Bulk updating stock levels lets you make large inventory changes quickly and accurately without editing items one by one.
With this feature, you can download your current stock data, update it in a spreadsheet, and upload it back to Ply to apply changes in bulk.
➡️ What you can update in bulk
Using the stock level bulk update, you can modify the following:
On‑hand quantities
Minimum quantities
Maximum quantities
Barcode numbers
Location positions (where items live within a warehouse or truck)
Feature | Description |
📦 On-hand quantity | Correct counts after a physical audit or cycle count |
📉 Minimum quantity | Set reorder thresholds for all materials at once |
📈 Maximum quantity | Define target stock levels in a single upload |
🏷️ Barcode numbers | Add or update barcodes fleet-wide without scanning |
📍 Location position | Update Aisle, Bay, Level, Bin for reorganized shelves |
ℹ️ This is per location
Each download/upload cycle works on one location (warehouse or truck). To update multiple locations, repeat the process for each.
When should you use this?
This feature is especially useful when you need to:
Correct inventory counts after an audit or cycle count
Set min/max levels across many materials at once
Add or update barcodes in bulk
Reorganize material positions within a location
Clean up stock data after an initial setup or migration
Feature | Description |
🔵 After an inventory audit | Push corrected counts back into Ply quickly after a physical count |
🟡 Set up min/max across the catalog | Set thresholds for 200 items in one upload instead of editing one by one |
🟠 Add barcodes in bulk | Import barcode values for an entire location from your label system |
🟤 Warehouse reorganization | Update shelf positions after a physical rearrangement |
🔴 Initial setup / data migration | Populate a brand-new location with counts from another system |
🔧 Data cleanup | Fix inconsistent or incorrect stock data across many materials at once |
If you’re working with inventory quantities or physical placement, this is the right tool.
How to bulk update stock levels
1. Go to the Stock page
Navigate to Stock and select the location (warehouse or truck) you want to update.
2. Download your current stock file
Click Export and download the stock file. This file contains all current values for that location.
3. Update the file
Open the file and edit only the columns you want to change. You can update:
On Hand
Min
Max
Barcode
Location Position
Column | Editable? | What to Enter |
Material Name | 🔒 Locked | Used to match rows — do not edit. Ply uses this to find the right material. |
On Hand | ✏️ Editable | Whole number (e.g., |
Min | ✏️ Editable | Whole number (e.g., |
Max | ✏️ Editable | Whole number (e.g., |
Barcode | ✏️ Editable | Any alphanumeric string (e.g., |
Position | ✏️ Editable | Free text (e.g., |
🚫Never do these; they will break the import
❌ Delete or rename column headers
❌ Delete the Material Name column or change material names
❌ Add new materials via the bulk file (use Catalog Import for that)
❌ Change the file format (e.g., save as .xlsx if it was .csv)
4. Upload the updated file
Once your changes are ready, upload the file back into Ply. The system will validate the data and apply updates in bulk.
➡️ What happens after upload?
Inventory quantities update immediately
Min/Max levels are applied
Barcodes and positions are updated for that location
No duplicate materials are created.
This only updates stock‑level data, not catalog fields like material names, item numbers or categories.
What the important changes are:
✅ What it updates Quantities, min/max, barcodes, and positions — all applied immediately
❌ What it doesn't change Material names, item numbers, categories, descriptions — use Catalog Bulk Update for those
➡️ Stock Levels vs Catalog Bulk Update
What You Want to Change | 📦 Stock Level Bulk Update | 📋 Catalog Bulk Update |
On-hand quantity | ✅ Yes | No |
Min / Max thresholds | ✅ Yes | No |
Barcode at a specific location | ✅ Yes | No |
Shelf / bin position | ✅ Yes | No |
Material name / description | No | ✅ Yes |
Item number / SKU | No | ✅ Yes |
Category assignment | No | ✅ Yes |
Add new materials | No | ✅ Yes (via bulk add) |
💡Tips for a Smooth Bulk Update
Always download a fresh file before editing
Don't reuse a file from last week; stock values may have changed. A fresh export is the source of truth.
Test with a small batch first
Update 5–10 rows, upload, and verify the results before processing 500 rows. Mistakes on a small file are easy to fix.
Keep a backup copy of the original file
Before editing, save a copy with a date stamp (e.g., warehouse_a_backup_may9.csv). Easy to refer back to if something goes wrong.
For multiple locations - repeat per location
Download, edit, and upload separately for each warehouse or truck. Don't mix rows from different locations in one file.
Review the preview before confirming
Always check the changes preview after uploading. The red "Errors" count tells you what Ply couldn't apply; fix those rows and re-upload.
Bulk updates are one of the fastest ways to keep your inventory clean, accurate, and scalable as you grow 🚀
Have a large file you'd like help reviewing before uploading? Our support team is happy to check it with you.
Still need help? Contact Support!