Importing Data

When a job has 30 or more pieces, entering them one by one is slow and easy to get wrong. CutOptim supports two bulk import methods that let you bring a full cut list into the app in seconds — whether your data lives in Excel, Google Sheets, or a CSV file exported from a design program.

Both methods work for the Stock table and the Demand table, and are available on all plans including Free.

Method 1: Paste from Excel or Google Sheets

This is the fastest path from a spreadsheet to a running optimization. There is no file to export and no format to match — just copy, paste, and confirm.

1. 1

   Open your spreadsheet

   Open the Excel workbook, Google Sheet, or LibreOffice Calc file that contains your cut list or stock list.

2. 2

   Select the data range

   Select the cells containing your data. You can include the header row — CutOptim will detect and skip it. Select only the columns you want to import (Name, Qty, Width, Height for 2D; Name, Qty, Length for 1D), or select all columns — extra columns are ignored.

3. 3

   Copy to clipboard

   Press **Ctrl+C** (or **Cmd+C** on Mac) to copy. The cells are now on your clipboard as tab-separated values.

4. 4

   Click inside the table in CutOptim

   In CutOptim, click anywhere inside the **Stock** table or the **Demand** table — whichever you are populating. Make sure a cell or row in the table has focus.

5. 5

   Paste

   Press **Ctrl+V** (or **Cmd+V**). CutOptim reads the clipboard, maps the columns, and shows a preview of the rows it found.

6. 6

   Confirm the import

   Review the preview. If the columns are mapped correctly, click **Confirm** to add the rows to the table. Click **Cancel** to discard and try again.

What gets recognised

Columns are mapped in order from left to right. CutOptim accepts the following header names in English and Hungarian:

If your headers do not match any recognised name, CutOptim falls back to positional mapping: column 1 → Name, column 2 → Quantity, column 3 → Width/Length, column 4 → Height (2D only), column 5 → Price.

Method 2: Import a CSV File

If your cut list is exported as a CSV from a design program, CAD tool, or ERP system, you can import it directly using the Import button above the table.

1. 1

   Click the Import button

   Above the **Stock** or **Demand** table, click the **Import CSV** button. The import dialog opens.

2. 2

   Select your CSV file

   Click **Choose file** and select the `.csv` file from your computer. The file is read immediately — nothing is uploaded to a server.

3. 3

   Review the column mapping

   The dialog shows a preview of the first few rows and how each column has been mapped. Check that Name, Quantity, and dimensions look correct.

4. 4

   Confirm

   Click **Import** to add the rows to the table. The dialog closes and the data appears in the Stock or Demand table ready to review.

CSV Format Reference

2D Stock (sheet material)

2D Demand (pieces to cut)

1D Stock and Demand (linear material)

Preparing Your Spreadsheet

A few habits make imports go smoothly every time:

• Put headers in row 1. CutOptim skips the first row if it looks like a header. If your data starts in row 1 with no header, that row will be imported as data — which is also fine.
• Use whole numbers for quantity. Fractional quantities are not supported. Round up if a job calls for 2.5 sheets — enter 3.
• Use millimetres throughout. Mixing units in a column (e.g. some values in mm, some in cm) will produce wrong results. Convert your whole sheet to one unit before importing.
• Labels can contain spaces and special characters. Left Side Panel – Oak is a valid label. Avoid commas in labels inside CSV files (use quotes around the field value if needed).
• Empty rows are skipped. Blank lines between data groups in your spreadsheet do not cause errors.
• Extra columns are ignored. A BOM or cut list with additional columns (cost codes, material type, finish) can be imported without stripping those columns out first.

After Importing

Once the import is confirmed, the rows appear in the Stock or Demand table exactly as if you had typed them manually. From here:

• Review each row before running. Check that dimensions look right and quantities match your job.
• Edit individual cells by clicking on them. If a dimension was imported in centimetres instead of millimetres, click the cell and correct it.
• Add or remove rows as normal — imported rows behave identically to manually entered ones.
• Run the optimization when you are satisfied. Click Run Optimization or press Ctrl+Enter.

Exporting a Template

If you regularly import data from the same spreadsheet format, download a template CSV to use as your standard starting point:

1. Click Import CSV above the Stock or Demand table
2. In the import dialog, click Download template
3. Open the template in Excel or Google Sheets
4. Fill in your data and save as CSV
5. Import as described above

The template includes the correct headers and one example row showing the expected format.