Can't download template for importing to library

[csfulfillment]

In my Item Library, when I click Actions, Import Library, there is a button to "Download the template" provided. This button doesn't work in either Chrome or Safari. 

I am referencing instructions found at:

https://squareup.com/help/us/en/article/5153-import-items-online?utm_medium=web&utm_source=dashboard

I can see from browsing the forums here that this has been an issue as far back as 2016. People have continued to report the problem in different threads over the years.

Is there a fix for this problem? Is there any way to download a blank template?

[TheRealChipA]

@csfulfillment.  This seems to be a bug across all browsers for that link.  I tried Safari, Edge, Chrome and Firefox and none of them will download the template.  That jives with my memory that Square had, indeed, fixed this for Chrome and Firefox.  It looks like something else is going on, here.

@_Violet @MayaP could someone check with the engineers and see what is going on?  For sure, it doesn’t look like the template link works anywhere!

[VanKalkerFarms]

I haven't coded in HTML in a long long long time, but there is no href= for the link to download the template so it isn't going anywhere.  

<market-link class="paragraph-30 market-link" target="_blank" role="button" hydrated="">Download the template</market-link>

[csfulfillment]

I noticed the same when I inspected the HTML! There's definitely no file linked. It's a Square problem, not a user problem.

[_Violet]

Hi @csfulfillment - Thanks for reaching out to us here on the Square Seller Community to bring this to our attention.

I followed the steps you mentioned and wasn't able to get something to populate when I clicked the "download the template link below.

Are you able to download the template without clicking on the link but by following these steps listed here instead? I'm trying to determine if this flow is completely not working or if it's just this link that's broken.

I'll keep an eye out for your reply 👀

[csfulfillment]

The steps listed in the help file are slightly outdated.  Quoting & annotating below.

Upload Your Item Library for the First Time

If you’re adding items for the first time, you can download a template to help you bulk upload your library. If you already have items, just download our Excel (.xlsx) sheet, update, and import to alter your existing item library.

1. Visit Items in your online Square Dashboard.

2. Click Actions > Import Library.

3. Select Modify Item Library to add new items and update existing items, or Replace Item Library to delete all existing items and replace them with your uploaded items. This step is outdated - has been replaced by a toggle switch for Replace Item Library.

4. Click Next > “Download our template file.” Select if you’d like to download the template in Excel (.xlsx), which is recommended for most users, or CSV. This step is outdated - you can't click Next without having already selected a CSV or Excel file to upload - meaning you already had to have the template. On this screen, there appears to be a link entitled "Download the template" but nothing happens when you click it. See HTML explanation by another user above! 

   Note: If you’re using Safari as your web browser, you’ll need to right-click the “Download our template” link and save the file to your computer. It doesn't work on Safari or Chrome. If you right-click "Download the template" there's no option to save the file, because there's no file linked within the source code of your website.

[TheRealChipA]

I’ll add my voice to that assessment, @_Violet.  See attached screen shot.  There is no href= parameter to say what file should be opened.  It’s an empty label, only.

[TheRealChipA]

[TheRealChipA]

Ok… something is wrong with the image insertion tool.  Sigh…

[_Violet]

Thanks for your response, @csfulfillment @TheRealChipA.

I've just reached out to the team that owns Square Dashboard to ask them to take a look into this. I'll reach back out to you here once I gather more info.

[_Violet]

Hi again, @csfulfillment @TheRealChipA 👋

The team let me know that they have fixed this issue. I tested this out on Dashboard and the "download the template" link is now working for me.

Could you please take a look and confirm whether or not this is working for you as well?

[TheRealChipA]

Works for me!  Thanks, @_Violet 

[csfulfillment]

Yes it's working for me too now. Thanks for the quick resolution!

[GoslingGothware]

Where do I download the template?  I don't even have the option of downloading one.  So very frustrating going around in circles.

[TheRealChipA]

@GoslingGothware It seems that something has changed again, here.  Sigh. But I played around with what is there, and this should work for you.

1. From your dashboard, go to Items and orders > Items.
2. Click on the Action button
3. Select Import Library
4. At the top is a Download library button.  Click it, even though that makes absolutely no sense.
5. Download the file to your computer.

If you have any existing items in your item library, you can delete those lines below the header line.  This will give you a clean file to fill in and upload to Square for new items.  If you don’t have any existing items, the downloaded file should be just the template.

I’ll report this new inconsistency, which is highly confusing again, to the support team.

Let me know if you run into any issues with that.

[GoslingGothware]

Just to be sure... If I delete all the lines already showing from my item library download, then I fill it in with the new products I want to add to my item library... this will not override what is already in my item library?

I just want to clarify so I don't inadvertently delete over 400 lines of products 😄

Thank you.

[TheRealChipA]

@GoslingGothware That is a very good question, for obvious reasons!

See the screen shot below.  As long as you do not toggle on “Replace existing item library” when you do the import, the items in the import file will be added to your existing library.  (I circled the message that pops up if you do toggle that option on, for illustration.)

But if you want some peace of mind, I’d recommend duplicating the file before you delete those items.  It can’t hurt to do that, right? I’m like you these days for everything.  My backups have backups. Ha.

[TheRealChipA]

@_Violet I’m tagging you again, based upon @GoslingGothware‘s recent post.

I do not know why this template file thing is such an ever-changing, moving target, but it is confusing the heck out of everyone, including me and I’m not easily confused.

When the OP posted their issue, the engineers restored functionality to the ”download the template” link.  Now, for some strange reason, that link is gone.  It seems to have been replaced with “Download library” button.  I think that will work as a template, but if so it is not obvious to anyone.  Mostly because the “Download library” doesn’t download an empty template but a complete listing of the current library.

Confusion is even greater since the Import screen says “Download the template provided…..” and there seems to be no way to download a template, anymore.

The confusion is worse if you look at the steps in the help article link, because they say to click on the “Download our template file,” referencing a link that does not exist at all.

Can you please kick this back up to the engineers to resolve, again?

Thanks.