Update inventory item AvaTax codes with a CSV import

The quick answer

Prepare a two-column CSV with existing Item names and their TaxCode values. In NetSuite’s CSV Import Assistant, select Items > Inventory Item and Update. Map Item to Item : Item Name/Number and TaxCode to your AvaTax item tax-code field. Choose Save & Run, check Job Status, then open one updated item to confirm the saved value.

The screenshots use fictional company and item data. The source shows a 2022 Avalara connector configuration; custom field names and tabs can differ in another account.

Before you start

You need CSV import permission, access to update the target inventory items, and the AvaTax connector’s item tax-code custom field. Confirm that the field is available to the Inventory Item import and visible on the item form. In the source account, the presenter enabled Show for the field on a custom Inventory Part entry form before importing. That form change is a prerequisite here, not part of the import shown below. If your connector relies on server scripts or workflows during CSV imports, confirm the Run Server SuiteScript and Trigger Workflows setting in CSV Import Preferences before running the job.

Check the exact, unambiguous Item Name/Number of each existing record and the tax code your organization intends to assign. An Update import uses the identifier to find an existing item. The example file has five rows; use your own validated item names and values.

01. Prepare the CSV

Create a CSV with the headers Item and TaxCode. Put one existing inventory item in each row. The example assigns PM020704 to five items; the value is demonstration data, not a code to copy without checking its meaning in your connector.

A two-column CSV shows Item names beside TaxCode values for five inventory items. — Keep the Item and TaxCode headers distinct; the import maps each column separately.

02. Upload inventory items

Open Setup > Import/Export > Import CSV Records. Choose Items for Import Type and Inventory Item for Record Type. Select the CSV file and continue.

Import Assistant shows Items, Inventory Item and the selected items.csv file. — Select the Inventory Item record type and attach the prepared file.

03. Choose Update and map fields

In Import Options, choose Update because these inventory items already exist. Continue through File Mapping to Field Mapping.

Import Options has Update selected under Data Handling. — Update targets existing item records rather than creating new ones.

Map Item to Item : Item Name/Number. Map TaxCode to the connector field shown in this source as Item : AvaTax Taxcode (2). Review both committed rows before continuing. If the custom target is absent, check the connector and custom-field setup in your account before running the import.

Field Mapping pairs Item with Item Name/Number and TaxCode with AvaTax Taxcode (2). — Both CSV columns are mapped before the import starts.

04. Run and check the import

On Save mapping & Start Import, give the map a useful name and choose Save & Run. The confirmation says the import job is in process. Open Import Job Status and wait for a completed result.

A green confirmation says the CSV import was saved and the Inventory Item job is in process. — Saving starts the job; this message is not the completed import result.

The example Job Status row shows Complete, 100.0%, and 5 of 5 records imported successfully. Review the CSV Response for errors or warnings. A completed job can still include failed rows; if the successful count differs from your file, correct the cause before relying on the update.

The Job Status message says 5 of 5 records imported successfully. — The completed row verifies that all five example records were processed.

05. Verify a saved item

Open one item from the imported file. On its AvaTax tab, compare AVATAX TAX CODE with that item’s CSV value. The example item displays PM020704. This spot check verifies a saved field on one record; for an operational batch, compare every affected item with the source file. The job count covers the five processed rows. Neither check proves how a later sales transaction will calculate tax.

The saved inventory item displays AVATAX TAX CODE with value PM020704. — Compare the saved item value with the matching CSV row.

Common questions

Why choose Update instead of Add?

The file identifies inventory items that already exist. Update tells the assistant to apply the mapped tax-code value to those records. Add would attempt to create new items.

What if I cannot find AvaTax Taxcode (2) in Field Mapping?

That target is a connector custom field from the demonstrated account. Check whether your AvaTax integration and its item field are active, whether your role can edit the field, and whether Items > Inventory Item and the intended custom form expose it to the import. Your account may use a different field label. Stop until you identify the correct connector field; a similarly named native tax field is not a safe substitute.

Does a completed job prove every item has the right tax code?

No. Complete says the job finished. Check the successful-row count, CSV Response, and saved item values. The walkthrough spot-checks one item; an operational batch should reconcile every affected item to the source file.

Will these item codes calculate the expected tax on a sales order?

This walkthrough does not show a sales order or calculated tax. Validate a controlled transaction separately, using the relevant addresses, customer treatment, item setup and connector configuration.