# Importing specifications from Excel: template, columns, errors

URL: https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/production/import-specifications/
Updated: 2026-11-06

> Import lets you load many specifications with one Excel file: Bimp links the product and components by article numbers and calculates the planned cost price. Open "Production → Specifications", click "Import", choose a file based on the template and check the result message. All products and components must already exist in the catalog with article numbers.

## When you need to import specifications

Importing specifications from Excel saves time when you need to create dozens of specifications: when starting to work in Bimp, expanding the range or updating process cards. For example, a drone manufacturer loads one file with the composition of 15 drone modifications at once instead of adding every part manually.

## Before you start

Bimp finds the product and components by article numbers only, so before the import make sure all finished products and materials are already in the products catalog with the article number filled in. See [Products and services](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/products/products-and-services/).

## How to prepare the file

The file must contain these columns in this order (do not change their names).
| Column | What to enter |
|---|---|
| "Specification name" | A unique name, for example "Spec.UAV" |
| "Product article number" | The article number of the finished product from the product card |
| "Product quantity" | Base quantity of the product (usually 1) |
| "Component article number" | The article number of the raw material or component |
| "Quantity (gross)" | Quantity including technological waste |
| "Quantity net" | Net quantity in the finished product |
| "Loss (%)" | Percentage of loss or scrap |
| "Cost share" | Cost allocation coefficient (for [disassembly](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/production/disassembly/)) |
| "Cost price per unit" | Planned cost of one unit of the component |
| "Comment" | Notes |

![Excel template for importing specifications with the columns for specification name, product article number, product quantity, component article number, gross quantity, net quantity, loss percent, cost share, cost price per unit and comment, and two component rows of one specification "Spec.UAV test"](https://bimpsoft.com/help/_img/40c22b77-fb9f-4c87-a6de-52e93d6f8897.webp)

To load several specifications, enter the specification name and the product's article number in every component row. To create several variants for a product, use different specification names for the same article number.

## How to import

1. Open **Production → Specifications** and click **Import**. In the window you can download an empty sample table.
2. Choose the prepared file and start the import.
3. Read the "Import result" message: it states how many specifications were imported and how many errors occurred.

   ![The "Import result" window over the specifications list with the text "Successfully imported: 1. Errors: 0." and a Close button](https://bimpsoft.com/help/_img/723b697e-74a5-4148-9bd9-19c3003d2681.webp)

4. Check that all specifications appeared in the list and that the gross and net quantities have the correct format.

## Common problems

**The import finished with errors.** Check that there are no empty cells in required fields (name, article numbers) and that the template column names have not been changed.

**A component or product was not found.** The article number in the file does not match the article number in the product card. Fix the article number in the file or in the card and import again.

After the import, the specifications are ready to use in [production orders](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/production/production-order/). To add stages and operations to a specification, open it and fill in the "Stages and operations" tab. See [Specifications](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/production/specifications/).

## FAQ

**What does Bimp use to link the product and components when importing specifications?**

Article numbers only. The product's article number and the components' article numbers must be entered in the product cards before the import.

**Can I import several specifications in one file?**

Yes. In the component rows, enter the specification name and the product's article number: the system groups the rows into specifications.

**How do I create several assembly variants for one product?**

For the same product article number, enter different unique specification names in the first column of the file, for example "Standard" and "Premium".