# Hardware step 3: load a large catalog > Import thousands of hardware items from a spreadsheet, organise categories and brands, add opening stock and print barcode labels. Source: https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-types/hardware/step-3-load-a-large-catalog/ Last updated: 2026-10-30 Product: SmartPOS Hub (https://smartposhub.com) A hardware store easily carries 10,000 to 50,000 items. Typing them one by one is not realistic, so this step loads your catalog from a spreadsheet, sets up categories and brands that make sense on the shop floor, adds the stock you already have and prints the labels cashiers will scan. ## Before you start - Units and sub-units exist ([step 2](https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-types/hardware/step-2-units-boxes-and-lengths/)). - You have your item list as a spreadsheet, for example from your co-op or main distributor. - Optional: create your category tree first (**Products › Categories**), such as Fasteners › Screws, Plumbing › Fittings, Lumber & Building › Treated Lumber. Categories also become the tabs on the POS. ## Import the products 1. Open **Products › Import Products**. 2. Click **Download template file** and open **See what goes in each column**. 5 of the columns are required; keep the header row and the column order. 3. Fill in one product per row: name, unit, category and sub-category, brand, SKU or barcode, purchase and selling price, tax, and whether to manage stock. Services such as key cutting get Manage Stock = 0. 4. Save as .xlsx, .xls or .csv, drag it onto **Upload your file** and click **Import file**. 5. Check the review step. If a row has a problem, nothing is saved; fix the row and upload again. ![Import Products page with four steps - download template, fill it in, upload and review - and a column reference with 56 columns](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/import-products.DHuMYvwr.png) (web app page: `/import-products`) *Products › Import Products: download the template, fill it in, upload. The column reference explains every column.* **Tip:** Split a very large file into chunks of a few thousand rows (for example one per department). Smaller files are quicker to check and fix. ## Add opening stock - **All at once:** **Products › Import Opening Stock**. Fill in SKU, location, quantity and unit cost, and upload. Use a separate row per location (store and yard). - **One product:** edit it and enter quantities on the **Stock** tab. Enter quantities in the **base unit**: 2,000 screws, not 20 boxes. See [opening stock](https://docs.smartposhub.com/catalog/opening-stock/). ## Labels and barcodes - Products without a barcode get an SKU automatically. Print shelf or bin labels with **Products › Print Labels**: add products, choose what to print (name, price, business name), pick the label sheet and print. - Products that come with a manufacturer barcode are scanned directly; put that code in the SKU column of the import. ## Check the result Open **Reports › Stock Report** and filter by location and category. You should see each item with its stock, value at purchase and selling price, and the potential profit. ![Stock Report with filters for location, category, sub category, brand and unit, and cards for closing stock by purchase and sale price, potential profit and profit margin](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/stock-report.COEtTB1J.png) (web app page: `/reports/stock-report`) *Reports › Stock Report after the import: stock value and margin per location.* ## Tips and mistakes to avoid - Keep names consistent: size first, then material and finish (for example "#8 x 1-1/4 in Exterior Deck Screw"). Cashiers search by typing part of the name. - Do not import the same file twice; it creates duplicates. Use **Products › Update Price** for price changes. - Add product photos later for the best sellers; they appear on POS tiles and online. Next: [step 4: contractor accounts and price groups](https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-types/hardware/step-4-contractor-accounts-and-price-groups/). - [Import products from Excel](https://docs.smartposhub.com/catalog/import-products-excel/) - [Opening stock](https://docs.smartposhub.com/catalog/opening-stock/) - [Barcodes and labels](https://docs.smartposhub.com/catalog/barcodes-and-labels/) - [Prices and discounts](https://docs.smartposhub.com/catalog/prices-and-discounts/) ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the fastest way to add 20,000 items? Products › Import Products. Download the template, paste your supplier or co-op file into the columns in the same order, and upload it. Every row is checked first; if one row has a problem nothing is imported, so you can fix it and try again. ### Can the import set units and sub-units? It sets the base unit. The unit column must match the name or short name of a unit in Products › Units, otherwise that row is refused. Related sub-units are not in the template; leave them empty to allow every sub-unit of the base unit, or pick them on the product afterwards. ### How do I add the quantities I already have? Use Products › Import Opening Stock with SKU, location, quantity and unit cost, or type it per product on the Stock tab. ### My items have no barcodes. What do I do? Leave the SKU empty and SmartPOS Hub creates one, then print labels with Products › Print Labels. Cashiers scan the label or type part of the name or SKU. ### How do I update prices for the whole store? Products › Update Price exports the prices (and one column per price group) to a file. Change them and import the file back. ### Is there a hardware catalog in the Product Library? No. The Product Library has Mart, Pharmacy and Electronics catalogs only, so hardware stores use the spreadsheet import.