# Create an import

> Upload a file to start a bulk import job.
{/* generated:versioned-pages - edit _pm-authored, not this file */}

`POST /api/imports`

Creates a Import resource.

Uploads a CSV, TSV or XLSX file and creates an import job for it. The body is `multipart/form-data` with the `file`, the target `type`, and optional `metadata` (such as the `locale`, the XLSX `sheetName`, or `reset`). The upload is synchronous, but processing is asynchronous: the job is returned with its `status`, and its `report` stays `null` until processing ends. Requires the `imports:write` and `imports:read` scopes.

> **Reset replaces existing data**
>
> With `metadata[reset]=true`, all existing data of the import type is deleted before the file is imported, atomically. The number of deleted records per table is reported in `report.reset`.

## Request body

| Property   | Type                                                                                                                                                        | Required | Description                                          |
| ---------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------- | ---------------------------------------------------- |
| `file`     | `string`                                                                                                                                                    | Yes      | CSV, TSV or XLSX file                                |
| `metadata` | `object`                                                                                                                                                    | -        | Per-import options (e.g. locale, sheetName for XLSX) |
| `type`     | `"collections" \| "categories" \| "attributes" \| "suppliers" \| "attribute_options" \| "purchase_offer" \| "sale_offer" \| "metafield_value" \| "product"` | Yes      | The resource type to import                          |

## Response

**201** - Import resource created

| Property    | Type                                                                                                                                                                | Required | Description                                                          |
| ----------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `@context`  | `string \| object`                                                                                                                                                  | -        |                                                                      |
| `@id`       | `string`                                                                                                                                                            | Yes      |                                                                      |
| `@type`     | `string`                                                                                                                                                            | Yes      |                                                                      |
| `createdAt` | `string \| null`                                                                                                                                                    | -        |                                                                      |
| `format`    | `"csv" \| "tsv" \| "xlsx" \| null`                                                                                                                                  | -        |                                                                      |
| `id`        | `string`                                                                                                                                                            | -        |                                                                      |
| `metadata`  | `object`                                                                                                                                                            | -        |                                                                      |
| `report`    | `object \| null`                                                                                                                                                    | -        | Per-row processing report. Null until the import has been processed. |
| `status`    | `"pending" \| "processing" \| "completed" \| "failed" \| null`                                                                                                      | -        |                                                                      |
| `type`      | `"collections" \| "categories" \| "attributes" \| "suppliers" \| "attribute_options" \| "purchase_offer" \| "sale_offer" \| "metafield_value" \| "product" \| null` | Yes      |                                                                      |
| `updatedAt` | `string \| null`                                                                                                                                                    | -        |                                                                      |

## Errors

**400** - Invalid input

| Property      | Type               | Required | Description                                                                                                                          |
| ------------- | ------------------ | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `@context`    | `string \| object` | -        |                                                                                                                                      |
| `@id`         | `string`           | Yes      |                                                                                                                                      |
| `@type`       | `string`           | Yes      |                                                                                                                                      |
| `code`        | `string`           | -        | Stable identifier of the error in the error code catalogue (see /api/error-codes). Present on catalogued errors only.                |
| `description` | `string \| null`   | -        |                                                                                                                                      |
| `detail`      | `string \| null`   | -        | A human-readable explanation specific to this occurrence of the problem.                                                             |
| `instance`    | `string \| null`   | -        | A URI reference that identifies the specific occurrence of the problem. It may or may not yield further information if dereferenced. |
| `message`     | `string`           | -        | End-user message localized in the request locale, with this occurrence's values substituted. Present on catalogued errors only.      |
| `slug`        | `string`           | -        | Stable, readable key of the error in the error code catalogue. Present on catalogued errors only.                                    |
| `status`      | `integer \| null`  | -        |                                                                                                                                      |
| `title`       | `string \| null`   | -        | A short, human-readable summary of the problem. For a catalogued error it repeats the `slug`.                                        |
| `type`        | `string`           | -        | A URI reference that identifies the problem type. For a catalogued error it is the error code resource, `/api/error-codes/{code}`.   |

**403** - Access denied. The caller is missing one or more permissions required for this operation.

| Property             | Type               | Required | Description                                                                                                            |
| -------------------- | ------------------ | -------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `@context`           | `string \| object` | -        |                                                                                                                        |
| `@id`                | `string`           | Yes      |                                                                                                                        |
| `@type`              | `string`           | Yes      |                                                                                                                        |
| `detail`             | `string`           | -        |                                                                                                                        |
| `missingPermissions` | `string[]`         | -        | Permissions that the caller is missing for this operation. Present only when the 403 is caused by a denied permission. |
| `status`             | `integer`          | -        |                                                                                                                        |
| `title`              | `string`           | -        |                                                                                                                        |
| `type`               | `string`           | -        |                                                                                                                        |

**422** - An error occurred

| Property      | Type               | Required | Description |
| ------------- | ------------------ | -------- | ----------- |
| `@context`    | `string \| object` | -        |             |
| `@id`         | `string`           | Yes      |             |
| `@type`       | `string`           | Yes      |             |
| `description` | `string`           | -        |             |
| `detail`      | `string`           | -        |             |
| `instance`    | `string \| null`   | -        |             |
| `status`      | `integer`          | -        |             |
| `title`       | `string \| null`   | -        |             |
| `type`        | `string`           | -        |             |
| `violations`  | `object[]`         | -        |             |

## Examples

### Example request

```bash
curl -X POST 'https://<tenant>.product-management.flowkiwi.net/api/imports' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer {access_token}' \
  -H 'Flowkiwi-Api-Version: 2026-07' \
  -H 'Accept: application/ld+json' \
  -F 'file=@/path/to/photo.jpg' \
  -F 'metadata=<value>' \
  -F 'type=<value>'
```

### Example response

```json
{
  "@context": "string",
  "@id": "string",
  "@type": "Import",
  "createdAt": "2026-01-15T10:00:00+00:00",
  "format": "csv",
  "id": "019af93e-420e-79f8-800b-6680f03dce20",
  "metadata": {},
  "report": {
    "error": "string",
    "errors": [
      {
        "line": 0,
        "messages": [
          "string"
        ]
      }
    ],
    "failed": 0,
    "imported": 0,
    "reset": {},
    "totalRows": 0
  },
  "status": "pending",
  "type": "collections",
  "updatedAt": "2026-01-15T10:00:00+00:00"
}
```