Asset import & export¶
Enterprise feature
Asset management is available on the Enterprise plan. Compare plans to find the right fit for your business.
When you manage hundreds or thousands of assets, entering them one at a time is not practical. FSM Navigator supports bulk import from CSV files so you can load your entire asset inventory in minutes. You can also export your asset data and apply status changes to multiple assets at once.
Import assets from CSV¶
Step 1: Download the template¶
- Navigate to the Assets page.
- Click Import in the top-right corner.
- Click Download Template to get the CSV template file.
The template includes all supported columns with sample data and instructions.
Step 2: Prepare your CSV file¶
Fill in the template with your asset data. Each row represents one asset.
Required columns:
| Column | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| asset_name | Descriptive name for the asset | Carrier 24ACC636A003 |
| asset_type | Must match an existing asset type | HVAC Unit |
| status | Initial status — must be a valid lifecycle status | Active |
| location_name | Customer location where the asset is installed | 123 Main St Office |
Optional columns:
| Column | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| serial_number | Manufacturer serial number | SN-2024-00891 |
| purchase_date | Date of purchase (YYYY-MM-DD) | 2024-03-15 |
| purchase_cost | Original cost | 8500.00 |
| salvage_value | Estimated end-of-life value | 500.00 |
| useful_life_years | Expected service life | 10 |
| depreciation_method | straight_line, declining_balance, or sum_of_years | straight_line |
| assigned_technician | Email address of the assigned technician | [email protected] |
| notes | Additional information | Installed on rooftop |
Match asset types exactly
The asset_type column must match the name of an asset type you have already created. If the type does not exist, the row will fail validation. Create your asset types before importing.
Step 3: Upload the file¶
- Click Import on the assets page.
- Select your prepared CSV file.
- Click Upload.
Step 4: Review validation results¶
After uploading, FSM Navigator validates every row against your configuration:
| Validation check | What it verifies |
|---|---|
| Required fields | All required columns are filled in |
| Asset type match | The asset type exists in your account |
| Status validity | The status is a recognized lifecycle status |
| Location match | The location name matches an existing customer location |
| Date formats | Dates follow the YYYY-MM-DD format |
| Numeric values | Costs and useful life values are valid numbers |
| Duplicate detection | No duplicate serial numbers within the file |
Rows that pass validation are marked with . Rows with errors are marked with and display the specific issue.
Step 5: Process the import¶
- Review the validation summary.
- Fix any errors in your CSV and re-upload if needed.
- Click Process Import to create the assets.
Import cannot be undone in bulk
Once processed, each imported asset is created as an individual record. To remove imported assets, you must delete them one at a time. Double-check your data before processing.
Export assets to CSV¶
- Navigate to the Assets page.
- Apply any filters you want (by type, status, location, etc.).
- Click Export.
- Choose CSV as the format.
- The file downloads with all visible columns and applied filters.
The export includes:
- All standard asset fields (name, tag, type, status, location).
- Custom field values defined on the asset type.
- Financial data (purchase cost, book value, depreciation method).
- Warranty and maintenance status summaries.
Export filtered data for targeted reports
Apply filters before exporting to get exactly the data you need. For example, export only assets with status Active and type HVAC Unit for a focused equipment list.
Bulk status updates¶
You can change the status of multiple assets at once — for example, marking a batch of decommissioned equipment as Retired.
- Navigate to the Assets page.
- Select the assets using the checkboxes.
- Click Actions → Change Status.
- Choose the new status from the dropdown.
- Confirm the bulk update.
Status transition rules apply
Bulk status changes follow the same lifecycle transition rules as individual updates. If any selected asset cannot transition to the chosen status, that asset is skipped and you are notified.
Import tips and best practices¶
- Start with a small test — import 5-10 rows first to verify your format before uploading the full file.
- Use UTF-8 encoding — save your CSV with UTF-8 encoding to avoid character issues.
- One asset per row — do not combine multiple assets into a single row.
- Trim whitespace — leading or trailing spaces in column values can cause validation failures.
- Check location names — location names must match exactly. Use the export feature to see existing location names if unsure.
What file formats are supported?
Currently, only CSV (comma-separated values) is supported for import. Export is available in CSV format.
Is there a row limit for imports?
There is no hard row limit, but very large files (over 10,000 rows) may take longer to process. For large imports, consider splitting your file into batches of a few thousand rows each.
Can I update existing assets via import?
The import feature creates new asset records only. To update existing assets, edit them individually through the asset detail view or use the Enterprise API for programmatic updates.
Can I import custom field values?
Custom field columns appear in the template based on the asset types you have configured. Fill in the appropriate columns for each asset type. Custom field values are validated against the field type (text, number, date, etc.).
Related guides¶
- Asset types & custom fields — set up types before importing
- Asset lifecycle — valid statuses for the status column
- Managing assets — edit individual assets after import
- Reports — generate reports from imported data