The import framework loads your existing records into TamilAccounting from Excel. Every import follows the same shape: download the sample file, map your data into it, upload, review the preview, then commit. This guide covers the rules that apply to all of them and the order to run them in.
Where to find it
Go to Setup > Import Export, or reach it through the Opening Data step of the Setup Wizard. Several modules also expose their own import directly, such as Import Sales transaction.
The rules that apply to every import
| Rule | Detail |
|---|
| Use the sample file | Download … Excel Format for the import you are running and paste your data into it. |
| Never change the headers | Columns are matched by the header text in row one. Renaming, deleting or reordering them breaks the import before it starts. |
| Date format | Dates must be Y/m/d. This is the single most common cause of a failed import. |
| Codes must already exist | Customer names, supplier names, item codes and account codes must match records already in the system, exactly. |
| File types | Excel or CSV. Anything else is rejected on upload. |
| Test small first | Import one or two rows, check the result, then run the full file. |
Almost every failed migration traces back to one of two things: a date that is not Y/m/d, or a name in the spreadsheet that does not yet exist in the system. Both are found instantly by a five-row test import.
The import process
- Prepare — move your data into the downloaded sample file.
- Configure — set the options for this import, such as duplicate handling.
- Upload — choose the file and upload it.
- Review — the system shows a preview and reports any errors it found.
- Import — commit the rows once the preview is clean.
Import order
Imports depend on each other. Run them in this order and each one finds what it needs already in place.
| # | Import | Why it comes here |
|---|
| 1 | Chart of Accounts | Everything posts to an account. Nothing else can run first. |
| 2 | Customers, Suppliers | Master parties, needed before branches, balances or transactions. |
| 3 | Customer Branches | Requires the customer to exist. |
| 4 | Items and Services | Needed before stock, kits, BOMs or any transaction with lines. |
| 5 | Sales Kits, Bills of Materials | Both are built from items. |
| 6 | Employees, Payroll Allowances | Allowances attach to employees. |
| 7 | Fixed Assets | Independent, but needs its accounts configured. |
| 8 | Opening balances and stock | See Opening Balances. |
| 9 | Leads, CRM Opportunities | Optional, and independent of the accounting data. |
Available imports
Master data
| Import | What it loads |
|---|
| Chart of Accounts | Your account structure. COA with Non-auto ID keeps your existing account numbers rather than letting the system allocate them. |
| Customers | Customer master records. |
| Customer Branches | Branch records against existing customers. |
| Suppliers | Supplier master records. |
| Items and Services | Stock items and services. Override Existing Items updates records that already exist instead of skipping them. |
| Sales Kits | Kit and packaging definitions built from items. |
| Bills of Materials | Manufacturing BOM structures. |
| Employees | Staff records for HR and payroll. |
| HRM & Payroll Allowances | Allowance definitions against employees. |
| Fixed Assets | Asset register entries. |
| Leads, CRM Opportunities | Pipeline data for CRM. |
Balances and stock
| Import | What it loads |
|---|
| Customer Opening Balance | What each customer owed you at cut-over. |
| Supplier Opening Balance | What you owed each supplier at cut-over. |
| Inventory Adjustments | Opening stock quantities and values. |
| Inventory Transfers | Moves stock between locations in bulk. |
| Journal Entries | General ledger entries, including your opening trial balance. |
Transactions
| Import | What it loads |
|---|
| Sales Invoices | Historic sales. Creates the invoices, orders and deliveries together. |
| Purchase Invoices | Historic supplier bills. |
| Bank Statements | Statement lines for reconciliation, using a bank template. |
Import options
| Option | Effect |
|---|
| Allow Duplicate Transactions | Permits rows sharing a reference. Off by default, which is what stops a file being imported twice. |
| Override Existing Items | Updates matching records rather than skipping them. |
| Skip If Stock Exists | On stock imports, leaves items that already hold a quantity untouched. |
| Default Location for QOH | The warehouse opening stock is placed into. |
| Stock Adjustment Date | The date opening stock is recognised. |
| Opening Balance Date | The cut-over date balances are dated at. |
| Intermediate GL Account | The contra account opening balances post against. See Opening Balances. |
Migrate from Software
Where you are moving from another accounting package, the Migrate from Software option accepts that system's own export rather than requiring you to remap everything by hand. Select the software you are migrating from, choose your export file, and use View reference data your file should match to check the values it expects before uploading.
When an import fails
| Symptom | Usual cause |
|---|
| Nothing imports; error on upload | Headers renamed or moved, or an unsupported file type. |
| Rows rejected with unmatched values | A customer, supplier, item or account in the file does not exist yet. Run the master data import first. |
| Dates land wrongly or are rejected | The file is not using Y/m/d. |
| Stock import fails on quantity | Negative inventory is disabled and the file would take stock below zero. |
| Rows silently skipped | Duplicate references, with Allow Duplicate Transactions off. |
| "Uploaded file is no longer available" | The upload expired between steps. Upload again. |
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