How to Import Existing Assets from Excel

Typing an existing asset list in by hand never gets finished

Companies that start a register usually already own hundreds of items listed in a spreadsheet. Retyping them one by one takes weeks, and the job stalls halfway.

Imports that save half a file and fail on the other half leave a register nobody trusts, with duplicates when the file is uploaded again.

Names in the spreadsheet do not match the lists in the system, so types, departments and warehouses are mistyped and the data needs cleaning afterwards.

Why this happens

• The spreadsheet columns do not match what the system expects.
• Types, departments and warehouses are spelled differently from the system lists.
• Serial numbers or tags are duplicated inside the file or against the register.
• Files are imported without checking them first.

Biznsbook addresses this through Excel asset import, row-by-row validation, check-out on import when Fixed Assets Tracking is licensed. Each physical item has one record with its own tag, and every hand-over, move, status change and note stays on that record.

Registers drift the moment an item changes hands without a record. Making Biznsbook the only place where equipment is registered, labelled and handed over keeps the list true for audits, insurance and everyday questions.

Step-by-step: Import Existing Assets from Excel

Built for fixed asset managers, IT coordinators and operations teams who keep track of company equipment in Biznsbook Fixed Assets Tracking.

1. Set up asset types first. Every row needs an asset type that exists and is active. Add missing types under Settings, then Asset types, before you download the template.
2. Download the template. Open Import register and download the template. It has an Assets sheet, a How to fill sheet, and a Lists sheet with your asset types, warehouses, departments, statuses and conditions.
3. Fill one row per asset. Asset Name and Asset Type are required. Optional columns include Asset Tag, Serial Number, Status, Condition, Manufacturer, Model, Description, Warehouse, Storage Location, Employee Code, Department, Vendor, Purchase Date, Purchase Cost and warranty. Delete the grey example row.
4. Upload and check. Choose the file and use Check file. Nothing is saved. You see how many rows were read, how many are valid, and a list of problems by row number.
5. Fix problems and import. Correct the file, choose it again and use Import. By default nothing is imported while any row has a problem. Tick Skip rows with errors to import only the valid rows.
6. Label and review. Open the register to print labels for the imported assets, and check that assets with an employee code or department show that holder.

Review results after the first full monthly cycle. Adjust roles, mappings, or approvals where the same exception repeats.

Screen names in this guide match Fixed Assets Tracking in the product: Dashboard, Asset register, Add asset, Receive from PO, Scan / look up, Import register, Asset types, Disposal methods, and Tags & loans. Every screen has a Help button.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Mistake 1: The spreadsheet columns do not match what the system expects. Repeating this each month usually shows up first in overdue loans, assets nobody can find, or an audit list that has to be rebuilt.
• Mistake 2: Types, departments and warehouses are spelled differently from the system lists. Repeating this each month usually shows up first in overdue loans, assets nobody can find, or an audit list that has to be rebuilt.
• Mistake 3: Serial numbers or tags are duplicated inside the file or against the register. Repeating this each month usually shows up first in overdue loans, assets nobody can find, or an audit list that has to be rebuilt.
• Mistake 4: Files are imported without checking them first. Repeating this each month usually shows up first in overdue loans, assets nobody can find, or an audit list that has to be rebuilt.

Note each recurring gap in the monthly review; each should map to a step in this guide.

Best practices that hold up as you scale

• Set up asset types first — Every row needs an asset type that exists and is active.
• Download the template — Open Import register and download the template.
• Fill one row per asset — Asset Name and Asset Type are required.
• Upload and check — Choose the file and use Check file.
• Fix problems and import — Correct the file, choose it again and use Import.

Teams that register every item once, label it the same day, and record every hand-over as a check-out or check-in can answer who has what at any moment.

How Biznsbook supports this workflow

Excel asset import is part of Biznsbook Fixed Assets Tracking. Every asset has one record with its tag, serial, cost, vendor, warranty, location and custodian, and every status change, hand-over, move and note is kept in its timeline.

row-by-row validation is part of Biznsbook Fixed Assets Tracking. Every asset has one record with its tag, serial, cost, vendor, warranty, location and custodian, and every status change, hand-over, move and note is kept in its timeline.

check-out on import is part of Biznsbook Fixed Assets Tracking. Every asset has one record with its tag, serial, cost, vendor, warranty, location and custodian, and every status change, hand-over, move and note is kept in its timeline.

Viewing, managing, receiving, disposing and configuring are separate permissions. A Fixed Assets Clerk can register and hand out equipment but cannot dispose of it or change settings.

Suggested implementation timeline

1. Week 1: Enable Fixed Assets Tracking, assign the Fixed Assets Manager and Clerk roles, and review asset types and the tag format.
2. Week 2: Load existing equipment and start using Excel asset import for everything new.
3. Week 3: Print and stick labels, then check every asset out to the person or department that uses it.
4. Week 4: Review the dashboard: chase overdue loans, clear Break / Fix items, and fill in missing costs and warranties.
5. Ongoing: Monthly review using what happens on import and the dashboard tiles.

Related guides

Start with build a fixed asset register, then import existing assets and tag assets with QR code labels.

Day to day: check equipment out and in and assign assets to employees. Product page: Asset Tracking. Employees: HRMS.

Checking before importing

Check file reads the whole workbook without saving anything. It reports how many rows were read and how many are valid, and lists each problem with its row number: an asset type that does not exist, a warehouse that is not on the Lists sheet, a date that is not a date, or a serial number already used.

Browsers cannot keep an uploaded file between steps, so after fixing the problems you choose the file again before pressing Import. Up to 2,000 rows fit in one file.

Statuses in the import

The Status column accepts New, In Stock, Deployed and Break / Fix. Leave it blank for In Stock. Deployed needs an Employee Code or Department on the same row, because the asset is checked out to them as part of the import.

Rows without a status become In Stock, ready to issue. Use New for items that are not ready yet, and Break / Fix for items that are waiting for repair. Rows with an Employee Code or Department are checked out on import whatever their status, and the check-out is recorded in each asset custody history.

Formats that avoid errors

Dates use the year-month-day format. Purchase Cost is a number without currency symbols. Warehouse and Department must match the Lists sheet, a Storage Location needs a Warehouse on the same row, and a Vendor must match an existing party name.

Serial numbers and asset tags must be unique across the company, and must not repeat inside the file.

Metrics to track monthly

• Assets without a label or without a custodian
• Loans past their expected return date
• Assets in Break / Fix for more than a month
• Warranties expiring inside the alert window
• Assets registered without a purchase cost

Start with three metrics; trend direction matters more than a single point-in-time snapshot.

Spreadsheet register vs Biznsbook asset tracking

Compare a typical spreadsheet asset list with Biznsbook Excel asset import and related capabilities.

What happens on import

Each valid row becomes an asset. Rows without a tag get the next number. Rows with an Employee Code or Department are checked out to them, which sets the status to Deployed and opens a custody period. If a check-out cannot be done, the asset is still imported and the reason is listed against the row.

Write this into your asset handling procedure and revisit it when you add sites, teams or asset types.

Frequently asked questions

How this differs by industry