If you get variance from vendors or development departments or anyone outside of Business Central, or you’re creating them yourself in a worksheet, you can actually just import with the standard Master Data import worksheet.
If you receive item variants from vendors, development departments, or anyone outside Business Central, you can import them directly using the standard Master Data Import Worksheet. You do not need a separate tool for this.
The Master Data Import Worksheet and the creation worksheet in Business Central run on the same underlying table, called SCB New Master Data Import Worksheet. The logic and templates are shared between both.
When you import variants through the Master Data Import Worksheet, you must also import all the other item information manually. You cannot copy details from an existing item, which is what the creation worksheet lets you do.
Importing item variants from external sources
Item variants do not always start their life inside Business Central. You might get them from vendors, from a development department, or from anyone else who works outside the system. You might also build them yourself in a spreadsheet. In all of these cases, you can bring them straight into Business Central with the standard Master Data Import Worksheet.
If you take a look at one of your items and use the suggest creation functionality from Master Data to create item variants, the line you see is actually built on the Master Data Import Worksheet. The table behind it is called SCB New Master Data Import Worksheet.
The creation worksheet and the import worksheet share the same table
If you search for the Master Data Import Worksheet in the header, you will find that it uses exactly the same line and exactly the same table as the creation worksheet. The functionality is identical, with one difference.
In the creation worksheet, you have extra functionality to copy from an item number and create descriptions, so you can build the lines automatically. The Master Data Import Worksheet instead lets you open a template and import data into it.
Templates are shared between both worksheets
When you open a template for import, the list of templates is the same list you already know from working with items and variants, for example t-shirts. The templates set up in the creation worksheet are the same templates available in the Master Data Import Worksheet. The logic is consistent across both.
This means that if you get an Excel sheet from an external source, you just need to make it fit the template, and you can import it.
What to keep in mind when importing variants this way
There is one practical limitation. When you use the Master Data Import Worksheet, you also need to import all the other information on your items manually. You cannot copy it from another item.
If you use this import logic, plan for a full item import that includes all the details you need. In the creation worksheet, by contrast, you can copy from other existing items, which saves that manual step.
Q&A
Can I import item variants into Business Central from an external source?
Yes. If you get item variants from vendors, development departments, or anyone outside Business Central, or you create them yourself in a worksheet, you can import them with the standard Master Data Import Worksheet.
Is the creation worksheet the same as the Master Data Import Worksheet?
They run on the same table, called SCB New Master Data Import Worksheet, and use the same logic and templates. The difference is that the creation worksheet can copy from an item number and create descriptions to build lines automatically, while the import worksheet imports data into a template.
Can I copy item details when importing variants through the Master Data Import Worksheet?
No. When you use the Master Data Import Worksheet, you must import all the other item information manually. You cannot copy it from an existing item. The creation worksheet, however, lets you copy from other items.
Which templates are available when importing variants?
The list of templates is the same list you already use for items and variants in the creation worksheet. The templates set up in one worksheet are available in the other.