How to import images and link them to your data?

In some occasions it might not be possible for you to provide a public URL in your CSV data to help VAT4U retrieve the image of each line. We have put in place a process that helps you importing data + images and then match them.

This solution consists in importing the CSV data and in parallel importing invoice images in an SFTP folder that we make available for you and that is secured. 

👉 Prerequisites

  1. Install FileZilla client on your computer. This is mandatory to access any SFTP folder.

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  • Choose FileZilla edition
  • When downloaded, depending on system Unzip FileZilla client, or start .exe file for installation of FileZilla
  • On Windows, pay attention to install only core FileZilla application, carefully unchecking all “BrowserBar” shareware extensions if they are checked by default by FileZilla installer
  1. Request SFTP credentials to VAT4U
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  • Login to app.vat4u.com
  • Open a request "SFTP Credentials"
  • Wait our support team's feedback

👉 Establish SFTP connection to your VAT4U SFTP folder

  • Open the FileZilla client and establish a connection to the SFTP server (check above the how to request SFTP credentials to VAT4U):
    • Click on a small icon on the top left corner of FileZilla client
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    • Inject connection details in new window blow:
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- Protocol: SFTP
- Host: sftp.integration.vat4u.com
- Port: 22
- Logon Type: pick Key File
- Type user name inside user field (supplied separately)
- Key file: click Browse and select .ppk key file (supplied separately)

- Click Connect

Key file and usernames are provided to you by VAt4U team when you request an SFTP access.
  • When prompted for password, inject password (supplied separately)
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If asked by FileZilla, select to Trust Server Fingerprint, and establish the connection in a new tab.
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    ✅ Connection should be established successfully.

👉 Transfer your files from your local folder to your VAT4U SFTP folder

  • If files are delivered as a ZIP archive, first unzip the file to a known directory (eg. Desktop/Data123/..) on your computer (or server)
  • On the left side of FileZilla window, locate previously unzipped files
  • Select all files, then right-click and “Upload”
  • Files are uploaded one by one, and progress can be monitored on bottom of FileZilla

    window

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Files on the left are located on your computer / Files on the right are located in the SFTP VAT4U Folder

✅ When files are transferred to the SFTP this step is done successfully.

👉 Indicate inside your CSV data where are the images

Since you want VAT4U to import the data and retrieve each image corresponding to the data, you will need to tell VAT4U where are these images located. To do so you will indicate it in the CSV data you upload.

 

  • Open CSV file (with Excel, Numbers etc) and inject a new Field
  • Name the column Document-URL
  • Inject formula inside the column, so that it concatenates static string in front of the file name column: sftp://support/file1.pdf (where sftp://support/ is a static string, and file1.pdf is file name from the corresponding CSV line). In Excel, CONCAT formula can be used (example, =CONCAT("sftp://support/"; B1)
  • "sftp://support/" should be replaced by your SFTP "Root Foldername" where your files are located. Eg. If your Root Foldername is "CompanyofJohn" instead of "support", your links would start: "sftp://CompanyofJohn/" instead of "sftp://support/"
  • "file1.pdf" should be replaced by each file name
  • Save CSV with new column
    Screenshot 2022-03-08 at 18.25.52Your CSV should look like this

    ✅ Your data includes the image location and is ready to be imported

👉 Import your data into VAT4U

  • Navigate to “Add expenses” on VAT4U platform
  • Pick company
  • Select “Mass data import”
  • Select “I have both data and scans/images”
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  • ⚠️ In the field mapping, make sure to map the field named “URL to invoice Document” to the newly created CSV column “Document-URL
  • The rest of the columns should be mapped according to the data they hold, like any other regular CSV import

Proceed with import like any other regular CSV import.

Depending on the size of CSV, VAT4U platform will start the processing of Documents shortly after the import is 100% done. Documents will be linked to the corresponding imported invoices one by one, automatically, by VAT4U system.