A bidder can create or update line items in bulk using CSV import during the creation or update of their bids. There will be an additional Export and Import options available in bid request record when creating or revising bid.
Whether the bidder has permissions to add line items or update the bid line items, or not, in the bid line item tab (e.g., Line Item List tab), the Export option has two sub-options:
- Export Line Item Template
Use to export the CSV template with all the data elements that are in bidder detail form.
- Export All Line Items
In this scenario:
- The existing bid line items are those line items that are received from a requestor, and the line items that are saved by bidder.
- A new bid line items are those line items that are newly created by the bidder.
The Export options can be seen in the Grid View as well. The Import option will be available in the Form View only when the bidder has the ability to add or modify line items.
By using the Import option bidder can add new bid line items or can update existing bid line items in bulk.
Note: The Import option is not available in the Grid View.
When a user selects Export All Line Items Unifier downloads a CSV template which will have all the data elements, defined in the bidder detail form, as columns with the first column shown as 'D'. The downloaded CSV template will not show any hidden data elements in the form.
When the Export All Line Items is selected, the CSV template file that is downloaded will contain all bid line items currently available. All of the data defined for the elements defined in the bidder line items will are included in the CSV template file. The column structure is similar to the CSV template (all of the data elements that are in bidder detail form (except the hidden elements) will be shown as columns). Additionally, the first column in the CSV template file will be seen as 'D' to indicate as detail form and the second column will show 'Line No.' which indicates the line number. The first two columns are fixed.
The Line No. column will export all of the line numbers for existing line items, and it is a unique number to identify the line item that you want to update.
Note: The option Export All Line Items will be seen both in creation of bid and viewing bid submissions in the Form View and Grid View.
When you select the Export All Line Items option, and there are some line items that are not saved yet, the following confirmation message is displayed: "Unsaved data will be lost. Do you want to continue?"
- If you select Yes, then the CSV template file with all the saved line items will be seen.
- If you select No, then a CSV template file will not be generated, and the user will be shown the line item log.
Exported CSV Line Item Template
When you select the Export Line Item Template option from toolbar menu, Unifier downloads the CSV file template structure. The downloaded CSV template file will show all of the data elements that are part of the bidder detail form as columns. The first column will be shown as 'D to indicate the detail form. By using this CSV template, you can create new bid line items in bulk.
The exported CSV line item template contains informational text.
Note: The read-only columns will be shown in the exported CSV template. The columns that are required are shown with asterisk at the end of column name.
All of the data elements that are added to the bidder detail form is shown in the exported CSV template. The hidden fields and the Image Picker data elements will not be shown in the exported CSV template.
When you export the line item template, the existing bid line items will not be shown. You can import new bid line items using this CSV template. The required fields in the form are shown with asterisk symbol next to the column name in the CSV template.
The data provided for read-only fields will be ignored during the CSV import. The formula data elements is recalculated upon the CSV import. All of the form validations will take place when importing a new bid line items by using CSV template file.
The hidden data elements are not seen in the exported CSV template file.
Export All Line Items
When you select the Export All Line Items option from toolbar menu of the bid creation, or bid update, window, Unifier downloads the CSV file template structure. The downloaded CSV template file will show all of the existing line items. The option is available both in the create bid, or view bid, window.
As mentioned in the informational text in the file, you can add attachments by entering attachment name after the last column for every 'D' row separated by a colon (:), for each attachment name.
The first and second columns in the exported CSV file are fixed. The first column will show 'D,' and the second column will be shown as Line No. The data elements that are in bidder detail form will be seen as columns, after the fixed columns.
The exported CSV line item template contains informational text.
Note: The read-only columns will be shown in the header section of the CSV template file. The columns that are required are shown with asterisk at the end of column name.
All of the data elements that are added to the bidder detail form is shown in the exported CSV template. The hidden fields and the Image Picker data elements will not be shown in the exported CSV template.
The Line No. column will export all of the line numbers for existing line items, and it is a unique number to identify the line item that you want to update. All of the other columns will populate with the existing line item data. The remaining columns will be shown based on the bidder detail form.
This CSV template file can be used to update existing line items such as bid quantity, item unit cost, short description, and so forth.
Import Bid Line Items without Attachments
You can import the new bid line items by using the CSV line item template, in Form View. When creating new bid line items, you must enter the required fields data starting with the first column as 'D'. The required field validation takes place during the CSV import, if the values are not provided in the CSV file for the required fields or columns.
If in uDesigner the bidder form properties window does not have 'Add/Remove/Copy line items' checked, then the import of the new line items will fail, and the following message displays: Do not have permission to add new line items.
All of the additional validations for the required fields (form validations) takes place when creating new lines using CSV import.
Unifier calculates auto-populate data elements and formula elements upon successful import of line items.
You can add new attachments to the line item using the CSV template file. Attachment names can be specified after the last data element, for each line item, to add attachments when creating a line item.
Import Bid Line Items with Attachments
You can add attachments if the Allow attachments to line item is selected in uDesigner (bidder form). You can create new bid line items along with attachments by specifying the attachment names at the end of each detail row, after the last data element in the CSV template. You can upload multiple attachments to the line item by providing multiple file names separated by a colon (:).
The Import window has two steps:
- The first step is to upload the CSV file.
- The second step is to upload all of the attachments that need to be associated with the line items.
You can upload the CSV file in the CSV section. You can also drag and drop the CSV file in the required section on the page. The Next option will be enabled only when you select the CSV file in the first step.
You can add attachments by using the Add option or drag and drop the attachments in the Add Attachments step in the wizard. After uploading all of the required attachments in the second step, the Upload option will be enabled.
In the add attachments screen, the following columns are made available for the attachments:
- Name
Shows all of the attachments that are specified as part of the CSV file.
- Size
- Will be empty until you upload the file.
- Status
Displays "waiting for the file" until you upload the attachment.
After you upload the required file onto the add attachments screen, the status of the file changes to: Ready to be Uploaded.
If there are no attachments to the CSV file, then this step will not enable the Add option and will show the informational text: There are no attachments associated with the CSV.
If the Allow attachments to line item option is not selected under Add/Remove/Copy line items for bidder form design in uDesigner, then the following message is displayed: Do not have permissions to add attachments to new line items.
All of the validations (such as valid file name, missing attachment, and so forth) related to the import of line items with attachments will take place while uploading attachments along with line item validations.
Import Bid Line Items (Update Existing Line Items with or without out Attachments)
You can update the existing line items with the CSV file downloaded, by using the Export All Line Items option from the toolbar.
- When you select the Export All Line Items option from toolbar export menu, the downloaded CSV file will have all the existing bid line items. Additionally, the Line No. column will be shown next to the 'D' column which will populate the Line Number for the existing line items.
- Both the first and the second columns are fixed in the CSV file. The first column will show as 'D', and the second column will show the existing line number for all the exported line items.
- The Line No. column will be used as a unique identifier to update the existing line items.
- If the Line No. column is updated with a new value, and the value exists, then that line item will be updated.
- If you did not specify any Line No. or removed the existing Line No. values, then a new line item will be created with a unique value.
- If the Line Number value entered already exists for more than one line item in CSV file, then this message will be displayed: Duplicate value entered. The Line No. specified already exists.
- - When you tries to update the line items but in the bidder form properties the Allow modifying line items option is unchecked, then this message will be displayed in the error CSV file: Do not have permission to modify line items.
You can also add new attachments while updating an existing line items if the Allow attachments to the saved line items option is selected for the bidder form. All of the validations related to the import of attachments, along with line items, will take place while updating the line items with attachments.
If you try to add the same attachment which already exists in line item, then you cannot proceed with the import and the following message is displayed: <attachment_name> already exists in the line item <Line No.>.
When you try to add attachment while updating an existing line items through CSV import and in the design (uDesigner) the Bid form does not have the option Allow attachments to the saved line items option checked, then the following message is displayed in error CSV file: Do not have permissions to add attachments to the saved line items.
Auto-populate data elements and formula elements will be calculated upon successful import of line items.
Attachment names can be specified after the last data element, for each line item to add attachments when creating a line item.
Note: Unifier does not support the inclusion of the image picker field in the CSV import.
CSV Integration Support the User-preferred Language
A bidder will be able to import the line items in the language selected, other than English. This is applicable to both CSV template and CSV data.
- All of the column headers will be shown in the selected language.
- All of the informational text will be shown in the selected language.
- The bidder can enter data in the preferred language.
- At the time of importing line items, the user-preferred language will be considered while updating or creating new line items.
- Exporting existing line item data in CSV template shows data in the same language seen in the user interface.
- Any system generated error messages is displayed in the user-preferred language, during CSV import fail.
- All of the validations (required fields, form validations, and so forth) will take place during import.