Bulk Upload Imports

Easily add multiple import records at once using the bulk upload feature in kolum. This helps you save time, reduce manual entry, and keep your compliance data structured. Because every import carries an Identifier, the same upload also lets you update many existing imports in one go.

How it works

Download the provided import upload template (CSV/Excel) from kolum. Fill in each required field carefully for all your import records, and upload the completed file. kolum will process the data and display any errors that need correction before imports are created or updated. The template's Explanation, Example and Validation worksheets show every column, sample rows and the allowed values, and the Changelog worksheet lists what changed compared with the previous template.

The Identifier in the first column decides what happens to each row: a row whose Identifier already exists in your account updates that import in place, a row with a new Identifier creates a new import, and a row with an empty Identifier creates a new import for which kolum generates an identifier in the form kolum-ImportID-n. This is what makes an export, edit, and re-upload cycle safe: nothing is duplicated.

Key rules to avoid errors

To ensure a smooth upload, please ensure:

• Identifier: Optional. Use the identifier from your own systems, or the one kolum assigned earlier (for example kolum-ImportID-12, as shown in the imports table and the export), or leave the cell empty for a new import and let kolum generate one. If you fill it in, it must be unique within your account, and the same Identifier appearing twice in one file is a row-level error.
• Date: Always use YYYY-MM-DD format to avoid upload issues.
• Quantity and Measurement Unit: Enter the amount as a plain number in Quantity and state its unit in Measurement Unit: kg or t for goods, MWh for electricity only (tariff codes starting 2716). The unit is mandatory for every row; an unknown or missing unit is a row-level error. Quantities in kg are converted to tonnes when saved.
• CN Code: Ensure the 8-digit Combined Nomenclature (CN) code is accurate, matching the goods being imported. Mistyped CN codes will result in rejected rows.
• EORI Number: Must exactly match an existing company you have already created in kolum. If the EORI number does not match, you will see an error. Double-check your company list and copy the EORI precisely; the company's country also determines the currency of the customs value.
• Article Reference Number: Articles must already exist in your kolum system with the correct Article Identifier. If the article reference does not match an existing article, you will see an error.
• Supplier Identifier: The supplier should already exist in your kolum system, and you should use the same Supplier Identifier exactly as entered.
• Production Facility Identifier: If you include production facilities, ensure they are pre-created in kolum, belong to the supplier in the row, and you are using the exact Facility Identifier.
• Country of Origin: Use the official 2-letter ISO country code (e.g., CN for China, IN for India) rather than country names. Uploads will fail if you write "India" instead of "IN".
• Customs Value and Customs Value Currency: The customs value is optional for EU CBAM but required if the importing company is registered for UK CBAM. Leave the currency column blank; kolum fills in the currency derived from the importing company's country. If you enter a currency, it must match the derived one, otherwise the row is rejected.
• Applied and Previous Customs Procedure: Use the correct codes (e.g., CP40, CP51). The Previous Customs Procedure and the inward processing columns are required only when the applied procedure is CP51 or CP54.
• Template version: Always download a fresh template before you start. Files that still use the previous headers (for example the tonnes-only quantity column without a Measurement Unit, or no Identifier column) are rejected with a message that names the new template, so nothing is misread silently.

Upload and Review

1. Prepare your file: Ensure your template is filled correctly according to the above rules.
2. Upload the file: Navigate to the Imports section, click Upload file, and select your prepared file.
3. Check for errors: kolum will validate your upload and display a clear error table highlighting incorrect rows in red with explanations (e.g., "The EORI number does not match an existing company" or "Identifier is used twice in this file"). The whole file is committed only when every row is valid, so nothing is imported partially. You can download the error report if needed.
4. Correct and re-upload: Fix the errors in your file based on the validation feedback and re-upload until the file is accepted.

Tips for smooth uploads

• Validate your EORI numbers, Article IDs, CN Codes, and Supplier Identifiers in kolum before preparing the file.
• Use the exact 2-letter country codes.
• Avoid unnecessary spaces or extra characters in identifier columns.
• Keep your upload files clean and remove any unused rows.
• To update imports in bulk, use Export on the Imports page, adjust the file, and upload it again: the Identifier column makes sure each row updates the right import.
• If you have frequent large uploads, consider aligning your ERP export with kolum's template to reduce manual preparation.

Next steps

After successfully uploading your imports:

• Your import records will appear in the Imports table, with their Identifier, Quantity, Measurement Unit, and Customs Value Currency.
• You can edit or delete any record individually if changes are required.
• Imported emissions data can now be tracked and linked with your reports seamlessly.

What's new

The imports upload now works with an Identifier column: rows with a known Identifier update the existing import, rows with a new or empty Identifier create one (kolum generates the identifier when you leave it empty), so you can export, adjust, and re-upload your imports without duplicates. The template records the amount as Quantity plus Measurement Unit (kg, t, or MWh for electricity) and carries a Customs Value Currency that follows the importing company's country. Download a fresh template before your next upload; old templates are no longer accepted.