Import Menu

Bulk import menu items from CSV files or photos of your existing menu.

Import Methods

Atlee supports two import methods:

Starting an Import

1. Navigate to Menus > Items
2. Click Import Menu Items
3. Choose your scope (Global or specific location)
4. Select your import method (CSV or Photo)

Scope Selection

Before uploading, choose where items will be available:

• Global Items - Available across all locations
• [Location Name] - Only at the selected location

This is especially important for multi-location restaurants with location-specific menus.

CSV Import

CSV Format

Your CSV file should include these columns:

Download Template

1. On the CSV import tab, click Download template
2. Open the file in Excel, Google Sheets, or any spreadsheet app
3. Fill in your menu data
4. Save as CSV

Upload Process

1. Drag and drop your CSV file, or click to browse
2. Review the preview table
3. Edit any items directly in the preview
4. If your CSV has section data, choose how to organize:
   • Create menu and assign items - Auto-create menus/sections
   • Import items only - Add to item catalog without menu structure
5. Click Import

Preview and Editing

Before importing, you can:

• Edit item names, descriptions, and prices directly
• Remove invalid rows
• See a summary of items, sections, and ingredients to be created

Import Results

After import completes, you’ll see:

• Number of items created
• Number of items skipped (duplicates)
• Number of menus/sections created
• Any errors encountered

Photo Import

Import items by taking photos of your existing menu.

Supported Formats

• JPEG, PNG, WebP, GIF
• Maximum 5 images per import
• Maximum 10MB per image

Tips for Best Results

1. Good lighting - Avoid shadows and glare
2. Full coverage - Capture entire menu sections
3. Straight angle - Photograph directly above the menu
4. Clear text - Ensure menu text is readable
5. Multiple pages - Upload multiple images for multi-page menus

Upload Process

1. Select the Menu Photo tab
2. Drag and drop images, or click to browse
3. Add up to 5 images
4. Click Extract Menu Items
5. Wait for AI processing (about 45 seconds per image)
6. Review and edit extracted items
7. Click Import

Reviewing Extracted Items

The AI extraction shows:

• Extracted item name
• Description (if found)
• Price (if found)
• Section (if detected)
• Confidence score (for photo imports)

Items with low confidence are highlighted for review. Edit directly in the preview table before importing.

Confidence Scores

Photo imports include confidence indicators:

After Import

Review Imported Items

1. Navigate to Menus > Items
2. Imported items appear with Draft status
3. Review each item for accuracy
4. Add missing allergen information
5. Publish when ready

Adding Allergens

Imported items need allergen review:

1. Open each item
2. If ingredients were imported, allergen suggestions may appear
3. Confirm or adjust allergen status
4. Save the item

Organizing Imported Items

If you imported items only (without menu structure):

1. Navigate to Menus
2. Create or select a menu
3. Create sections
4. Drag items into sections
5. Reorder as needed

Troubleshooting

”Name column not found”

Your CSV must have a column named item_name or name. Check for:

• Typos in the header row
• Extra spaces around column names
• Different column name (rename to item_name)

“Failed to parse CSV”

Common causes:

• File isn’t valid CSV format
• Encoding issues (save as UTF-8)
• Unmatched quotes in values

”No items extracted from image”

Try these fixes:

• Use a clearer, higher-resolution photo
• Ensure text is readable and not blurry
• Avoid decorative or stylized fonts
• Split large menus into multiple photos

Duplicate Items

If items already exist with the same name:

• Existing items are not overwritten
• New items with duplicate names are skipped
• Check the import results for skip count

Best Practices

1. Start with CSV if possible - Higher accuracy than photo extraction
2. Use the template - Ensures correct format
3. Include ingredients - Better allergen detection later
4. Review before publishing - Imported items default to Draft
5. Import in batches - Easier to review than one massive import