Automated addition of new items from supplier data

Purpose

1. Automate importing new inventory entries from supplier catalogues, spreadsheets, emails, or APIs directly into the POS or inventory management system for antiques, ensuring real-time updates.

2. Standardize and enrich product information (e.g., item description, provenance, condition, estimated value), reduce manual work, minimize errors, and ensure rapid online and in-store catalog updates.

3. Enable batch or real-time single-item processing for multi-supplier collaboration, integrating barcode or RFID data where provided.

Trigger Conditions

1. Receipt of updated supplier files (CSV, Excel, XML, PDF) via email, FTP, or cloud storage.

2. Supplier API posting new item catalog updates or webhooks.

3. Scheduled directory scan on network drive or cloud folder detects new inventory document.

4. Manual upload by staff through web portal or mobile app.

5. Email with subject keyword (e.g., "New Stock Arrival") and specific attachment type.

Platform Variants

1. Microsoft Power Automate

• Feature/Setting: 'When a file is created' in SharePoint/OneDrive; use 'Excel Online' for parsing, 'Common Data Service' to create inventory entries.
  

2. Zapier

• Feature/Setting: 'New File in Folder' (Google Drive/Dropbox/OneDrive); 'Formatter' for parsing, 'Webhooks' for custom system insertion.
  

3. Integromat

• Feature/Setting: 'Watch Files' in cloud or email; 'Parse CSV'; connect to POS API using 'HTTP'.
  

4. UiPath

• Feature/Setting: 'Email Trigger' for attachments; use Python scripts for parsing; 'Database Activities' for stock entry updates.
  

5. Workato

• Feature/Setting: 'New Row' in supplier spreadsheet; 'Data mapping' to POS API endpoint for item creation.
  

6. Tray.io

• Feature/Setting: 'New file' webhook; 'CSV Reader' trigger; 'HTTP Connector' for inventory database update.
  

7. AWS Lambda

• Feature/Setting: S3 'ObjectCreated' trigger; Lambda parses and loads to RDS/inventory system.
  

8. Google Cloud Functions

• Feature/Setting: Cloud Storage trigger; parse spreadsheet and post to Firestore or Cloud SQL.
  

9. Google Apps Script

• Feature/Setting: Spreadsheet 'onChange' trigger; script parses row, calls POS REST API.
  

10. Apache NiFi

• Feature/Setting: 'ListFTP' or 'GetSFTP' for supplier feed; 'ConvertRecord'; 'PutDatabaseRecord' for inventory DB.
  

11. MuleSoft

• Feature/Setting: FTP/Email connectors ingest file; DataWeave transforms; Salesforce Commerce Cloud or custom POS connector writes item.
  

12. Jitterbit

• Feature/Setting: 'Schedule' or 'HTTP Listener'; 'Transformation' pipeline; creates SKU in ERP/inventory module.
  

13. Dell Boomi

• Feature/Setting: 'Disk/FTP/Email Poll'; 'Map/Transform'; 'Inventory Connector' or custom API.
  

14. Smartsheet

• Feature/Setting: 'Update Row' webhook; 'Bridge' integration to create inventory records.
  

15. Airtable

• Feature/Setting: 'Airtable Automations' listen for new row; 'Script/Outbound Webhook' updates POS.
  

16. Shopify

• Feature/Setting: 'Admin API' POST /admin/api/2023-01/products.json for new product; event-based via Shopify Flow.
  

17. NetSuite

• Feature/Setting: SuiteScript 'User Event Script' on record add; SuiteTalk SOAP/REST for integration.
  

18. WooCommerce

• Feature/Setting: 'REST API' POST /wp-json/wc/v3/products; use external input via webhook or file.
  

19. QuickBooks Commerce

• Feature/Setting: 'API v3' POST /item endpoint; scheduled CSV import.
  

20. Oracle Integration Cloud

• Feature/Setting: Scheduler or File Adapter; Map data to ERP Inventory module REST API.
  

21. Odoo

• Feature/Setting: 'XML-RPC API' create item; file import via scheduled job.
  

22. SAP Integration Suite

• Feature/Setting: 'iFlow' with FTP or Email Adapter; data transformation and 'Inventory Management API' POST.
  

23. Salesforce

• Feature/Setting: 'Salesforce Flow' or 'Apex Trigger'; HTTP callouts to custom objects or Commerce Cloud.
  

24. Trello

• Feature/Setting: 'Butler Power-Up' automation; create card on new file, trigger inventory update via webhook.
  

Benefits

1. Reduces manual entry time, freeing staff for higher-value tasks.

2. Decreases risk of duplicate, incomplete, or incorrect inventory records.

3. Ensures new items are available for sale online or in-store without delay.

4. Standardizes product data fields, vital for multi-channel antiques retail and compliance.

5. Enables scalability—adding new suppliers becomes a configuration task, not a bottleneck.

6. Facilitates audit trails and inventory reconciliation, improving loss prevention.

7. Integrates condition reports and images for richer antique listings, boosting sales appeal.