Supplier bill import for hardware traders reads a long supplier bill, with its sizes, finishes and item codes, into a draft purchase voucher, and you match each line to your own Tally stock item before saving. Matching is where a hardware bill is won or lost. When the code printed on a line equals the part number on one of your Tally items, the line is filled in and marked "Matched by part number". When you have mapped a supplier's line before, it comes back as "Remembered from a past invoice" on their next bill. Lines that match neither get suggestions, a search box and a Create option. A unit printed on the bill that is not one of your Tally units is flagged on the line. The review screen then compares the lines' total with the bill's printed total before you tap Save Purchase Voucher, and the voucher goes to Tally the way any entry made in the app does.
Why hardware bills are hard to type
A hardware and sanitary trader stocks thousands of items: pipe fittings in a dozen sizes, hinges in three finishes, screws by length and gauge, taps in four ranges from one brand. A single supplier bill can carry 60 lines where "CPVC Elbow 20mm" and "CPVC Elbow 25mm" sit one above the other.
Typing those lines is slow, and picking the wrong size from Tally's item list is easy. The error does not show until a counter salesman finds Tally saying 40 pieces of an elbow that has none on the shelf. Most traders end up with one trusted person who knows every item name, and purchase entry waits for them.
Matching a long bill line by line
Open Import from PDF or photo in the Purchase register and pick the bill. After "Reading your document…", confirm the supplier on Match Supplier, where suggestions carry a confidence label and you can search by name or GSTIN.
Map Line Items is where the work happens. Each line shows what was read: description, HSN, quantity, unit, rate, GST and amount. For each one:
- If the printed code equals the part number on one of your Tally items, it is already filled in with "Matched by part number".
- If you mapped this supplier's line on an earlier bill, it shows "Remembered from a past invoice".
- Otherwise, pick from Suggested items, Search your list, or Create a new item.
A line read off the bill that should not be there can be removed, and Add line puts in one that was missed. The screen will not let you continue while any line is still unmapped, and it tells you how many are left.
Checks before the voucher is saved
On a 60-line bill, the total check earns its place. If the mapped lines add up to a different figure from the total printed on the bill, Review Purchase Voucher shows both numbers and asks you to check the items before saving. Units that are not Tally units are flagged on the line for you to fix in Edit item details, and when you open that sheet it also checks that the HSN code is 4, 6 or 8 digits.
Your trusted person still checks the bill. What changes is that lines already mapped from that supplier come back matched on the next bill, and someone else in the office can do the review, because the app shows which item each line went to.
The Import purchase from PDF page shows the screens, and the guide to importing purchase bills into Tally covers the full flow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What if the supplier's item name is different from mine?
A: Map it once. After that import is saved, the same line from that supplier comes back as "Remembered from a past invoice".
Q: Can it match by item code?
A: Yes, when the code printed on the bill equals the part number on your Tally item. The line is marked "Matched by part number".
Q: Is there a limit on bill size?
A: The file can be up to 5 MB, as a PDF, JPG or PNG. Large photos are shrunk automatically.
Q: Can I add a line the import missed?
A: Yes. Use Add line on the Map Line Items screen, and remove any line that should not be there.
Bring a long bill
WhatsApp us at https://wa.me/919435977777 with your longest supplier bill and we will run it against your Tally items.