Import invoices into bexio Sales

With our Import invoices module on app.importly.ch, you can import invoices into bexio easily with Excel, CSV and other table formats. This is especially helpful for businesses or associations that prepare their invoices in another software and then transfer them to bexio in one batch.

An additional benefit: if a contact does not yet exist in bexio, it can be created automatically during the import. This makes the whole import process much simpler and more efficient.

1. Register for free

If you do not yet have an account, register on app.importly.ch. After that, you are ready for your first invoice import.

2. Connect your bexio account

Connect your bexio account with Importly by creating a connection to your accounting. You can connect as many bexio accounts as you need with app.importly.ch.

Connect your bexio account with Importly

3. Create a table for invoices

In the Import invoices module, create a new table with the New invoice import button. Give it a name and choose the bexio account into which you want to import the invoices.

4. Copy invoices into the table

Contact assignment

The assignment to a contact is ideally done via the bexio contact number. Alternatively, you can use the contact information. For this, use exactly the same details from Contact type to Email as in the bexio contact management.

If the contact does not yet exist in bexio, enter at least one value in the cells Contact type and Name 1. The contact will then be created in bexio. Check a few imported rows to make sure they are correct.

Invoices with one line item

If each row should represent exactly one sales invoice with one line item, you can copy your invoices directly into the prepared table.

Example of invoices with one line item

Invoices with several line items

For several line items belonging to one invoice, leave the cells from Contact no. to Date empty in the subordinate rows. This is how the app knows which line items belong to the main invoice row.

Example of invoices with several line items

Invoices with negative line items

An invoice may also contain negative line items, for example a discount or a credit line. Enter the negative line as an additional line item row and use a negative value in Unit price (e.g. -10). As with all further line items, the cells from Contact no. to Date stay empty.

The minus sign always belongs in the Unit price: the Quantity must stay positive, a negative quantity is not accepted during the import.

Import an invoice with a negative line item into bexio – Importly table with three line items

The only requirement is that the invoice total is greater than 0. Only individual line items may be negative. Invoices with a negative total are actual credit notes and cannot be imported – we explain why in Why credit notes cannot be imported into bexio.

5. Specification of the most important columns

Field	Example	Notes	Required
Contact no.	1	Leading zeros do not need to be included	No
Contact type	1	`1 = Company`, `2 = Person`	Yes, if no bexio contact ID exists
Name 1	above the fold GmbH	Company name or, for people, the first name	Yes, if no bexio contact ID exists
Name 2	Haag	Last name	No
Address	Hochgrütstrasse 16		No
ZIP code	8742		No
City	Seuzach		No
Email	info@example.ch		No
Date	12.12.2023	Must be in an active fiscal year	Yes
Description	Repairs for: door, window	Several lines are possible, but without text formatting	Yes
Unit price	1500		Yes
Quantity	1		Yes
Account	3400	Must be an income account	Yes
Tax rate	UN81	Allowed types: `sales_tax`, `not_taxable_turnover`, `non_consideration_sales_tax`, `opted_sales_tax`; use `UEX` if you are not subject to VAT	Yes
Due date	12.12.2025	Optional, must be selected when creating the import	No
Unit	pcs	Optional, must be selected when creating the import	No
Contact person	1	Optional, must be selected when creating the import	No
Country	Switzerland	Use the full country name, not abbreviations or codes	No

6. Start the import

Use the Start import button to start the import process. Each row in your table is imported into bexio as a separate sales invoice. If you want to run the import later, you can leave the table at any time via Save.

Important notes and limits

Existing contacts are not updated.
If Contact type, Name 1, Name 2, ZIP code, City and Email are identical to an existing contact, that contact is not created twice.
A maximum of 200 invoices can be created per table.
Individual line items may be negative, as long as the invoice total is greater than 0.
If you are not subject to VAT, the VAT code column is still required. Use the code UEX.
For the Payable by section to appear on the QR payment slip, the contact’s Country must also be included during the import.
The Split address function automatically splits a combined address into Street and House number. If the House number column is missing, the app adds it automatically.

Tip: With a cleanly prepared table, invoice import runs smoothly and helps you organise invoicing in bexio much more efficiently.