Bulk Edit using "Edit Items" button - Error message with no direction to error

[reclaimedspirit]

I've been struggling with this for a few months since Square moved all item edits to the dashboard (not online anymore). Often, when I try to bulk edit using the Edit Items button, I receive an error message in a red box at the top saying "Some items could don't be updated. Please review the items that failed and try again". There is no designation as to which items failed. I spend hours checking every cell - can't find any All caps in titles, I removed hyphens from SKUs, removed semi-colons from item name, and still cannot get the update to go through. I added all "Attributes" columns to the screen also and still no designation to the items of error. 

Please help. We have over 8,000 items in our library. I really need to be able to use the bulk edit feature. I've tried everything I know how. 

[Candlestore]

@reclaimedspirit ;

How are you trying to add Items through Bulk Edit?

Are you trying through Square Dashboard on a Computer Bulk Edit, or are you trying to upload a CSV?

The easiest way I found is through CSV.

Here is more on that :

5153-import-items 

[Summer2024 · Accepted solution]

Hi @reclaimedspirit ! Thank you @Candlestore for providing a great link! 

Let's try to tackle this systematically.

Immediate Workarounds

1. Break Down Updates

   • Edit smaller batches (100-200 items)
   • Work by category
   • Track which groups succeed/fail
2. Export/Import Method
   1. Items Library →
      Export →
      Make changes in spreadsheet →
      Import in smaller batches

Troubleshooting Steps

1. Common Error Triggers

   • Special characters (✓, ™, ®, ©)
   • Hidden spaces at start/end
   • Formatting issues
   • Duplicate SKUs
   • Invalid price formats

2. Systematic Check

   1. Export catalog →
      Check for:
      - Extra spaces
      - Special characters
      - Consistent formatting
      - Required fields

Best Practices

1. Before Bulk Edit

   • Backup current data
   • Test with small batch
   • Document changes
   • Note successful updates

2. Error Checking

   • Use text editor to spot special characters
   • Check CSV formatting
   • Verify price formats
   • Validate SKUs

Step-by-Step Solution

Divide and Conquer

Step 1: Export current catalog
Step 2: Split into smaller files
Step 3: Test each section
Step 4: Note which succeed/fail

Data Cleanup

• Remove all formatting
• Standardize text
• Check for duplicates
• Verify required fields

Tips for Large Catalogs

1. Organization

   • Create category groups
   • Track changes by section
   • Maintain backup files
   • Document successful methods

2. Validation Tools

   • Use spreadsheet validation
   • Check for duplicate SKUs
   • Verify price formats
   • Review character limits

I hope this helps!