What you can import
Supported file formats
Variable accepts the following file formats:CSV and XLSX work equally well. For multi-sheet XLSX workbooks, you’ll be prompted to pick which sheet to import. See Troubleshooting for tips on merged cells, hidden rows, and formulas.
Import workflow
The import process follows these steps:1
Upload file
Choose the import type, set the data source system and decimal separator, and upload your CSV or XLSX file. For multi-sheet XLSX workbooks, pick the sheet to import.
2
Parse and detect
Variable parses your file and identifies columns. AI-assisted mapping suggests how your columns map to Variable fields.
3
Map columns
Review and adjust column mappings. The system learns from your previous imports.
4
Map values
Configure how individual values are transformed: units, dates, and enum values.
5
Submit import
Review your data and submit. Variable creates the records and calculates footprints.
Key benefits
Bulk creation
Import thousands of products, materials, or activities in a single operation instead of creating them one by one.AI-assisted mapping
Variable uses AI to suggest how your column headers map to Variable fields, reducing manual configuration.Learning from history
The system remembers your previous import mappings. When you import similar files, it automatically applies your past configurations.Idempotent re-imports
Re-importing the same file produces no duplicate data - products are matched by SKU (or by name when no SKU is given) and inputs are deduplicated automatically.This applies to products, materials, suppliers, locations, and BOMs. Activity, air travel, and transport imports are not deduplicated - each row becomes a new record every time. See Import behavior by type for the per-type rules.
For products and materials, you choose what a re-import does to matched items with an import match mode on the upload screen - Create new only (the product default, leaves them untouched), Overwrite existing, or Fill missing only (the material default, fills blank fields). Only scalar fields are updated; relationships (supplier, datasets, inputs) are never changed. Other import types reuse matched records without overwriting.
Automatic calculations
After import, Variable automatically calculates CO2e footprints wherever it can - which means wherever a dataset is assigned to supply the emission factors. Products and materials that don’t yet have a dataset assigned have nothing to calculate; once you assign one, Variable recalculates automatically.Next steps
- Import behavior by type - What each type creates and when re-imports create new vs. reuse
- Prepare your BOM file - Learn about required and recommended columns
- Upload and map columns - Step-by-step import process
- What happens after upload - Understand how Variable processes your data
- Troubleshooting - Solve common import issues