Katana to Stocksmith Migration Guide

Move your Katana data into Stocksmith without losing anything along the way

Switching from Katana can feel like starting from scratch, and importing your data in the wrong order makes it worse: Stocksmith skips any row that references a material or product it can't find yet. Export your data from Katana and import it into Stocksmith in the order below, and your materials, products, recipes, and purchase history land correctly the first time.

This guide covers exporting your data from Katana, then importing your materials, products, recipes, and purchase history into Stocksmith using CSV imports, in the order that avoids skipped rows. If you're migrating from a different system, see our general migration guide instead.

Before you start

• Make sure you have an active Katana subscription and admin access, so you can export fresh CSVs.
• Clean up duplicate SKUs in Katana before you export. Stocksmith matches your materials and products by SKU, and duplicates cause mismatches on import.
• Export your data after your last pick and pack cycle, so your stock counts are accurate on the day you import.
• Import your data in the order below. Recipes and purchases reference materials and products by SKU, so those need to already exist in Stocksmith, or the referencing rows are skipped.
• CSV imports can't bring across contacts or customer records. You'll need to add those manually once your inventory data is in place.

In this article:

• Exporting your data from Katana
• Importing your data in the right order
• Setting starting quantities and costs
• What CSV imports can't bring across
• FAQ

Exporting your data from Katana

In Katana, go to Settings > Data import & export and export the following as CSV files:

• Products, including variants
• Materials
• Product recipes (BOMs). You'll use this as your reference in Step 3, when you copy your ingredient lists into Stocksmith's own recipe import template.
• Your purchase order or supplier cost history, if you want to bring that across too

Importing your data in the right order

Stocksmith's importers look up existing records by SKU. If a recipe or purchase references a material or product that hasn't been imported yet, that row is skipped. Bring your data across in this order:

Step 1: Materials

Start with your raw materials. Use the Starting Quantity and Starting Unit Cost columns to bring forward the stock on hand and its cost as of your Stocksmith start date.

See Importing materials for the full column reference and step-by-step instructions.

Step 2: Products

Import your finished products next. As with materials, the Starting Quantity and Starting Unit Cost columns bring forward your current stock and its cost.

See Importing products for the full column reference and step-by-step instructions.

Step 3: Recipes

Once your materials and products both exist in Stocksmith, import your recipes to link them together. Use the Product recipes CSV you exported from Katana as your reference, then fill in Stocksmith's recipe import template with the same ingredient lists.

See Importing recipes via CSV for the full guide.

Step 4: Purchases

Import your purchase history last. Any purchase line item categorised as a material cost needs a material SKU that already exists in Stocksmith, so this step relies on Step 1 being complete.

See Importing purchases via CSV for the full guide.

Setting starting quantities and costs

You don't need a separate step to bring across your current stock levels. The materials and products importers both include Starting Quantity and Starting Unit Cost columns. Set these to whatever you're holding on your Stocksmith start date, and Stocksmith records them as your opening stock.

Importing purchases is for bringing across your purchase order history, not for setting starting stock. Most people migrating from Katana only need the Starting Quantity and Starting Unit Cost columns on their materials and products import to get their opening balances right.

What CSV imports can't bring across

Stocksmith doesn't currently have a bulk importer for contacts or customer records. If you're bringing across a customer list from Katana, you'll need to add your contacts manually once your inventory data is in place.

Stocksmith also doesn't have a bulk importer for open orders. If you have open orders in Katana, either let them complete in Katana before you switch over, or keep a copy for reference and re-enter them in Stocksmith once your inventory data is in place.

FAQ

Does Stocksmith support importing my Katana recipes now?

Yes. Recipe CSV import is fully supported, see Step 3 above. Export your Product recipes CSV from Katana as a reference, then use Stocksmith's recipe import template to bring your ingredient lists across.

What happens if I import a recipe before its materials or product exist?

The recipe row is skipped. Stocksmith can't match a material or product it can't find by SKU. If a recipe references even one missing material, the whole recipe for that row is skipped, not just the missing ingredient. See CSV import troubleshooting to find and fix skipped rows, then re-import just those rows.

Can I undo an import if something goes wrong?

Yes, for most import types. Go to your Imports page, hover over the ⋮ icon next to the import, and click Undo Import. Recipe imports are the exception: you can't undo a recipe import this way, so double-check your recipe CSV against the warning above before you import it.

Can I bring across my customer or contact list?

Not via CSV import. Stocksmith doesn't currently have a bulk importer for contacts. Add your contacts manually once your inventory data is in place.

How do I check everything imported correctly?

Once an import finishes, export that record type again, for example Exporting products, and compare it against your original Katana file. Most record types in Stocksmith have an equivalent CSV export.

Need Help?

Still working through your Katana migration? Get in touch with our support team. We're happy to help you plan the move.