---
title: Import and export price lists
description: Export and edit a pricing workbook, preview imports and apply draft changes without silently repricing existing orders.
url: "https://viewips.com/docs/import-export-price-lists/"
updated: "2026-10-12"
category: Studio setup
---

# Import and export price lists

You can edit your catalog in a spreadsheet app using an IPS Viewer pricing workbook. Export draft or applied pricing, make your changes, then import the workbook into a draft. Choose **Save all changes** in Price Lists to put the new prices into use.

Importing doesn’t apply the prices by itself, and catalog changes don’t reprice items already in an order.

## Start with an export

1. Open **File → Manage Price Lists…**.
2. Export your applied pricing as a backup.
3. Make another export or copy to edit. Choose draft pricing if you want to include changes you haven’t applied yet.
4. Save the .xlsx file with a clear name. The default is **IPS Pricing.xlsx**.

Use a workbook exported by IPS Viewer and keep its **_IPS** metadata and reference columns intact.

## Edit the workbook

Product and option definitions are shared across lists. Availability, price, and taxability belong to each individual list, so check which list you’re editing.

A blank price means Not set; zero means free. Size and option names are labels and don’t set the crop or physical image dimensions.

IPS Viewer reads saved formula results rather than calculating formulas itself. If you use price formulas, calculate and save the workbook in your spreadsheet app first. Check the import preview; if a formula has no usable numeric result, enter the intended number in your working copy.

Save as .xlsx. Workbooks with macros or external links aren’t supported.

## Preview and import

1. Return to Price Lists and choose the import action.
2. Select your IPS Viewer .xlsx workbook, or a supported older .json pricing bundle.
3. Review the preview: lists, products, options, prices, availability, and taxability.
4. Choose **Import into draft** when it matches your intended changes.

## If there’s a conflict

Compare the workbook values with the current draft. Choose **Import workbook values over conflicts** only if you want those values to win. If you’re unsure, cancel, make a fresh export, and reconcile the differences in a copy.

A concurrent-change warning is different: close and reopen Price Lists as instructed, then review the latest version before continuing.

## Put the prices into use

Review the imported draft and choose **Save all changes**. Check the Price List selected in Quick Order and add a practice item.

Existing items keep their stored prices. Correct those separately if needed. When closing, Save & Exit keeps pending changes; Exit Without Saving discards them.

## File limits

- 20 MB compressed workbook size
- 80 MB expanded size
- 1,000 ZIP entries
- 25,000 rows

An .xlsx file is a compressed package, so expanded size and entry count can matter even when the file looks small. Remove unnecessary content without removing the required metadata or reference columns.

## If the import fails

Check the file format, required metadata, formulas, macros or external links, and any size-limit message. Keep your last good export. If you need help, send support your IPS Viewer version and the exact error, without license keys or private customer information.

A pricing export backs up catalog data. Back up photos, sessions, and PDFs separately.

## Related guides

- [Products and prices](https://viewips.com/docs/price-list-setup/)
- [Adding and editing orders](https://viewips.com/docs/order-item/)
- [Saving and backing up](https://viewips.com/docs/save-session-load-session/)