Move your inventory spreadsheet into ItemTally
Save the sheet as CSV, upload it, check what each column becomes, and import. Then print labels and invite the team. Keep the spreadsheet open the whole time; you can import the same file again later to update what's there.
What you need
- Your spreadsheet (any layout, one row per thing works best)
- An ItemTally workspace, free for one editor and ten borrowers
- Label sheets (Avery L7160 or J8165) or a Brother printer with 62 mm rolls
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Tidy the sheet just enough
One header row, one row per thing, no merged cells or subtotal rows. Split one-off equipment from counted stock: unique items get their own row and a serial if they have one. Write locations as paths (Store room / Shelf 2). Don't over-clean; the next steps show you what's wrong.
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Save it as CSV
In Excel: File → Save As → CSV UTF-8. In Google Sheets: File → Download → Comma-separated values. Both save only the tab you're on, so do one tab at a time. Keep numbers plain (249.00, not €249).
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Upload it
In ItemTally, open Imports (press ⌘K or Ctrl+K and type it) and upload the file. CSV files up to 5 MB and 10,000 rows. The only column you must have is a name.
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Match columns
Each of your columns is matched to an ItemTally field by its header, with a live preview of the items it makes. Fix any guess that's wrong. Columns ItemTally doesn't know, like Supplier or Purchase date, can become Custom fields so nothing is lost.
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Check, then import
The Check step lists exactly what will be created, which new folders appear and why any row would be skipped, row by row. Fix the file and upload again as many times as you like. Nothing is written until you import.
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Print labels from the receipt
The Done step has Print labels for everything you just imported. Print shelf labels too, so scanning a shelf shows what lives there.
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Invite the team
Viewers are free on every plan. Add editors for the people who manage the register, and borrowers for people who take and return things themselves. People who only borrow at the counter don't need an account: they get a My things link.
How your columns map
The importer matches headers like these on its own:
| Your column says | It becomes |
|---|---|
| Name, Item, Product, Title | Name |
| Qty, Quantity, Count, Stock, On hand | Quantity |
| Unit, UoM | Unit |
| Location, Folder, Room, Shelf, Bin, Site | Location (folder path) |
| Min, Minimum, Reorder point, Threshold | Low-stock alert at |
| Max, Par level | Restock to |
| Serial, S/N, IMEI | Serial number |
| Barcode, QR code, EAN, UPC | Barcode or code |
| Value, Price, Cost | Value |
| Tags, Category, Label | Tags |
| Notes, Comments, Description | Notes |
| Photo, Image, Picture | Photo links |
| Type (with quantity or unique) | Kind (counted or unique) |
Watch for headers that match the wrong thing: an Asset tag column matches Tags, and a Restock column matches Quantity. Change them in the Match columns step.
The re-import trick
You don’t have to switch in one go. Keep updating the spreadsheet for a week while the team tries ItemTally, then import the same file again with Update items I already have ticked. Matching is by code, serial, then exact name and unit, so nothing doubles up. Quantity differences post as count lines noted with the file name, and changed locations post as moves, so the logbook shows exactly what the re-import changed.
Counted stock or unique items?
Without a Type column, a row with a quantity becomes counted stock, a row with only a serial becomes a unique item, and a row with neither becomes counted stock with a quantity of zero. If you lend equipment that has no serial, add a Type column with unique in those rows.
Try it on your own stuff. Free for one editor and ten borrowers, with unlimited items. No card.
Start freeQuestions people ask
Will importing the same spreadsheet twice create duplicates?
Not if you tick Update items I already have. Each row is matched to an existing item by code, then serial, then exact name and unit, and only what changed is updated. Blank cells never clear a field.
What happens to my old barcodes and asset numbers?
Map that column to Barcode or code. The codes are attached to the items, so existing stickers scan straight to the right item.
Can I import photos?
Yes, if a column holds public image links. ItemTally fetches up to eight per item during the import. Photos stored only on your computer are added on the item afterwards.
Can I import who has what?
Not as a column. Import the items, then hand things to people in ItemTally, or scan items into a basket and hand the whole lot over at once. Their history starts from that moment.
Can I get my data out again?
Yes, any day. Export items gives you a CSV, and Full takeout is a ZIP of everything. The export re-imports cleanly too.