Import SKUs into Square without losing digits
Your supplier file is read as text, so a SKU of 00417 reaches Square as 00417. Any SKU used twice is listed before you import.
Supplier file
Drag and drop your supplier file hereChoose your supplier file
How do I keep leading zeros in Square SKUs?
Keep spreadsheets from reading the SKU column as numbers. Square's import help (opens in a new tab) warns against opening a CSV of SKUs straight in a spreadsheet. Its troubleshooting article (opens in a new tab) gives the safe route, which is to import the CSV into a new Excel sheet with the import wizard and set the SKU column to Text. Square also suggests avoiding SKUs that start with zero where you can.
A SKU that has already lost its zeros can still find its item. Once you add your Square export, a supplier SKU of 417 matches your item 00417. The tool tries that only after every exact SKU match. For the causes and the repair, read why leading zeros drop from SKUs and UPCs.
| Your Square item | 00417 |
|---|---|
| Supplier CSV after Excel | 417 |
| Result | Matched by SKU with the leading zeros ignored |
When the supplier's code isn't your SKU
SKU matching finds nothing in that case, so the tool moves on to the GTIN, then the exact item name, then close name matches that you accept or reject one at a time. With a saved supplier, each pair you accept is remembered for the next file.
Map the supplier's code to Vendor code instead of SKU. On new items it goes into Default Vendor Code, and your own SKUs are left alone. Items with no SKU at all can get one when you let Square auto-generate SKUs (opens in a new tab) in the Dashboard.