You can move to POSable from your old POS by importing your data from CSV files. Download POSable’s CSV templates for categories and products, fill them in with the data exported from your old system, and import categories first, then products. If you want your sales history too, there’s a separate CSV template for sales. Our support team can review your data and plan the move with you. This guide is for business owners switching from another POS.
Important: Always import categories before products, so each product has a category to go into.
Why it matters
- No retyping. Bring your whole catalogue across in one go.
- Keep your history. Import past sales so your reports start with your real figures.
- Fewer mistakes. A checked spreadsheet is more reliable than entering hundreds of products by hand.
Migration at a glance
| Step | What you do | Template |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Export | Export categories, products and (optionally) sales from your old system | – |
| 2. Prepare | Match your data to POSable’s column headers | Categories and products CSV templates |
| 3. Import categories | Upload and check every category arrived | Categories |
| 4. Import products | Upload, keeping each product’s category ID | Products |
| 5. Import sales (optional) | Upload and match unallocated fields | Sales |
| 6. Check and go live | Spot-check products, prices and VAT; take a test sale | – |
Step-by-step migration
1. Export your data from your old system
Export your categories, products and, if you want them, past sales as CSV files.
2. Download the POSable templates and prepare your data
In the admin dashboard, go to Categories and Products and download the CSV template on each page. Rearrange your exported data to match the template column headers.
Tip: Check each product’s price (excluding VAT), VAT class (Standard, Reduced, Zero Rated or Exempt), barcode and SKU before importing. It’s quicker to fix them in the spreadsheet than one by one afterwards.
3. Import your categories first
- On the Categories page, click import and choose your file.
- Map any columns that weren’t matched automatically, then Upload.
- Check that every category has arrived before you move on.
4. Import your products
- On the Products page, click import and choose your file.
- If your old system gave categories numerical IDs, keep those IDs in your product file so each product lands in the right category.
- Map any unmatched columns and Upload.
5. Import your sales history (optional)
On the Sales page in the admin dashboard, download the sales CSV template. During import you’ll match any unallocated fields, which may take some manual set-up depending on what your old system exports. Large files are imported in batches.
6. Check, then go live
- Spot-check a few products for price, VAT class and category.
- Mark your best-sellers as Hot Products.
- Take a test sale and check it appears in your dashboard.
Prefer not to import? For a small menu, you can add products by hand. Or load sample data for your type of business with the Demo Installer (an Administrator with 2FA is required, and it replaces your existing categories and products). See How long does it take to set up POSable?
Getting help with your migration
Contact us to arrange a review of your data and a migration plan that suits your business. We aim to help free of charge wherever we can. If a migration needs extensive work beyond the standard support included in your plan, there may be an extra charge, and we’ll discuss this with you first. On-site setup and staff training are also available as a separately quoted service.
Troubleshooting
Products have landed in the wrong category (or none)
- Import categories first, and keep the same category IDs in your product file.
Some columns didn’t import
- Map any unmatched columns during import, or rename your headers to match the template.
Still stuck?
- Email everythingis@posable.co.uk or call +44 7356 055601. Support is included in every plan.
- Watch the migration video on our YouTube channel.
Frequently asked questions
Can I import my products from my old POS into POSable?
Yes. Export them as CSV, match them to POSable’s product template and import them on the Products page, after importing your categories.
Why do I need to import categories before products?
So each product has a category to go into. If your old system used numerical category IDs, keep them in your product file.
Can I bring my sales history into POSable?
Yes. Download the sales CSV template from the Sales page in the admin dashboard. You’ll match any unallocated fields during import, and large files are imported in batches.
Will POSable help me migrate?
Yes. Contact us to review your data and plan the move. We aim to help free of charge, but very extensive migrations may carry an extra charge, which we’ll discuss first.
Do I have to import, or can I add products by hand?
You can add products by hand, which works well for small menus, or start from sample data with the Demo Installer.
Related Guides
- How to manage categories. Reason: category CSV import in detail.
- How to manage products. Reason: product CSV import, fields and VAT classes.
- How long does it take to set up POSable?. Reason: the full setup, including the Demo Installer.
- How to set up business details, tax and core settings. Reason: settings to configure alongside your import.