How to Upload a Batch of Files and Link to System Records with a CSV
Learn how to efficiently upload multiple files and connect them to system records using a CSV in this comprehensive guide.
Written by Ryan Osborne
Updated at March 26th, 2025
Table of Contents
How to Bulk Upload Documents and Link Them to System Records
If you’re managing a large volume of documents, images, or files, manually uploading and linking them to system records can be a time-consuming and repetitive task. Whether you’re handling purchase orders, sales invoices, product images, or other critical files, efficiency is key to staying organised and productive.
With Merchanter's Document Uploader, you can simplify this process significantly. This powerful tool allows you to upload batches of documents in one go and seamlessly link them to relevant system records via CSV, such as purchases, sales, or products. Once linked, these documents become easily accessible from the document section of their corresponding records, ensuring everything is neatly organised and readily available when you need it.
Follow through the steps below and by the end of this guide, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge to save time, reduce manual effort, and keep your records perfectly organised.
How to Batch Upload Files and Link to Merchanter Records
Uploading a Batch of Documents
In the previous guide [ADD LINK] we prepped Merchanter to auto-link sales orders to documents via CSV upload, Once you are happy with the document importer set-up, you are ready to get a batch of files or documents uploaded to Merchanter.
To do this make sure you are logged in as a user with a Pro role or above and navigate to Documents → Document Importer
To create a new batch for upload click the New button in the top right.
In the popup we need to select the Document type, (set up in [ADD LINK]) we will pick Sales Order Documents and the Linked Entity and the Batch reference will now be filled in automatically. Click Create Batch to save.
The batch window will now load in the header, we can see the batch information as well as the date and time the batch was created and by which user.
To upload your files, click Upload Documents(s)
In the upload pop-up, you can drag and drop multiple files from one window of your PC to the pop-up or you can click the grey box and navigate to your files to upload, shift-click will allow you to multi-select files. Once you are happy with the batch of files click the Upload button.
You will now see a list of unlinked files.
If you click on one of the files, three new tabs will load on the right.
Linked Entity Details - Currently blank until a link is made and a Link Entity button to search for and link a record by hand.
Document Preview - A preview of the uploaded file is loaded if Merchanter recognises the file type.
Notes - An area where you can add text notes to the batch.
Linking the Batch to System Records with a CSV.
To link the documents automatically to system records you need to prepare a CSV to upload into Merchanter. This sheet only needs two fields
EntityReference and DocumentFilePat. Depending on how the document batch was set up the entity reference will differ. It could be a product code, dispatch number etc. DocumentFilePath is always the name of the file that you have uploaded as part of this batch. Please make sure the name is entered in the correct case and include the file extension eg. PAR-22mm.jpg
In this example, our document batch was for sales orders so our entity reference will be a sales order number and the name of the file in the document path.
Once you have added an entity reference for each document, make sure you save the file as a CSV and note down where you saved it ready for uploading in the next step.
Open the batch in Merchenter and make sure you are editing it if you are not in edit mode, you will see an Edit Batch button in the top right.
You should be able to see an Upload & Process Index file button, click this to upload your previously prepared CSV file.
In the pop-up click the browse button and navigate to your import file, then click the Process Index File button.
You should receive a success summary. Press OK to continue.
As you can now see all of our documents are automatically linked to the specified sales orders and the linked entity details are filled in.
If we look at order 15919, go to the Documents tab and then the Imported documents we can see the file we uploaded in our batch.
How to Individually Link Files to Records
If you are uploading a small batch of files it might be quicker to create your association to system records by hand rather than spending the time creating a CSV file for import.
To link a document to a sales order by hand make sure you are editing the batch then click on the document you wish to link and under the linked entity details tab click the link entity button. A new search window will appear so you can find the sales order you wish to link the document to.
in the search find and highlight your order, double click or click the select sales order button to create the link.
Editing and Removing a Document Batch
If you find that you have made a mistake creating your document batch or linking the files to records, you can edit it and amend the details.
Start by navigating to your batch, and open it, then click the Edit batch in the top right.
While editing you can:-
Delete Document - Highlight the document you no longer want as part of the batch then click the Delete Document button and it will be removed.
You cannot undo this action.
Re-link Entity and Unlink Entity - if one of the files has been linked to the wrong system record you can click the Re-link Entity button to open the smart search and find the correct record to link. The Unlink Entity button will break any association between the document and the linked system record.
Make sure to click the Done button when you have finished editing the document batch.
You also have the option to Archive a Batch
and then if required Delete the Batch. Please note this cannot be undone.
Or the batch can be reinstated with the Un-Archive button
If you need to find an archived batch go to the Document Importer and click the archive tab.
