From spreadsheet to spatial: turning a bin inventory CSV into a live rack map

The Spatial Map bin import is intentionally short: read the file, say how each row finds its bin, send the other columns somewhere useful, check the preview, import. Everything after that — status colours, quantity bands, ABC classes, expiring stock — is a style rule on top of the same bins, on racks you already drew. The warehouse solution shows how it fits into a full warehouse set-up.

1. 1
   Draw the racks

   If the racks are already on the map, skip this. Otherwise pick the Rack tool (G) and click two corners. Rows and columns follow the footprint and the cell size, and square racks can stack into levels. In the side panel’s Labels section, set a Prefix and Start number so every cell carries a readable label. See the Rack tool docs.

2. 2
   Open the import

   Go to Integrations, click Add integration and choose Upload file. Drop the CSV or XLSX. The Import a file dialog walks through File, Match, Mapping, Preview and Done.

3. 3
   Tell each row where it belongs

   On Match, name the source and, if you like, pick a Facility so rows outside it are skipped. Then choose Match each row by: Bin label (the cell text on the rack), External code (one column with a unique WMS code), Grid cell (rack + row + column, plus an optional level) or Other shape (a polygon, line or marker matched by name).

4. 4
   Map the remaining columns

   On Mapping, send each column to a bin field — SKU, Capacity, Notes, Status, External code — or to a custom attribute such as quantity, ABC class or expiration date, or skip it. Leave Create missing attributes automatically on so the side panel shows the new attributes.

5. 5
   Preview and import

   The preview counts matched grid cells, new bins and skipped rows, and flags rows with warnings before anything is saved. Import, then click a rack and use Edit bin properties on any cell to see what landed there.

6. 6
   Add the status rules

   In the editor side panel’s Style rules section, add one rule per state you care about: empty in grey, reserved in amber, and so on. Rules run top-down and the first match wins.

bin_code,sku,qty,status,abc_class,expiration_date
A-B01-L1,,,empty,,
A-B01-L2,DRY-1042,120,occupied,A,2027-03-01
A-B02-L1,FRZ-2001,42,reserved,B,2026-11-20
B-B51-L1,PAP-8003,86,occupied,C,

Re-import on the file’s card (on the Integrations screen) runs the import again with the stored file — handy after you relabel or redraw a rack. When a new export arrives, upload it with Upload file and the same match key; rows land on the same bins and nothing else in the facility moves.

Once a weekly snapshot isn’t enough, move the data into a table. That is how the Acme Warehouse demo works: a Rack Inventory table holds one row per bin (314 of them, codes like A-B01-L1), and a data link with the Color a shape display mode tints each rack cell, matching rows to cells by external code on the bin_code field. Your WMS can write to the table through its write API, or Spatial Map can pull from a REST endpoint on a schedule (tables, data links). Linking the table also creates a report for it — see warehouse KPI dashboards with a live 3D map.

These are the five rules the Acme Warehouse demo runs on its racks — a good starting set for any bin layer:

• Blocked bins — status is blocked: solid red with a BLOCKED label.
• Expired stock — the expiration date is in the past: dark red, labelled EXPIRED.
• Expiring within 30 days — amber, labelled EXPIRING.
• A-class fast mover — ABC class A and occupied: purple, so slotting drift stands out.
• Empty pick-face — empty and a pick face: blue with a REPLENISH label.

Racks coloured by bin status