Overview
You can now fill in a vendor bill's line items by uploading a CSV file instead of typing each line by hand. Enter the vendor, bill number, and dates as usual, then upload a file with one row per line item.
This is built for bookkeepers, office managers, and firm administrators who enter vendor bills with many lines spread across matters, such as bills from court reporters, copy and e-discovery vendors, and expert services.
Why it helps
- Saves time: minutes or hours of line-by-line entry become a single upload.
- Catches mistakes early: every row is checked before anything is saved, and any errors point to the exact line in your file.
- Works like typed lines: imported lines are reviewed and saved the same way, so they post to the general ledger and to client-billable expenses exactly as manually entered lines do.
If you already use CSV import for journal entries, this works the same way.
Before you begin
- Download the CSV template from the vendor bill window (step 2 below). Your file must use the template's column headers exactly.
- Make sure the accounts, matters, departments, classes, locations, and LEDES codes you plan to use already exist in CARET Legal Accounting. The import matches to existing values and does not create new ones. If the reference (e.g., Account Number, Account Name, Matter Number, LEDES Codes) is not an exact match, the import will be rejected.
- One CSV fills in the lines of one vendor bill. To enter several bills, upload a separate file for each.
- Enter the vendor, bill number, bill date, due date, terms, and memo in the vendor bill window, not in the CSV.
Template columns
| Column | What to enter |
|---|---|
| AccountNumber | The account number. Together with AccountName, it must match exactly one account. This is referencing your Chart of Accounts. |
| AccountName | The account name, matching the account number. This is referencing your Chart of Accounts. |
| Description | A description of the line item. |
| Amount | The line amount. Negative amounts are not accepted; a blank amount is read as 0. |
| MatterNumber | The matter number. Required if the line is billable, and the matter must be active. This is referencing your Matter List. |
| Billable | TRUE or FALSE (any capitalization). Leave blank for not billable. |
| DepartmentNumber | An existing department that is active on the bill date. |
| ClassNumber | An existing class that is active on the bill date. |
| Location | An existing location, matching exactly. |
| LedesExpenseCode | An existing LEDES expense code that matches exactly. |
| LedesTaskCode | An existing LEDES task code, matching exactly. |
How to import line items
- Go to Accounting > Vendor Bills and open a new vendor bill, or open an existing bill you want to add lines to.
- Click Import CSV, then download the template if you don't have it yet.
- Fill in the template with one row per bill line, then save it as a CSV file.
- In the vendor bill window, enter the vendor, bill number, and bill date (plus due date, terms, and memo as needed).
- Click Import CSV and select your file.
- If the file has errors, a message lists each problem by CSV line number. Fix those rows in your file and upload it again.
- Review the imported lines in the line grid. You can edit or adjust them just like lines you typed.
- Click Save. Your lines are not saved until you do.
On an existing bill, imported lines are added alongside the lines already on the bill.
Tips and FAQ
- Why was my whole file rejected when only one row had a problem?
- The import is all-or-nothing, so your bill never ends up half-filled. Fix the rows listed in the error message and upload the file again. This may include checking that all your line items are Billable Line items are FALSE or that the MatterNumber is not blank for any row where Billable is TRUE.
- I got an "Invalid template" message. What happened?
- The file is empty, or its column headers don't match the template. Download a fresh template and copy your data into it.
- Why didn't my account match?
- AccountNumber and AccountName must together match exactly one account. Extra spaces are ignored, but a mismatched name or number is not.
- Can I change the bill date after importing?
- Yes, but departments and classes are checked against the bill date at the time of import. If you change the date, confirm the departments and classes are still active on the new date before saving.
- Do the usual vendor bill rules still apply?
- Yes. Imported lines save the same way as typed lines, so closed-period checks and the duplicate bill number warning work as they normally do.
- Can I import several vendor bills at once?
- Not at this time. Each CSV fills in the lines of a single vendor bill.
Can I add imported lines to an existing vendor bill?
Yes. You can open an existing vendor bill, import additional lines, review them, and then save.
Can I import credits or negative amounts?
No. Negative amounts are rejected.
Do imported lines behave differently from typed lines?
No. After you save the vendor bill, imported lines are processed the same way as manually entered lines.
Need help?
If you have questions or run into an issue importing vendor bill lines, contact CARET Legal Support.