Bulk editing: Saving time!

We know that when it comes to starting with Kobas, or major changes such as new venues or menu changeovers, saving admin time is essential! Enter – bulk uploading.

Last updated 21 Nov 2022

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Introduction

We have built several uploaders in key functions within Kobas. The uploaders work by you completing simple CSV files (a CSV file is a basic spreadsheet) with set headings, which can be uploaded into Kobas.

Warning: Kobas staff have no ability to undo a bulk upload. Please do contact Support, Implementation or your Account Manager if you require assistance with these uploaders.

Kobas support uploads

There are several bulk uploaders that can only be completed by Kobas staff on your behalf:

  • Stock Suppliers – adding multiple suppliers at once.
  • Historic Cash Logs – allows the adding of gross revenue figures per venue prior to using Kobas to provide Last Year comparison figures.
  • Ingredients – adding multiple stock ingredients at once.
  • New Starters – adding multiple new starters, where there is a new venue. Further details such as pay and emergency contact information will need adding.
  • Historic Hours Worked - this allows the uploading of your Irregular Hours' staff previous shifts to ensure their holiday entitlement and pay calculations are more accurate.

Please contact Implementation (if you are just starting with Kobas), your Account Manager, or the Support Help Desk to access these uploaders. Kobas will only complete these on your behalf where you have significant amounts of data to upload.


 

Client facing uploads

There are several bulk uploaders which users with the appropriate permission level can access:

  • Ingredient Pricing Administrator - This allows the updating of ingredient prices at a scheduled time. This is useful for when a supplier provides an updated price list to you.
  • Nutritional bulk uploaders - This allows the fast uploading of nutritional information.
  • Bulk EPoS Item Manager - This tool allows the updating of EPoS Item retail prices, names, barcodes and tax rates in bulk in a spreadsheet.
  • Ingredient-PLU uploader - This allows you to create a new Ingredient, and a new EPoS Item (PLU) and link them together. Useful for regularly updating guest beer, for example.

This article will explore how the ingredient and EPoS Item uploaders work, the Nutritional uploaders are explained in a separate article.

Top Tips: When first using either of these uploads, it is beneficial to upload one line into your Cloud Training Account to check whether it works as you expect it to.


Ingredient-PLU uploader

This tool allows the upload of new ingredients, and new PLUs already linked to that ingredient. The tool has some limitations: namely, PLUs cannot be uploaded without a related ingredient, nor can these PLUs have more than a single ingredient. Finally, it can only be used to upload new ingredients and associated PLU’s, not to link existing ones.

This feature is designed with operators who are rotating lines very often, or for events such as full menu changes. Once uploaded, our system will scan the file to make sure everything is correct, before creating all the items instantly.

  • The first step is to head in the cloud to Ingredients > Operations > Manage Ingredients and click “Ingredient Importer”.

At this point, you’ll want to check that the “Stock Measurements” drop-down contains the measurements that you will need be adding ingredients to PLU’s. For example, Single Measure, Double Measure, Pint, Half, Third, etc. If any need to add here, please contact the Support Help Desk.

Next, you’ll need to check whether you need any additional Ingredient or EPoS Item categories. Ingredient Categories can be added here Administration > Stock Ingredient Categories and EPoS here Administration > EPoS Item Categories.

Once you are sure this information is correct, you can progress to step 2.

  • Click the “Template CSV” button. This will download the template.

Above is a snapshot of the spreadsheet that has been downloaded. Row 1 (in red above) is the headings that need to be used. The information in Row 2 and below is demonstration information to show how to fill the sheet in and needs deleting when you are ready to add your information.

The table below explains the information required in each column. Those with an asterisk require you to choose an option from the drop-down lists on the Ingredient Importer screen (see screenshot below).

Stock Ingredient Name 

The name the ingredient will be given in Kobas.

Stock Ingredient Category*             

The stock category the new ingredient will be assigned to.

Stock Ingredient Measurement*

This is Items, Grams or Millilitres.

Child - Supplier Name*

The supplier needs to be already created in the dropdown.

Child - Supplier Code

This is optional and is the supplier code on the ingredient.

Child - Pack Price

This is the price of the pack (largest volume ordered, ie. 6 for wine that comes in a case of 6 bottles).

Child - Pack Size

This is the size of the pack.

Child - Unit Volume

This is the size of the unit (smallest volume, ie. 700ml wine bottle).

Child - Stock Ingredient Tax Code*

This is the tax for the ingredient.

EPoS Item Name

This is the short name of the new EPoS item in Kobas.

EPoS Item Public Name 

This is the public name used on receipts and the CIC. This is optional.

EPoS Item Category*

This is the category the new EPoS item will be assigned to.

Venue Name*

This needs to be copied from the drop-down list, or left blank will mean the PLU is available to all venues.

Barcode

You can optionally add a barcode for the PLU.

Eat In - Price

Retail price for Eat In. Leave blank if not available as Eat In.

Eat In - Sales Tax*

Copy from “EPoS Item Tax Rate”. Leave blank if not available.

Takeaway - Price

Retail price for Takeaway. Leave blank if not available as Takeaway.

Takeaway - Sales Tax*

Copy from “EPoS Item Tax Rate”. Leave blank if not available.

Delivery - Price

Retail price for Delivery. Leave blank if not available as Delivery.

Delivery - Sales Tax*

Copy from “EPoS Item Tax Rate”. Leave blank if not available.

Unit Volume*

This needs to be copied from the dropdown “EPoS Item Measurements”. This will dictate how much of the ingredient is used in this PLU. If you are missing the measurement, you will need to contact support to have this added to your account.

Top Tip: You will need to make sure the text is copied identically from the drop-down, without spaces after. For EPOS Item Tax Rates, use the word only.

This tool will allow you to add multiple PLU’s for each new ingredient. This maybe useful in the scenario where you wish to add a new Wine bottle ingredient, and a 125ml, 175ml measure, etc. In this instance, simply leave the ingredient sections blank after the ingredient has been completed for the first measure. Here’s an example:

  • Once you have filled in your CSV sheet, you need to choose file and upload on the Ingredient Import This will then allow Kobas to check your sheet before putting the data into your account. If any formatting errors are found, the screen will look like this:

This then highlights any errors on each line, so you can fix them in the CSV file, save and re-upload. The line number will almost match the line numbers on your spreadsheet, to let you find the line with issues quickly.

  • Once you upload with no errors, you can press Import Data.

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