CSV / XLSX File as a Source
June 28, 2026
Summary
The CSV/XLSX File source imports inventory and order data from flat files delivered by manual upload, HTTP/HTTPS URL, FTP/SFTP, inbound email, or a Google Sheets CSV export. Files can use header-based (map by column name) or index-based (map by column position) mapping, and supported formats include CSV, TSV, TXT, and XLSX. Every operation has its own required field that must be mapped before the job will run.
What this integration does
Get Inventory (Primary)
Imports full product data from the file – Parent SKU, SKU, brand, categories, title/description, cost and quantity
Get Inventory (Secondary)
Pulls a separate pricing/quantity/status (PQS) file to refresh Cost, Quantity, MSRP/MAP and related variant fields
Send Fulfillment Requests
Generates a CSV/XLSX of fulfillment requests and emails it to your vendor for order submission
Get Shipments
Reads a shipment file and writes tracking, carrier and ship date back onto fulfillment requests
Get Fulfillment Request Acknowledgements
Imports vendor accept/reject acknowledgements for submitted fulfillment requests
Get Invoices
Imports invoice details (invoice number, costs, status) for submitted fulfillment requests
How to connect - credentials you need
Go to Sources → + Add Source, choose Product Data Source as the type, then click Start Creating Integrations and add Get Inventory [Primary]. In Step 1 click + New Connection, pick how Flxpoint should retrieve your file, fill the fields for that method, then click Test Connection → Save Connection.
Manual FileSetting
Upload a CSV/XLSX directly from your computer. Best for one-time or ad-hoc imports rather than a recurring feed.
No recurring fetch – re-upload the file whenever it changes.
HTTP/HTTPS URLSetting
Paste a direct file URL that returns the CSV/XLSX. Supports optional Basic Auth if the host requires a username and password.
The URL must return the raw file, not an HTML download page.
FTP/SFTPSetting
Enter the host, port, username, and password (or key) for the server where the vendor drops the file.
Wrong credentials or server downtime pause the job and trigger a notification.
Email (Inbound)Setting
Retrieve the file as an attachment from an inbox. Configure the server type (IMAP or POP3), host, folder, and credentials so Flxpoint can pull the latest attachment.
Send Fulfillment Requests uses this connection in reverse – it emails the generated file out.
Google Sheets (CSV export)Setting
Use a CSV export URL for your Sheet in the form
For protected sheets the link must be accessible to Flxpoint; format all columns as Plain Text (see Important notes).
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/YOUR_DOC_ID/export?format=csv. Copy the document ID from between /d/ and /edit in the sheet URL.If Test Connection fails, re-check the URL, path, or credentials and confirm the file is reachable from Flxpoint (a public link or valid auth). File-access failures (for example wrong FTP credentials) pause the integration and send a notification rather than importing partial data.
Important - read before configuring
Each operation has its own required field that must be mapped or the job fails
Get Inventory Primary requires Parent SKU and SKU. Get Inventory Secondary requires SKU. Send Fulfillment Requests requires Order ID (or an equivalent identifier). Get Shipments, Get FR Acknowledgements, and Get Invoices each require Fulfillment Request Number. Map the required field before running any operation.
"Process Feed Even If Some Headers Are Missing" is on by default for integrations created after May 20, 2025
When enabled, a Primary or Secondary job succeeds even if some non-required header columns are missing – those fields are treated as Don't Map and existing values are preserved. The job still fails if a required header (e.g. SKU) is missing. This setting only applies to header-based feeds; for index-based mapping all columns must still be present in the correct order.
Google Sheets columns must be formatted as Plain Text to avoid import errors
When the file source is a Google Sheets CSV export, set every column to Plain Text in Google Sheets (Format → Number → Plain Text). Cells formatted as numbers, dates, or currency may be transformed by Google on export, causing values like UPCs or order numbers to appear in scientific notation or with the wrong decimal separator.
Send Fulfillment Requests emails the file – it does not read one
Unlike the other operations, Send Fulfillment Requests generates a CSV/XLSX and emails it to your vendor. The default send-from address is notify@flxpoint.com; to use a custom send-from address, contact support@flxpoint.com. Add recipient To/CC/BCC addresses in the operation settings.
Mapping - fields to know
| File Field | Maps To – Notes |
|---|---|
| Parent SKU | → Parent SKU. Required. Uniquely identifies the parent product and links variants. |
| SKU | → SKU. Required. Uniquely identifies the variant. |
| Brand | → Brand. Optional. Categorizes products by brand. |
| Category 1 | → Category 1. Optional. Organizes products into categories. |
| Title | → Title. Optional. Names the product. |
| Description | → Description. Optional. Provides product details. |
| Cost | → Cost. Optional. Variant cost (e.g. 29.99). |
| Quantity | → Quantity. Optional. On-hand inventory level. |
| Weight Unit | → Weight Unit. Optional. Standardizes weight (e.g. pound). |
| Dimension Unit | → Dimension Unit. Optional. Standardizes dimensions (e.g. inch). |
| File Field | Maps To – Notes |
|---|---|
| SKU | → SKU. Required. Matching key that links the PQS row to an existing variant. |
| Quantity | → Quantity. On-hand units. |
| Cost | → Cost. Variant cost. |
| MSRP | → MSRP. Manufacturer's suggested retail price. |
| MAP | → MAP. Minimum advertised price. |
| Source List Price | → Source List Price. Vendor's list price. |
| Dropship Fee | → Dropship Fee. Per-order dropship fee. |
| Shipping Cost | → Shipping Cost. Variant shipping cost. |
| Allow Backorders | → Allow Backorders. Whether backorders are allowed (e.g. True). |
| Weight / Height / Length / Width | → matching variant fields. Keep product-level fields (title, description) in Primary, not here. |
| File Field | Maps To – Notes |
|---|---|
| Order ID | → Order ID. Required (or equivalent identifier). Identifies the fulfillment request. |
| SKU | → SKU. Optional. The product to fulfill. |
| Quantity | → Quantity. Optional. Number of items to fulfill. |
| Shipping Method | → Shipping Method. Optional (e.g. Standard). |
| Requested Ship Date | → Requested Ship Date. Optional. Desired ship date (e.g. 2025-06-10). |
| File Field | Maps To – Notes |
|---|---|
| Fulfillment Request Number | → Fulfillment Request Number. Required. Links the shipment back to its FR. |
| Carrier | → Carrier. Optional (e.g. UPS). |
| Method | → Method. Optional shipping method (e.g. Ground). |
| Tracking Number | → Tracking Number. Optional. The shipment tracking number. |
| Tracking URL | → Tracking URL. Optional. Link to track the shipment. |
| Shipped At | → Shipped At. Optional. Ship date (match your file's date format). |
| Shipping Cost | → Shipping Cost. Optional. |
| SKU / Quantity (line item) | → Shipment Item fields. Optional. Per-item detail for the shipment. |
| File Field | Maps To – Notes |
|---|---|
| Fulfillment Request Number | → Fulfillment Request Number. Required. Links the acknowledgement to its FR. |
| Acknowledgment Status | → Acknowledgment Status. Optional (e.g. Accepted, Rejected). |
| Acknowledgment Date | → Acknowledgment Date. Optional. Date of the acknowledgement. |
| Note | → Note. Optional. Free-text acknowledgement note. |
| SKU / Quantity / Item Status (line item) | → Acknowledgment Item fields. Optional. Per-item status (e.g. Confirmed, Backordered). |
| File Field | Maps To – Notes |
|---|---|
| Fulfillment Request Number | → Fulfillment Request Number. Required. Links the invoice to its FR. |
| Invoice Number | → Invoice Number. Optional. Uniquely identifies the invoice. |
| Invoice Date | → Invoice Date. Optional. Issuance date. |
| Invoice Status | → Invoice Status. Optional. Defaults to Paid; map or set to Unpaid as needed. |
| Fee Cost / Other Cost / Shipping Cost / Tax Cost | → matching header-level cost fields. Optional. |
| SKU / Title / Quantity / Cost / Per Unit Cost / Invoice Item Type (line item) | → Source Invoice Item fields. Optional. Itemized invoices are not supported by default – customize the mapping template to enable them. |
Common issues
Job fails with a "missing required field" error
Every operation has a hard-required field: GIP needs Parent SKU and SKU; GIS needs SKU; Get Shipments, Get FR Acknowledgements, and Get Invoices need Fulfillment Request Number; Send FR needs Order ID. Open the mapping template, confirm the required field maps to a valid column, and save before re-running. For header-based feeds, also confirm the header name in the file exactly matches the mapped column name.
Quantities or prices import as 0 or show wrong values
Check that (1) the Delimiter setting matches the file's actual delimiter (a pipe-delimited file parsed as comma will break); (2) the decimal format matches your file (period vs. comma); (3) for XLSX, the Excel Sheet Index points to the correct sheet (
0 = first); (4) Number of Rows to Skip is set if there are title/comment rows above the header; and (5) for Google Sheets, all numeric columns are formatted as Plain Text.GIP or GIS job is not picking up the latest file version
Check the Download Files Modified in the Last X Days setting – if it is set to 14 but the file was last modified 15 days ago, it is skipped. Increase the value or set it to
0 to always download. For HTTP/HTTPS sources, confirm the URL is not returning a cached copy; for FTP, confirm the file was actually updated on the server after the last run.File delivered inside a ZIP/RAR archive does not import
Use the File to Extract setting to name the exact file inside the archive (e.g.
inventory.csv), matching case and extension exactly. Without it, Flxpoint does not know which file to read and the import fails. If the archive layout changes between deliveries, ask the vendor to keep a consistent filename.The vendor delivers multiple files with a date-time range in the name – how do I read all of them?
Use a wildcard
* in the Remote File Name Pattern setting to match every file that includes a dynamic or numeric value. For example, if the vendor delivers ABC080726.csv and ABC080826.csv, set the pattern to ABC*.csv and Flxpoint reads all matching files.How do I read a single file among multiple files inside a ZIP folder?
Set the ZIP file's name in the Remote File Name Pattern setting, then name the specific file to read from inside the archive in the File to Extract box under Advanced settings.
FAQs
What connection methods are available for file delivery?▸
Five: Manual File (upload a CSV/XLSX from your computer, one-time or ad hoc); HTTP/HTTPS (paste a direct file URL, optional Basic Auth); FTP/SFTP (host, port, username, and password or key); Email (Inbound) (an IMAP/POP server that retrieves file attachments from an inbox); and Google Sheets (a CSV export URL in the form
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/YOUR_DOC_ID/export?format=csv). For protected sheets, the link must be accessible to Flxpoint.What key configuration settings does Get Inventory Primary support?▸
File Has Headers (header-based vs. index-based mapping), File Format (CSV, TSV, XLSX), Delimiter (comma, pipe, tab, etc.), Number of Rows to Skip (skip title comments or blank rows at the top), Excel Sheet Index (which sheet tab in an XLSX file, 0-indexed), Download Files Modified in the Last X Days, Archive/Un-Archive Inventory, Save Products in Small Batch (reduces memory pressure on large files), and File to Extract (filename to use when the file arrives in a ZIP/RAR archive).
What fields does Get Inventory Secondary support for pricing and quantity updates?▸
GIS variant fields: SKU (required), Quantity, Cost, MSRP, MAP, Source List Price, Dropship Fee, Shipping Cost, Weight, Weight Unit, Dimension Unit, Height, Length, Width, and Allow Backorders. GIS is built for frequent price/quantity updates from a vendor's separate PQS file – map SKU as the matching key plus whichever pricing and quantity fields the vendor includes, and keep product-level fields like title and description in Primary.
What is the difference between header-based and index-based mapping?▸
In header-based mode you map by column name (e.g. map the "Parent SKU" header to the Parent SKU field), and the "Process Feed Even If Some Headers Are Missing" setting applies. In index-based mode you map by column position (Column A = first, Column B = second, etc.); all columns must be present in the correct order regardless of settings, so removing or reordering a column breaks the mapping. Use header-based for any file that includes a header row, and index-based only for headerless files with a guaranteed-stable column order.
What does Get FR Acknowledgements import from the file?▸
It reads a vendor-provided acknowledgement file and maps Fulfillment Request Number (required – links the ack to its FR), Acknowledgment Status (e.g. Accepted, Rejected), Acknowledgment Date, and Note at the header level, plus SKU, Quantity, and Item Status at the line-item level. Use it when your vendor returns order acceptance/rejection as a file rather than in real time via API; sample acknowledgement files are available in the setup for format reference.