The quick answer
For this multi-line Add import, give every intended purchase order a distinct External ID, and repeat that ID on each of its item rows. In Import CSV Records, choose Transactions → Purchase Order, use Add, map the header and Purchase Order - Items fields, then run the import. Compare the successful-record count with the number of distinct External IDs. Search the resulting PO headers and open one to check its item lines.
This example uses fictional people, company, vendors, and items. The recording is a reconstruction of a source walkthrough, not an import into the reader's account. In this reconstruction, eight CSV rows produce six purchase-order records. Your result depends on valid grouping identifiers, references, required fields, and account configuration; generated numbers and approval status may differ.
Before you start
You need permission to import CSV files and create purchase orders. Check the file header row for blank rows or duplicate headers, and confirm its delimiter, encoding, decimal and date formats. Make sure the vendor is active for the subsidiary and the items are active and purchasable. Check location, currency, units, tax, accounting period, custom-form requirements, and approval setup in your account. Keep a copy of the input file and count its distinct External IDs before upload. Search for those IDs before running Add if any may already exist. Test a small batch before a large import.
01 · Group item rows by External ID
Use one row per item line. This example uses External ID as its transaction-level grouping key; repeat the same ID and consistent header values on every row that belongs to one purchase order. A multi-line import needs a transaction-level identifier. The usable identifier fields vary by import configuration, but External ID is a practical choice for new records because it also supports later reconciliation. In this example, PO-CSV-101 appears on two rows, and the eight rows contain six distinct IDs, PO-CSV-101 through PO-CSV-106. The file includes header columns for vendor, date, receive-by date, memo, location, and subsidiary, plus item, quantity, and rate columns for each line. A supervisorapproval column is present in the source file but is not visibly mapped in the walkthrough; don't assume it sets an approval state. Blank, duplicated, or inconsistent IDs and header values can break grouping or cause import errors.
02 · Upload the purchase-order CSV
Open Setup → Import/Export → Import CSV Records. Select Transactions as the Import Type and Purchase Order as the Record Type. Choose the file, then continue. Use a saved import map only if its columns and reference rules still fit the current file.
03 · Use Add and check the mappings
Choose Add on Import Options. On Field Mapping, connect External ID, Vendor, Date, Receive By, Memo, Location, and Subsidiary to purchase-order header fields. Connect Item, Quantity, and Rate to Purchase Order - Items. Set the Vendor and Item reference types to match the actual CSV values. If the file contains internal IDs, select Internal ID; if it contains names, those names must match your account. Item and Quantity are needed for each line; map Rate when you need the source price rather than a default. Field availability and whether values such as Location or Receive By sit on the header or line can vary by form and account. Leave a source column unmapped when you cannot verify its target.
04 · Save and run the import
Name the mapping so another administrator can tell which CSV layout it expects, then click Save & Run. If NetSuite reports that the name already exists, review the existing map and either update it deliberately, choose another name, or cancel.
05 · Read Job Status and CSV Response
Open Setup → Import/Export → View CSV Import Status, or follow the confirmation's Import Job Status link. Refresh until the run finishes. The reconstructed example reports Complete, 100.0%, and 6 of 6 records imported successfully. For this run, the job counted six transaction records from eight CSV rows. Check the successful and failed counts and CSV Response; Complete or 100.0% alone does not prove every intended order was saved.
06 · Search for the six orders
Run a Transaction Search with Type = Purchase Order and Main Line = Yes. Include External ID and Document Number in the results. With no joins or line-level criteria that multiply rows, expect one main-line result per imported order; match all six IDs to the source file. The source walkthrough also limits Date Created to its current day. That date can help narrow results, but the External IDs give you a more precise reconciliation.
07 · Open one purchase order
Open the row for PO-CSV-101. In this reconstruction, the selected record opens as PO3317 for Northstar Industrial Supply, Pending Receipt, with a 3,200.00 total. The Items tab shows 20 Stainless Hose Clamps at 100.00 and 10 Copper Fittings at 120.00. Compare vendor, date, location, memo, and both lines with the input file. A generated PO number is separate from its External ID. The source video shows Source = CSV; check it if your form exposes that field. The reconstruction's approval checkbox is not evidence that the unmapped source column controls approval.
Common questions
Why did eight CSV rows create six purchase orders?
The example file has six distinct External IDs. Its first and last IDs each appear twice; those two orders have two item lines. Check your own CSV to see how many lines belong to each identifier.
Does Complete or 100.0% prove all six orders were saved?
No. Read the successful-record count and CSV Response, then match the resulting order headers to the six External IDs. Open one record to check its lines.
Should I run Add again if a few records failed?
Do not rerun the whole file automatically. Read CSV Response, identify the failed External IDs, and search for each one. A partial import can leave saved POs behind. Correct the file and retry only records confirmed to be absent; Add creates new records.
Why is my order Pending Approval instead of Pending Receipt?
Purchase-order approval settings, workflows, form defaults, and account configuration can affect the initial status. The reconstructed example shows Pending Receipt; your account may initially show Pending Approval or another status. The unmapped supervisorapproval column does not establish a general approval rule.
Does this import receive or bill the purchase orders?
The import creates or attempts to create purchase orders only. It does not, by itself, receive goods or create vendor bills. Receiving and billing are separate processes; this walkthrough stops after the PO records and item lines are checked.