How to Import Expenses including Supplier info from a CSV file
1. Overview
The Import Expenses feature in Prism's Finance module allows you to bulk-upload multiple expense records at once using a CSV (Comma Separated Values) file. Instead of entering each expense individually, you can prepare your data in a spreadsheet, export it as CSV, and import it directly into the Transaction register.
This feature is particularly useful when:
• You have a large number of expenses from an external system or spreadsheet
• You need to import historical data into Prism
• You want to batch-process supplier invoices quickly
2. Step-by-Step
Step 1 — Navigate to Finance > Transaction
From the top navigation bar, click Finance. This opens the Finance module. Then click the Transaction tab in the sub-navigation bar.
Step 2 — Open the Import Expense Dialog
In the top-right area of the Transaction page, click the Add Expense button (the button with a + icon). A dropdown menu will appear, click Import Expense item in the dropdown menu. The Import Expense dialog will open, showing a three-step process.
Step 3 — Download the Prism Template
Inside the Import Expense dialog, follow Step 1 described on screen: download the Prism CSV template.
Click the Download Template link. The file ImportExpenseTemplate.csv will be downloaded to your computer (typically saved to your Downloads folder).
⚠ Note: Do not rename the file or change the column headings. The system relies on the exact column structure.
Step 4 — Prepare Data to Import
Open the downloaded template file.
Once you have entered your data, save the file in CSV format
⚠ Note: The file name must end with .csv. Files with other extensions (e.g., .xlsx) cannot be imported.
Step 5 — Upload the CSV File
Return to the Import Expense dialog in Prism. Under Step 3 — Import the updated template file, upload file.
The system will read and validate your CSV file before proceeding.
Step 6 — Review and Handle Warnings
If any data issues are detected, Prism will display a Warning dialog before importing. Common warnings include:
Warning Message | Cause | Resolution |
Supplier [Name] not found | The supplier name in your CSV does not match any existing supplier in Prism | Go to Supplier module, verify the exact supplier name, update your CSV, and re-upload |
Invalid data detected at line [N] | A row contains invalid or missing data | Open the CSV, fix the data on the indicated row, save, and re-upload |
Date format error | A date is not in DD/MM/YYYY format | Correct the date format in your CSV |
After reviewing the warning, you must go back and fix the CSV file first
Step 7 — Review the Import Preview
Once the file is successfully validated and loaded, the Import Expense dialog will display a preview table of all expenses from your CSV.
Review the data in the preview to confirm it looks correct. The Total Sale is shown at the bottom right of the preview.
If you need to import additional rows (not yet in the preview), click Import More to upload another CSV file.
Step 8 — (Optional) Assign a Supplier Filter
At the top of the Import Expense dialog, there is a Supplier dropdown field. If all expenses in your import belong to the same supplier, you can select that supplier here to apply it as a filter or default. This is optional.
Step 9 — Save the Import
Once you are satisfied with the preview, click the Save button (purple, bottom-right of the dialog). The expenses will be imported into the Transaction register.
After saving, you will return to the Transaction page and the newly imported expenses will appear at the top of the transaction list with their correct dates, suppliers, items, costs, and account codes.
✓ Tip: The transaction totals (Total Cost, Extra, Sale) at the top of the page will update to reflect the newly imported expenses.
3. Tips & Best Practices
• Always use the latest Prism template downloaded from the Import Expense dialog — do not reuse old template files as columns may have changed.
• Validate supplier names before importing: go to the Supplier module and search for each supplier to confirm exact names.
• Keep a backup of your original CSV file before importing in case you need to re-upload or audit the data.
• Use Australian date format (DD/MM/YYYY) for all dates, consistent with Prism's date handling.
• Do not include thousands separators (commas) in numeric fields — enter cost values as plain numbers, e.g., 1500 not 1,500.
• For large imports, consider splitting into batches (e.g., 50 rows at a time) to make troubleshooting easier if any errors occur.
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