Import menus from a CSV file to add main screens and existing items at the same time. To save a copy of the menu data outside the Back Office, export existing menus into CSV files. The file must contain the SKU of each item on the menu and the name of the screen each item is on.

Importing menus

Set up which existing items are added to which screens within a menu. If the main screen doesn't exist yet, it will be created. If the main screen already exists, it will be updated. You can use the export file of a menu as an import template, or create your own template in the spreadsheet software of your choice.

Formatting the menu import file

The import file is limited to 10,000 rows. If you have more than 9,999 items to import, you will need to create separate imports.

1. Create a CSV-formatted spreadsheet with the headers SKU and Screens.
2. In the first column, list all SKUs you want to add to the menu.
3. In the second column, add the top-level screen name of each SKU.
4. (Optional) To add the SKU to a sub-screen, enter two hashtags after the main screen name followed by the sub-screen in the format Main screen##Sub-screen.

Example:

• SKU 250 (sparkling water) is added to the top-level screen Drinks.
• SKU 131 (cappuccino) is added to the sub-screen Coffee within the top-level screen Drinks.
• The format in the Screens column is Drinks##Coffee.

  

Importing the file to the Back Office

Importing a menu allows you to create or replace a menu. You can also use the import option to test-run a menu without affecting the menus you already have.

1. Log in to the Back Office with your Lightspeed Restaurant credentials.
2. Navigate to Menu management > Menus.
3. Select the menu you wish to edit, or create a new menu.
4. Click the More actions dropdown and choose Import.

   

5. Choose your file to upload.

   

6. (Optional) If some columns are not necessary for the import, turn them off in Columns selection.
7. Make sure the titles of your file data are correct and click Map columns with identical names.

   

8. If the file should replace the existing menu in the Back Office, toggle on the slide control Replace the menu with the content of the file in the Additional parameters section.
   
   1. Toggle off the slide control to add more items and screens to the menu.
9. (Optional) Toggle on Dry-run to test but not import the items and screens.
10. Click Continue.

    

11. Click the Confirm submission button. The upload may take a few minutes.
    
    1. Successful import: The confirmation The import process completed successfully appears.
    2. Unsuccessful import: Check for errors and upload the file again.

       

Exporting menus

To save and use menu data beyond the Back Office, export existing menus into CSV files. The file contains the SKU of each item on the menu and the name of the screen each item is on.

1. Log in to the Back Office with your Lightspeed credentials.
2. Navigate to Menu management > Menus.
3. Click the name of the menu you wish to export.
4. Click the More actions drop-down and select Export. The CSV file will be automatically saved to your computer.

What's next?