AI-Powered Item Import

Overview

Import your price book items from any source - Housecall Pro, Jobber, ServiceTitan, QuickBooks, or a custom spreadsheet. BlueClerk automatically detects column names and maps them to the right fields, handles price formatting ($1,234.56 → 1234.56), converts type names (Inventory → PRODUCT), and maps taxable values (Non-Taxable → false). If AI fails, the system falls back to hardcoded parsers for common formats.

How It Works

Automatic Column Detection

When you upload a CSV or Excel file:

1. AI scans your headers - Analyzes column names like "Sale Price", "Unit Cost", "SKU", etc.
2. Matches to BlueClerk fields - Maps to name, description, sku, price, cost, type, taxable, manufacturer, category
3. Detects source platform - Identifies if it's from Housecall Pro, Jobber, ServiceTitan, QuickBooks, or generic
4. Shows preview - You review before importing

Automatic Data Cleanup

BlueClerk automatically:

• Strips $ signs and commas from price fields
• Converts type names - "Inventory" and "Non-Inventory" → PRODUCT
• Maps taxable values - "Non-Taxable" → false, "Taxable" → true
• Handles missing fields - Falls back to defaults when columns aren't found

Importing Items

Step-by-Step

1. Go to Settings > Data
2. Click "Import Items"
3. Upload your CSV or Excel file
4. Review the preview - Shows detected source and mapped columns
5. See validation errors - Invalid rows are flagged with reasons
6. Click "Import" - Only valid rows are imported

What Gets Imported

• Name - Item or service name (required)
• Description - Details about the item
• SKU - Part number or item code
• Price - What you charge customers (required)
• Cost - What you pay for the item
• Type - SERVICE, MATERIAL, PRODUCT, or OTHER
• Taxable - Whether the item is taxable
• Manufacturer - Brand or vendor
• Category - Grouping or department

Supported Formats

Platform Formats

BlueClerk recognizes column names from:

• Housecall Pro - "Item Name", "Sale Price", "Cost", etc.
• Jobber - "Service", "Unit Price", "Description", etc.
• ServiceTitan - "Code", "Display Name", "Price", etc.
• QuickBooks - "Name", "Sales Price", "Purchase Cost", "Type", etc.

Custom Spreadsheets

AI works with any column naming:

• "Item", "Product", "Service" → name
• "Retail Price", "Unit Price", "Sale Price" → price
• "Wholesale", "Unit Cost", "Cost" → cost
• "Part #", "Product Code", "Item Code" → sku

Error Handling

Common Issues

If rows fail validation:

• Missing name - Every item needs a name
• Invalid price - Price must be a number
• Invalid type - Type must be SERVICE, MATERIAL, PRODUCT, or OTHER

Fallback Parser

If AI mapping fails:

• Hardcoded parser runs - Uses BlueClerk's standard column names
• Import continues - No data loss, just uses traditional mapping

Tips

• Use the first row for headers - AI needs column names to map
• Include sample data - At least 3 rows help AI understand your format
• Review the preview - Check detected source and mapping before importing
• Fix errors in your file - Easier than fixing in BlueClerk after import

Questions

Q: What if my CSV has different column names? A: AI automatically maps common variations. As long as your columns are labeled clearly (like "Price", "Cost", "Item Name"), it should work.

Q: Can I import items with photos? A: Not yet - photos must be added after import through the BlueClerk UI.

Q: What happens to duplicate SKUs? A: Imports create new items even if SKUs match existing ones. Clean up duplicates manually after import.

Q: Does this work for customers too? A: Yes! Customer import uses the same AI-powered column mapping. See "Import & Export Data" help article.