Bulk Upload CSV Guide

Purpose

This guide explains how to submit orders to EFS using CSV (comma-separated values) file uploads. This method is ideal for platforms without direct integrations, batch order imports, or backup order submission when integrations are unavailable.

1. Overview of Bulk CSV Upload

What is Bulk CSV Upload?

Bulk CSV Upload allows you to submit multiple orders at once by uploading a spreadsheet file containing order information. This is a manual process that doesn’t require technical integration.

How it works:

1. Export orders from your platform or create spreadsheet manually
2. Format data according to EFS CSV template
3. Upload CSV file through FCP
4. EFS processes orders and adds them to fulfillment queue

When to Use CSV Upload

Use CSV Upload when:

• ✓ Your platform doesn’t have a pre-built integration
• ✓ You process 10-100 orders per day (manageable manually)
• ✓ You need backup method during integration outages
• ✓ You have wholesale or bulk orders to import
• ✓ You’re testing before building full integration
• ✓ Orders come from offline channels (phone, events, etc.)

Don’t use CSV Upload when:

• ✗ Your platform has a pre-built integration available
• ✗ You process 100+ orders per day (integration recommended)
• ✗ You need real-time order flow
• ✗ You need automatic tracking updates back to platform

Limitations

CSV Upload does NOT:

• Sync inventory back to your platform
• Send tracking numbers to your platform automatically
• Support real-time order flow
• Prevent duplicate orders if file uploaded twice
• Validate inventory availability before accepting orders

You must manually:

• Export orders from your platform
• Format CSV file correctly
• Upload file to FCP
• Monitor for errors
• Update customers with tracking numbers

2. CSV File Format Requirements

Required Columns

Your CSV file must include these columns in this exact order:

File Format Specifications

File type: CSV (Comma Separated Values)

Encoding: UTF-8 (recommended) or ASCII

Header row: First row should contain column names (optional but recommended)

Delimiter: Comma (,)

Text qualifier: Double quotes (“) for fields containing commas

Line ending: Windows (CRLF) or Unix (LF) both accepted

File extension: .csv

Maximum file size: 5 MB

Maximum rows: 10,000 orders per file

3. Downloading the CSV Template

Step 1: Access Template Download

1. Log into your Fulfillment Control Panel
2. Go to Orders → Import Orders File
3. Look for “Show/Hide Instructions” link top left
4. Select the template from the list

Alternative: Request template from your Client Care Account Specialist

Step 2: Open Template

Open the downloaded template in:

• Microsoft Excel (recommended)
• Google Sheets (works well)
• LibreOffice Calc (free alternative)
• Apple Numbers (Mac users)

Important: Don’t open in Notepad or text editor – use spreadsheet software.

Step 3: Review Template Structure

The template includes:

• Header row with column names
• Example rows showing proper formatting
• Instructions or notes (may be in comments)

Keep the header row – it helps you remember which column is which.

4. Formatting Your CSV File

General Formatting Rules

Order Numbers:

• Must be unique (no duplicates in file or previous imports)
• Maximum 50 characters
• Letters, numbers, hyphens allowed
• No special characters: & * % $ # @
• Example: ORD-2025-11-001

Dates:

• Format: MM/DD/YYYY
• Example: 11/14/2025
• Or: 2025-11-14 (ISO format also accepted)

Names:

• Maximum 50 characters
• Include full name (first and last)
• Special characters okay: O’Brien or José García
• Don’t use ALL CAPS (looks like shouting)

Addresses:

• Address 1: Street number and name (required)
• Address 2: Apartment, suite, unit (optional)
• Maximum 50 characters per address line
• Spell out directionals: 123 North Main St not 123 N Main
• Include apartment numbers in Address 2, not Address 1

City:

• Maximum 30 characters
• Proper capitalization: San Francisco not SAN FRANCISCO

State:

• Use 2-letter state code: CA not California
• For Canada: ON BC QC etc.
• For international: Use province/region code

Zip Code:

• US: 5 digits 94102 or 9 digits 94102-1234
• Canada: Format A1A 1A1 (with space)
• International: Use standard postal code format

Country:

• Use 2-letter ISO country code
• US = United States
• CA = Canada
• GB = United Kingdom
• See full list: https://www.iso.org/iso-3166-country-codes.html

Phone:

• Include area code
• Formats accepted: 415-555-1234 or (415) 555-1234 or 4155551234
• International: Include country code +44 20 1234 5678

Email:

• Standard email format: [email protected]
• Maximum 100 characters

Ship Method:

• Use EFS shipping codes (see Section 5)
• Case-sensitive: GROUND not ground
• Must be valid code or order will error

SKU:

• Must match SKU in your FCP exactly
• Case-sensitive: PRODUCT-001 not product-001
• Maximum 50 characters

Quantity:

• Positive whole number: 1 2 50
• No decimals: Not 1.5
• No text: Not two

Multi-Item Orders (Use template CSV 3.0)

Option 1: Multiple Rows (Recommended)

Each line item gets its own row with same order number:

Order Number,Order Date,Ship Name,Ship Address 1,Ship Address 2,Ship City,Ship State,Ship Zip,Ship Country,Ship Phone,Ship Email,Ship Method,SKU,Quantity
ORD-001,11/14/2025,John Smith,123 Main St,,San Francisco,CA,94102,US,415-555-1234,[email protected],GROUND,PRODUCT-001,2
ORD-001,11/14/2025,John Smith,123 Main St,,San Francisco,CA,94102,US,415-555-1234,[email protected],GROUND,PRODUCT-002,1
ORD-001,11/14/2025,John Smith,123 Main St,,San Francisco,CA,94102,US,415-555-1234,[email protected],GROUND,PRODUCT-003,1

All rows with the same order number will be combined into one order.

Option 2: Semicolon Separated (Alternative)

Multiple SKUs and quantities in one row, separated by semicolons:

Order Number,Order Date,Ship Name,...,SKU,Quantity
ORD-001,11/14/2025,John Smith,...,PRODUCT-001;PRODUCT-002;PRODUCT-003,2;1;1

Important: Number of SKUs must match number of quantities. Semicolons must align.

Recommendation: Use Option 1 (multiple rows) – it’s clearer and less error-prone.

Handling Special Characters

Commas in fields:

If a field contains a comma, wrap entire field in double quotes:

"Smith, John",123 Main St

Quotes in fields:

If field contains quotes, escape with double quotes:

"John ""Johnny"" Smith",123 Main St

Line breaks in addresses:

Avoid line breaks in CSV fields. Use Address 2 for additional address info instead.

Example: Complete CSV File

Order Number,Order Date,Ship Name,Ship Address 1,Ship Address 2,Ship City,Ship State,Ship Zip,Ship Country,Ship Phone,Ship Email,Ship Method,SKU,Quantity
ORD-2025-001,11/14/2025,John Smith,123 Main Street,Apt 4B,San Francisco,CA,94102,US,415-555-1234,[email protected],GROUND,WIDGET-BLUE,2
ORD-2025-001,11/14/2025,John Smith,123 Main Street,Apt 4B,San Francisco,CA,94102,US,415-555-1234,[email protected],GROUND,WIDGET-RED,1
ORD-2025-002,11/14/2025,Jane Doe,456 Oak Avenue,,Los Angeles,CA,90001,US,213-555-5678,[email protected],PRIORITY,GADGET-001,1
ORD-2025-003,11/14/2025,Bob Johnson,789 Pine Road,Suite 100,Seattle,WA,98101,US,206-555-9012,[email protected],2DAY,DEVICE-XL,3

5. Shipping Method Codes

Use these codes in the Ship Method column. Codes are case-sensitive.

Domestic Shipping Codes

International Shipping Codes

Special Codes

Important: Use exact codes as shown (case-sensitive). Invalid codes will cause order to error.

6. Creating Your CSV File

Method 1: Exporting from Your Platform

Most ecommerce platforms can export order data to CSV:

Shopify:

1. Go to Orders
2. Click Export
3. Select date range
4. Choose CSV format
5. Download file

WooCommerce:

1. Go to WooCommerce → Orders
2. Click Export
3. Select orders to export
4. Download CSV

BigCommerce:

1. Go to Orders
2. Click Export
3. Select format: CSV
4. Download file

Other platforms: Check documentation for order export feature

After exporting:

1. Open exported CSV
2. Map columns to EFS template format
3. Reformat as needed
4. Add ship method codes
5. Verify all required fields present

Method 2: Creating from Scratch

If your platform doesn’t export or you have offline orders:

Step 1: Open Template

Start with EFS CSV template downloaded from FCP.

Step 2: Enter Order Data

Fill in each row with order information:

• One row per line item
• Keep header row at top
• Use proper formatting (see Section 4)

Step 3: Verify Data

Check each order for:

• ✓ Unique order numbers
• ✓ Valid dates
• ✓ Complete addresses
• ✓ Valid ship method codes
• ✓ SKUs match FCP
• ✓ Quantities are correct

Step 4: Save as CSV

In Excel:

1. Click File → Save As
2. Choose CSV (Comma delimited) (*.csv) from format dropdown
3. Click Save
4. Click Yes if warned about features

In Google Sheets:

1. Click File → Download
2. Select Comma-separated values (.csv)
3. File downloads automatically

In LibreOffice:

1. Click File → Save As
2. Choose Text CSV (.csv) from format dropdown
3. Click Save
4. Confirm settings in dialog

Method 3: Converting from Excel

If you maintain orders in Excel format:

Step 1: Organize Data

Arrange columns to match EFS template order.

Step 2: Clean Data

• Remove extra columns not needed
• Delete summary rows or totals
• Remove formatting (colors, borders)
• Verify no merged cells
• Check for hidden rows

Step 3: Save as CSV

Follow Excel save instructions above.

Common Excel Issues:

Issue: Leading zeros removed from zip codes
Example: 01234 becomes 1234
Solution: Format zip code column as Text before entering data

Issue: Dates change format
Example: 11/14/2025 becomes 11/14/25 or 14-Nov-2025
Solution: Format date column as MM/DD/YYYY before saving

Issue: Special characters appear as strange symbols
Solution: Save with UTF-8 encoding (File → Save As → Tools → Web Options → Encoding)

7. Uploading Your CSV File

Step 1: Access Upload Page

1. Log into Fulfillment Control Panel
2. Go to Orders → Import Order File
3. You’ll see the CSV upload interface

Step 2: Select Your File

1. Click “Choose File” or “Browse” button
2. Navigate to your saved CSV file
3. Select the file
4. File name appears next to button

File requirements:

• Format: .csv
• Size: Under 5 MB
• Rows: Maximum 10,000 orders

Step 3: Upload File

1. Click “Upload” or “Import Orders” button
2. File uploads (may take a few seconds for large files)
3. Processing begins automatically

Step 4: Review Results

After processing, you’ll see an upload summary:

Success Summary:

Orders Processed: 50
Orders Accepted: 48
Orders with Errors: 2

Click to view error details

What the numbers mean:

• Processed: Total rows in CSV file
• Accepted: Orders successfully added to FCP
• Errors: Orders that failed validation

Step 5: Review Errors (If Any)

If any orders had errors:

1. Click “View Error Details” or “Download Error Report”
2. You’ll see or download a report showing:
   • Order number
   • Row number in CSV
   • Error description
   • Suggested fix

Common errors:

• Duplicate order number
• Invalid SKU
• Invalid ship method
• Missing required field
• Invalid address format

To fix errors:

1. Open your original CSV file
2. Correct the errors based on error report
3. Upload corrected file

Step 6: Verify Orders in FCP

1. Go to Orders → Search/Edit Orders
2. Search for today’s date or specific order numbers
3. Verify orders appear with status “Pending” (yellow)
4. Check order details are correct

If orders don’t appear:

• Check error report for issues
• Verify you’re looking at correct date
• Contact support if orders accepted but not visible

8. Common Issues and Solutions

Issue: File Won’t Upload

Possible causes:

• File too large (over 5 MB)
• Wrong file format (not .csv)
• File corrupted
• Browser issue

Solutions:

• Verify file is .csv format (not .xlsx or .xls)
• Check file size (right-click → Properties)
• If too large, split into multiple files
• Try different browser (Chrome, Firefox)
• Re-save file as CSV and try again

Issue: All Orders Show Errors

Possible causes:

• Columns in wrong order
• Missing header row
• Extra columns at beginning
• Incorrect file format (xlsx or xls instead of .csv)

Solutions:

• Download sample template from FCP
• Copy your data into template
• Ensure columns match template exactly
• Verify file saved as CSV (not Excel format)
• Open CSV in text editor to check delimiter

Issue: “Invalid SKU” Errors

Cause: SKU in CSV doesn’t match SKU in FCP

Solutions:

• Go to Client Info → View Items in FCP
• Find correct SKU spelling (exact match, case-sensitive)
• Update CSV with correct SKU
• Re-upload corrected orders

Prevention:

• Copy SKUs directly from FCP
• Don’t type SKUs manually
• Watch for extra spaces before/after SKU

Issue: “Duplicate Order Number” Errors

Cause: Order number already exists in FCP

Solutions:

• Check if order was already imported
• Use unique order numbers for each order
• Add date or timestamp to order numbers
• If re-uploading after fixing errors

Prevention:

• Use order numbers from your platform
• Include date in order number format: 2025-11-14-001
• Keep record of imported files

Issue: Address Validation Errors

Common address errors:

• Apartment number missing
• City/state/zip mismatch
• Invalid zip code format
• Country code wrong

Solutions:

For PO Boxes:

• Use “PO Box 123” in Address 1 field
• Leave Address 2 blank

For apartments:

• Put street address in Address 1
• Put “Apt 4B” in Address 2
• Don’t combine in Address 1

For city/state/zip:

• Verify zip code matches city
• Use correct state code (CA not California)
• Check for typos

For international:

• Use proper country code (GB not UK, CA not CAN)
• Format postal code correctly for country
• Include region/province if required

Issue: Orders Missing After Upload

Possible causes:

• Orders had errors (check error report)
• Looking at wrong date range
• Order status filter hiding orders
• Orders went to different location/client

Solutions:

• Check error report for rejected orders
• Go to Orders → Search/Edit Orders
• Set date range to include upload date
• Clear any filters (show all statuses)
• Search by specific order number
• Contact support if still can’t find orders

Issue: Multi-Item Orders Not Grouping

Symptom: Each line item creates separate order instead of combining into one order

Cause: Order numbers don’t match exactly across rows

Solutions:

• Verify order numbers are identical (including spaces, case)
• Don’t add line item numbers to order number
• Keep order number exactly same for all items

Example of correct format:

<pre><code class=”language-csv”>ORD-001,… ,PRODUCT-A,1 ORD-001,… ,PRODUCT-B,2 ORD-001,… ,PRODUCT-C,1</code></pre>

All three items will combine into one order ORD-001.

Issue: Special Characters Display Incorrectly

Symptom: Names like “José García” show as “José García”

Cause: Encoding mismatch (file not saved as UTF-8)

Solutions:

In Excel:

1. File → Save As
2. Tools → Web Options
3. Encoding → UTF-8
4. Save

In Notepad++ (Windows):

1. Open CSV
2. Encoding → Convert to UTF-8
3. Save

In Google Sheets:

1. File → Download
2. Select CSV (already UTF-8)

Prevention: Always save as UTF-8 encoded CSV

<Name>John &amp; Jane Smith</Name>  <!-- Correct -->
<Name>John & Jane Smith</Name>      <!-- Incorrect -->

Documentation

Document Your Integration:

• Map your system fields to API fields
• Document SKU mapping logic
• List ship method mappings
• Record credential locations
• Note any custom business logic
• Maintain API version used