China import product data: ERP checklist
Load approved product and supplier records linking internal SKUs to factory part numbers, specification revisions, pack conversions and purchasing quantities. Set up receipt fields for actual lots and release status, then test an order through to stock. Coordinate the factory data handoff with Cambridge China Bridge.
Prepare an approved data handoff
Create a shared import template using your system's field names. Ask the factory to supply its references and packaging details; purchasing confirms commercial terms, technical staff approve specifications, and warehouse staff confirm receiving units. Assign a buyer-side owner to each field and record the evidence supporting approval.
Separate reusable master data from order and receipt records. Product and supplier masters describe what you can buy and from whom. Purchase orders capture the approved transaction; receipts capture what actually arrived. Use the checklist below to agree the destination of each field before loading.
| Record | Fields to prepare | Approval check |
|---|---|---|
| Product master | Internal SKU, description, variant, stock unit, active or blocked status | Each record identifies an unambiguous stock item |
| Supplier master | Supplier code, selling entity, factory site, contacts, approved status | Distinguish the seller from the manufacturing site |
| Supplier-product link | Internal SKU, supplier code, supplier part number, approved specification revision | The factory confirms the exact product mapping |
| Specification reference | Specification, drawing, BOM, artwork and retained sample references | Links open the approved versions |
| Pack conversion | Purchase, stock and sales units; pack contents; conversion factors; carton dimensions and weights | Receiving and purchasing agree the conversion direction |
| Purchasing defaults | Currency, price basis, agreed minimum quantity, order multiple, delivery terms, effective dates | Defaults match the approved quotation and pack revision |
| Purchase order line | Product, supplier part, revision, quantity, unit, price and delivery requirement | Issued lines preserve the approved order details |
| Receipt and lot record | Order line, actual factory lot, buyer lot reference, quantity, unit, location and release status | Actual receipt data remains separate from planned data |
Map product codes and specification revisions
Keep your internal SKU, supplier part number and barcode in separate fields. Scope supplier part numbers to the supplier record, since different factories may use the same reference. Store identifiers as text to preserve leading zeros. Map each sellable variant and pack format explicitly; use the barcode validation guide for allocation and scanning checks.
Link the supplier-product record to the approved specification revision and supporting files. For assembled products, connect the approved BOM rather than copying component descriptions into an uncontrolled notes field. Define when a change needs a new stock item or revision. Preserve the revision on issued orders so later master-data edits do not rewrite the purchase history.
Approve pack conversions and purchasing quantities
Choose the stock unit, then define how purchasing and sales units convert into it. State whether a quoted price applies to an individual item, a set, an inner pack or an outer carton. Record pack contents and conversion direction explicitly. Treat mixed assortments separately from cartons containing identical items.
Keep the agreed minimum order quantity separate from the order multiple and the quantity approved for the actual order. Record whether a minimum applies by variant, product or combined order. Ask whether the system automatically rounds quantities to full packs, and check the resulting commitment before approval. Date pack changes and preserve the conversion used on outstanding orders.
Approve supplier and purchasing defaults
Record the selling entity, manufacturing site, operational contacts and approval status separately. Load approved currency, price unit, delivery terms, payment terms and delivery planning assumptions from the agreed quotation. Give purchasing responsibility for reviewing defaults before reuse. Keep payment-detail changes within your finance approval process, separate from the factory's product-data upload.
You will use the commodity code on the import declaration. As a practical handoff, store the confirmed UK commodity code with its classification basis, reviewer and review date. Retain product materials, intended use and origin information alongside it for checking. Keep customs data distinct from internal product and supplier codes.
Set up actual lot and receipt records
Configure receipt fields before ordering, but populate actual lot identifiers from the goods and shipment records. Capture the purchase order line, factory lot, buyer lot reference, received quantity, unit, location and inspection status. Allow receipts to be split across lots and deliveries. Keep quarantined stock unavailable for allocation until an authorised release is recorded.
Agree which factory and warehouse documents supply each receipt field. Reconcile carton contents with the multi-SKU packing list, and attach inspection evidence to the lots it covers. Use the batch traceability guide for component and customer links. An order reference should not replace the actual production lot.
Test the handoff before repeat ordering
Use a test environment to import representative approved records. Create a purchase order, check its factory-facing description and revision, receive goods in the purchasing unit, and verify the stock quantity after conversion. Include split lots, a short delivery and quarantined goods. Check that an invoice priced in the agreed unit matches the order and that blocked items cannot be reordered.
Approve the load only after purchasing, technical staff, finance and the warehouse resolve discrepancies. Keep the approved import file, field mapping and change log. Cambridge China Bridge's China staff can coordinate factory-side records through existing supplier support, manufacturer sourcing support or own-brand sourcing support; your business approves the system records.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use the factory part number as my ERP SKU?
Keep an internal SKU and map the factory part number to it through the supplier record. This preserves your stock identity when suppliers change or factories use overlapping references.
How do I enter carton quantities in my ERP?
Define the stock unit and the purchasing carton's contents, then approve the conversion. Check the price unit and automatic rounding before issuing an order. Preserve the order's conversion if packing changes.
Should specification revisions have separate SKUs?
Agree this with technical and warehouse staff. Use separate stock identities where versions must be stored, picked or sold separately. Otherwise preserve the approved revision on orders and actual lot records.
Can I load batch numbers before goods arrive?
Configure the fields beforehand. Load actual factory lots from confirmed production and shipment records, then reconcile them at receipt. Keep provisional references clearly marked and separate from confirmed lots.