Skip to content
More support Customer portal
  • There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.

CSV Import Troubleshooting

This guide covers the most common problems partners run into when importing vendor usage data from a CSV file.

This guide covers the most common problems partners run into when importing vendor usage data from a CSV file. If you are setting up CSV imports for the first time, start with Creating and Managing File Import Profiles — this article is for when something is not working.

Use this article when

  • The vendor you want to import is not appearing in the dropdown
  • Your CSV profile fails to create or save
  • The file uploads but “nothing happens”
  • Your CSV has no quantity field
  • Counts are wrong after import
  • You need to find or retrieve a previous import

My vendor is not in the dropdown

When creating a new file import profile, the vendor or distributor dropdown only shows vendors that exist in Gradient's catalogue. If your vendor is not listed, it means we have not yet added them.

To fix this:

  1. Email support@meetgradient.com with the vendor name
  2. We will add the vendor to the catalogue, usually within one business day
  3. Once added, refresh your browser and the vendor will appear in your dropdown
Bulk requests are fine

If you have several vendors to add (especially when you are first onboarding), send them in a single email. We can add them in one batch.

My CSV has no quantity field

Gradient requires a Quantity column in every import. Without it, the import wizard will not let you proceed to the next step. The three required fields are: Account Name, Service Name, and Quantity.

This causes problems for vendors who bill per-line rather than per-unit. Common examples: broadband providers, telephony, certain custom services where each line in the file represents a single billable item with no “unit count”.

The workaround

Add a Quantity column to your CSV before uploading and fill every row with 1. This treats each line as a single unit of consumption, which is exactly what the per-line model represents.

  1. Open your CSV in Excel or Google Sheets
  2. Add a new column called “Quantity”
  3. Fill every data row with the value 1
  4. Save and upload
  5. During the import wizard, map your new column to the Quantity field
Aggregate or split?

On the import wizard you will be asked whether to add each line separately or aggregate by Account + Service. For per-line billing where each row is distinct (different service IDs, different addresses), choose add each line separately. For consolidated usage where you want one total per service per account, choose aggregate.

I uploaded the file but nothing happens

This usually points to one of four things. Work through them in order.

Possible cause How to check Fix
File size over 5MB Look at file size Split into multiple files, or email support@meetgradient.com if you need a larger import
Wrong header row selected Re-open the import wizard and check the header row preview Select the correct row in the wizard
Mapping not completed Did you finish all three columns (Account, Service, Quantity)? Re-open and complete the wizard
Browser session timed out Did the upload sit for a while before you continued? Refresh and re-upload

Counts are wrong after import

If the import completed but service card counts look wrong, the issue is almost always in how the file is structured or how it was mapped in the wizard.

Check these in order

  1. Did you select aggregate when you should have selected separate, or vice versa?
  2. Does the same account appear multiple times in your CSV under slightly different names? (Names must match exactly for aggregation to work)
  3. Are there duplicate header rows in the file? (Some vendor exports include section breaks that look like data)
  4. Is the quantity column actually numeric, not text? (Excel sometimes treats numbers as text strings, which Gradient cannot sum)
  5. Is the file the on-demand subscription usage report, or an arrears or delayed billing report?
On-demand vs arrears billing reports

We strongly recommend the on-demand subscription usage report rather than a delayed or arrears-billed export. On-demand gives you current usage, which is what reconciliation should be based on. Arrears reports lag and will produce mismatches.

If counts are off after import

  1. Open a service card showing the wrong count
  2. Click Review on the card to see which Data Source contributed the count
  3. If it shows the CSV import, the issue is in the file (re-check structure)
  4. If it shows another vendor, you may have two integrations contributing to the same service (a multi-mapping)

For deeper count diagnostics: Counts and Discrepancy Troubleshooting.

My CSV profile fails to create

Profile creation failures usually trace back to one of these:

Symptom Likely cause Fix
Profile creation hangs indefinitely Browser session timeout Refresh and try again with a smaller file
“Failed to save” error Duplicate profile name Choose a unique profile name
Vendor selected, file uploaded, but Save & Test fails File structure does not match what was selected Re-check that columns line up with what the wizard expects
Error referencing field types Mixed text and numbers in the same column Open the file, ensure quantity column is purely numeric

How do I find or retrieve a previous CSV upload?

Gradient does not currently expose a browsable history of past CSV uploads through the UI. Imports are processed and the data is merged into Gradient, but the original file is not retrievable from within the platform.

To work with a previous upload's data:

  1. Check your local archive — keep a copy of every vendor CSV you upload, organized by month
  2. If you need to re-upload, do so through the same import profile to maintain consistency
  3. If you need to know what was imported when, contact support@meetgradient.com with the vendor and approximate date
Build a habit of archiving

Save every vendor CSV to a dated folder before uploading. This protects you when you need to investigate a count discrepancy three months later, and it gives you a clean audit trail.

Updating an existing profile with new data

When you upload a new file to an existing import profile, the wizard gives you two options:

Option What it does When to use
Clear all old data and start fresh Removes everything previously imported through this profile and replaces it with the new file Monthly reconciliation cycles where each month is fresh data
Add new data alongside existing Appends the new data to whatever is already there Mid-month updates, or when you have a partial file to add
Aggregate setting still applies

If your profile is set to aggregate by account and service, the new data will aggregate with the existing data based on matching account + service names. Make sure your naming is consistent across uploads or you will end up with duplicated lines.

Recommended pre-upload checklist

Before importing each month, take 60 seconds to verify the basics:

  • Run a Full PSA Sync first so your PSA data is current
  • File is under 5MB
  • Contains Account Name, Service Name, and Quantity columns
  • Account names match how customers are named in your PSA
  • Quantity column is numeric, not text
  • No blank rows, no merged cells, no extra header rows mid-file

Still stuck? What to send support

Email support@meetgradient.com with:

  • A sample of the CSV file (with sensitive data redacted)
  • The vendor name and the import profile name
  • The exact error message you see, or a description of what happens
  • Whether this is a new profile or an existing one

Related articles

🦩   Need a hand? Reach out to support@meetgradient.com   🦩