
- No thousand separators: 45000 (not 45,000)
- Leave empty if unknown (don't use 0 unless actual value is 0)

Date Fields:

- Format: YYYY-MM-DD (e.g., 2021-06-15)
- Alternative: DD/MM/YYYY (system will convert)
- Avoid text dates like "June 2021"

List/Array Fields:

- Separate multiple values with commas
- No spaces after commas: "ABS,ESP,GPS"
- Or use spaces if configured: "ABS, ESP, GPS"

Boolean Fields:

- Use: Yes/No, True/False, 1/0, Y/N
- Case insensitive

Category and Brand Codes

Use exact names as they appear on the platform:

Categories:

Display Name	Acceptable Values
Trucks	"Trucks", "TRUCK", "trucks"
Buses	"Buses", "BUS", "buses"
Construction Equipment	"Construction Equipment", "CONSTRUCTION"
Agricultural Machinery	"Agricultural Machinery", "AGRICULTURE"
Trailers	"Trailers", "TRAILER", "trailers"

Brands: Use brand names exactly as they appear on the platform. Common examples:

• "Volvo" (not "VOLVO" or "volvo trucks")
• "Mercedes-Benz" (not "Mercedes" or "Benz")
• "Scania" (not "SCANIA")
• "MAN" (uppercase is correct)
• "DAF" (uppercase is correct)

Download Reference Lists

Click "Download Reference Data" on the bulk upload page to get complete lists of valid categories, brands, and feature names.

Uploading Your File

Step 1: Select File

1. Click "Upload File" or drag and drop
2. Select your prepared Excel or CSV file
3. File is scanned for basic validity

Step 2: Preview Data

The system displays a preview of your data:

• First 5 rows shown
• Column headers identified
• Basic validation results

Step 3: Map Columns

If column headers don't match exactly, map them:

1. System attempts auto-mapping
2. Review each mapping
3. For unrecognized columns:
   • Select correct field from dropdown
   • Or mark as "Skip this column"
4. Save column mapping for future uploads

Mapping Interface:

Your Column	Mapped To	Status
"Vehicle Title"	→ title	Auto-mapped
"Make"	→ brand	Manual mapping needed
"KM"	→ mileage	Auto-mapped
"Internal SKU"	→ Skip	Not mapped

Step 4: Validate Data

Click "Validate" to check all data:

Validation Checks:

• Required fields present
• Valid category/subcategory combinations
• Recognized brand names
• Valid number formats
• URL format for photos
• Duplicate detection

Validation Results:

Status	Meaning	Action Required
Valid	Ready to import	None
Warning	Minor issues	Review, can proceed
Error	Critical issues	Must fix before import

Step 5: Review Issues

If errors or warnings exist:

Error Example:

Row 15: Invalid category "Heavy Trucks" - did you mean "Trucks"?
Row 23: Price is required but empty
Row 45: Unrecognized brand "Volvo Trucks" - did you mean "Volvo"?

Fixing Options:

1. Fix in file - Download error report, fix original, re-upload
2. Fix inline - Edit directly in the validation screen
3. Skip rows - Import valid rows, skip errors

Step 6: Choose Import Action

Select what to do with the data:

Action	Description	Use When
Create Only	Only add new listings	Fresh import, no duplicates
Update Only	Only update existing	Updating prices/info
Create & Update	Both operations	Mixed import

Matching for Updates:

When updating existing listings, specify how to match:

• By listing_id (our internal ID)
• By external_id (your reference)
• By vin (Vehicle ID Number)
• By title + year + brand (auto-match)

Step 7: Start Import

1. Review final summary
2. Click "Start Import"
3. Import begins processing

During Import

Progress Tracking

Monitor your import in real-time:

Importing: 47 of 150 (31%)
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 31%

Created: 42
Updated: 0
Skipped: 3
Errors: 2

Background Processing

For large imports (100+ vehicles):

• Import runs in background
• You can navigate away safely
• Progress saved automatically
• Notification when complete
• Email summary sent

Canceling Import

If needed, click "Cancel Import" to stop:

• Already processed rows are kept
• Remaining rows are not imported
• Can resume or restart later

After Import

Import Summary

View completed import results:

Metric	Count
Total Rows	150
Successfully Created	142
Successfully Updated	0
Skipped (Duplicates)	5
Failed (Errors)	3

Error Report

Download detailed error report:

1. Click "Download Error Report"
2. CSV file with:
   • Row numbers that failed
   • Original data
   • Error descriptions
   • Suggested fixes

Reviewing Imported Listings

1. Go to Listings
2. Filter by:
   • Import date
   • Status: "Draft" (if imported as drafts)
   • Tag: Import batch ID
3. Review and publish

Adding Photos via Bulk Upload

Option 1: URL References in File

Include photo URLs in your spreadsheet:

title,price,photo_urls
"Volvo FH 500",75000,"https://example.com/photo1.jpg,https://example.com/photo2.jpg"

URL Requirements:

• Publicly accessible URLs
• Direct links to image files
• Supported formats: JPG, PNG, WebP
• Maximum 10MB per image

Photo Processing:

• System downloads images automatically
• Validates format and size
• Attaches to listing
• First URL becomes primary photo

Option 2: ZIP Archive Upload

For photos stored locally:

1. Complete data import first

2. Prepare photos in ZIP:

   Naming Convention A - By VIN:

   VIN123456_001.jpg
   VIN123456_002.jpg
   VIN123456_003.jpg
   VIN789012_001.jpg

   Naming Convention B - By External ID:

   EXT001_001.jpg
   EXT001_002.jpg
   EXT002_001.jpg

   Naming Convention C - By Row Number:

   row_001_001.jpg
   row_001_002.jpg
   row_002_001.jpg

3. Upload ZIP file

4. System matches and attaches photos

5. Review matching results

Option 3: Manual Photo Addition

After import, add photos individually:

1. Go to each listing
2. Add photos manually
3. Reorder as needed

Updating Existing Listings

Matching Strategies

Match By	Pros	Cons
listing_id	100% accurate	Need our IDs in your system
external_id	Works with your IDs	Must maintain consistently
vin	Universal identifier	Not all vehicles have VIN
Auto-match	No setup needed	May mismatch similar vehicles

Update Options

Option	Behavior
Overwrite All	Replace all fields from file
Update Non-Empty	Only update if file has value
Price Only	Only update price field
Custom Fields	Select specific fields to update

Price Update Example

To update prices for 100 vehicles:

1. Export current listings (includes listing_id)
2. Update price column in Excel
3. Keep only listing_id and price columns
4. Upload with "Update Only" and "Match by listing_id"
5. Select "Price Only" update option

Scheduled Imports

Setting Up Auto-Import

Automate regular imports from your inventory system:

1. Go to Bulk Upload > Scheduled Imports
2. Click "Create Schedule"
3. Configure:

Setting	Options
Name	Descriptive name for schedule
Source Type	URL, FTP, SFTP, Google Sheets
Source Location	URL or server details
Authentication	Credentials if required
Frequency	Hourly, Daily, Weekly
Time	When to run
Import Action	Create, Update, or Both
Notifications	Email on success/failure

4. Test connection
5. Save and enable schedule

Source Options

URL/HTTP:

URL: https://yoursystem.com/inventory-export.csv
Auth: None / Basic Auth / API Key

FTP/SFTP:

Host: ftp.yourcompany.com
Port: 21 (FTP) / 22 (SFTP)
Username: inventory_export
Password: ********
Path: /exports/menon_inventory.csv

Google Sheets:

Sheet URL: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/...
Sheet Name: "Inventory"
Update Frequency: Daily at 06:00

Monitoring Scheduled Imports

View schedule status and history:

• Last run time and result
• Next scheduled run
• Error log for failed runs
• Manual trigger option

Best Practices

Test with Small Batch First

Always upload a small test batch (5-10 vehicles) to verify your data formatting before large imports.

Consistent Data Quality

Maintain consistent naming and formatting in your source data. Create data validation rules in Excel.

Regular Backups

Export your current listings before bulk updates as a safety backup.

Prepare Photos in Advance

High-quality photos ready and properly named before import saves time and ensures complete listings.

Use External IDs

Always include your internal reference IDs for reliable matching in future updates.

Clean Your Data

Remove duplicates, validate data types, and check for empty required fields before uploading.

Data Validation Checklist

Before uploading, verify:

• [ ] All required fields have values
• [ ] Category and brand names exactly match platform values
• [ ] Numbers don't contain currency symbols or separators
• [ ] Dates are in correct format (YYYY-MM-DD)
• [ ] Photo URLs are direct links to images
• [ ] No duplicate rows
• [ ] UTF-8 encoding (for special characters)
• [ ] File is under 10MB

Troubleshooting

Common Issues and Solutions

Issue	Cause	Solution
File won't upload	Too large	Split into smaller files
Column not recognized	Different header name	Use column mapping
Category not found	Misspelled category	Check reference list
Brand not found	Wrong brand name	Use exact platform name
Invalid price	Has currency symbol	Remove symbol, number only
Encoding errors	Not UTF-8	Save as UTF-8 CSV
Photos not importing	URLs not accessible	Ensure public URLs
Duplicates created	Wrong match field	Use listing_id or VIN

Error Messages Reference

Error	Meaning	Fix
"Required field missing"	Empty required column	Fill in the value
"Invalid category"	Category not recognized	Use exact category name
"Price must be numeric"	Non-number in price	Remove symbols
"Duplicate detected"	Same vehicle already exists	Skip or update instead
"URL not accessible"	Photo URL is broken	Fix URL or remove

Getting Help

For bulk upload issues:

1. Check the error report details
2. Refer to this documentation
3. Contact support with:
   • Your file (remove sensitive data)
   • Error report
   • What you were trying to do

Related Topics

• Creating Listings - Single listing creation
• Managing Listings - Post-import management
• API Documentation - Developer integration