Vista Inventory Upload — Help Guide
This guide explains how to use the Vista Upload feature to import vehicle inventory into the system. It covers file requirements, upload options, what happens during processing, and common issues.
What is the Vista Upload?
The Vista Upload lets showroom managers import vehicle inventory data from a Vista order extract (CSV file). Once uploaded, vehicles are automatically matched against your showroom's configurator, enriched with images, pricing, and specifications, then published to your inventory.
File Requirements
Format
- File type: CSV (
.csv) — comma-separated values - Source: A Vista vehicle order extract file
Upload Options
When you upload a file, you'll see four toggle switches that control how the system handles your data:
1. Preserve Sold Status (on by default)
- On: If a vehicle was previously marked as sold in the system, it stays sold — even if the new CSV suggests it isn't.
- Off: Sold status is determined entirely by the
COMMON ORDER TYPEvalue in the CSV.
When to use: Keep this on in most cases. Turn it off only if you want the CSV to be the single source of truth for sold status.
2. Unlist Orphaned Vehicles (off by default)
An "orphaned" vehicle is one that exists in your current inventory but is not present in the new CSV upload.
- On: Vehicles not in the new CSV will be unlisted (hidden from customers).
- Off: Existing vehicles not in the CSV are left unchanged.
When to use: Turn this on when you're uploading a complete, up-to-date inventory file and want to clean up old records. Leave it off if you're uploading a partial file (e.g. just new arrivals).
3. Mark Orphaned as Sold (only available when "Unlist Orphaned" is on)
- On: Orphaned vehicles are also marked as sold.
- Off: Orphaned vehicles are unlisted but not marked sold.
When to use: Enable this if orphaned vehicles have genuinely been sold and should reflect that.
4. Mark Orphaned as Unpublished (only available when "Unlist Orphaned" is on)
- On: Orphaned vehicles are also marked as unpublished (fully hidden).
- Off: Orphaned vehicles are unlisted only.
When to use: Enable this if you want orphaned vehicles completely removed from all views, not just unlisted.
How the Upload Works
Step 1 — Select Your File
Click the file input and choose your Vista CSV export file.
Step 2 — Set Your Options
Review the four toggles above and adjust for your situation.
Step 3 — Upload
Click Upload. The system immediately checks:
- That a file is selected
- That the CSV has all required column headers
If columns are missing, you'll see an error listing exactly which ones are absent — fix your CSV and try again.
Step 4 — Background Processing
Once accepted, you'll see a success message:
"File uploaded successfully. Processing will happen in the background."
A "Go to Inventory Dashboard" button appears so you can monitor results.
Behind the scenes, the system:
- Matches each vehicle to your showroom's configurator based on model name and year
- Resolves badge, colour, wheel, interior, and option codes into human-readable names and images
- Calculates availability dates from the planned delivery date
- Determines sold/listed status based on your upload options
- Processes vehicles in batches of 50
- Handles orphaned vehicles (if enabled)
Vehicle Status — How "Sold" and "Listed" Are Determined
Sold Status
The COMMON ORDER TYPE column drives whether a vehicle is considered sold or unsold:
| COMMON ORDER TYPE Value | Meaning | Default Status |
|---|---|---|
| N/A | On-order / allocated | Not sold |
| 4 Retailer Stock | In showroom stock | Not sold |
| 5 Market Stock | Available market stock | Not sold |
| Any other value | Pre-allocated / committed | Sold |
If Preserve Sold Status is on, vehicles previously marked sold in the system stay sold regardless.
Listed Status
- Vehicles marked sold → automatically not listed
- If two vehicles have the same configuration in the upload, only the first is listed (duplicates are unlisted)
- First occurrence of a unique configuration → listed
Common Errors and What They Mean
At Upload Time
| Error | What It Means | How to Fix |
|---|---|---|
| "Please select a file before uploading." | No file was chosen | Select a CSV file and try again |
| "There are missing columns in the uploaded file: ..." | Your CSV is missing required column headers | Check your export includes all required columns. Column names must match exactly. |
| "Unauthorized" | You're not logged in or your session expired | Log in again |
| "You do not have access to this showroom" | Your account isn't assigned to this showroom | Contact your administrator to get showroom access |
During Processing
These won't block your entire upload — affected vehicles are skipped and the rest continue:
| Issue | What It Means |
|---|---|
| "Invalid model / year" | A vehicle's model or year doesn't match any configurator set up for your showroom. This vehicle is skipped. |
| "Could not find badge for [ORDER NO]" | The feature code on a vehicle doesn't match any known badge. This vehicle is skipped. |
| Job status shows "FAILED" | Something went wrong during processing (e.g. a service was unavailable). Contact support with the job ID. |
After the Upload
- Vehicles appear in your Inventory Dashboard once processing completes
- Each vehicle record includes full specifications, images, pricing, and availability
- Vehicle condition is set to "New" with 0 km on the odometer
- Images (exterior, interior, wheels) are pulled automatically from the configurator
- Pricing is calculated based on your showroom's regional pricing configuration
Tips & Best Practices
- Always use a fresh Vista extract — stale data means stale inventory
- Keep "Preserve Sold Status" on unless you have a specific reason to reset sold flags
- Only enable "Unlist Orphaned" when uploading a complete inventory file — not a partial one
- Check column headers if you get a missing columns error — they must match exactly (including spacing and capitalisation)
- Don't worry about extra columns — the system ignores anything it doesn't recognise
- Processing happens in the background — you don't need to keep the page open. Check the dashboard later for results.
FAQ
Q: Can I upload an Excel file? A: No — only CSV files are accepted. Export your Vista data as CSV before uploading.
Q: What if some vehicles fail to process? A: The upload continues with the remaining vehicles. Failed records are skipped and logged. The job will still show as "Completed" — check the inventory dashboard to verify which vehicles came through.
Q: How long does processing take? A: It depends on the number of records. Vehicles are processed in batches of 50. Most uploads complete within a few minutes.
Q: Can I upload for multiple showrooms at once? A: No — each upload is for a single showroom. Navigate to the correct showroom first, then upload.
Q: What happens if I upload the same file twice? A: Vehicles are matched by their ORDER NO. Re-uploading the same file updates existing records rather than creating duplicates.
Q: Who can access the upload feature? A: Users with admin, showroom manager, or showroom owner roles who are assigned to the showroom.