How to Update the Product Catalog

Last updated: August 26, 2026

You can manage your product catalog in two ways: directly in the Tabs dashboard or programmatically through the API. Most teams use the dashboard for day-to-day updates and the API for syncing products from another system.

In the Dashboard

Add a Product

  1. Navigate to Product Catalog from the left navigation menu.

  2. Click Create Product.

  3. Complete the product details:

    • Name (required) – Your internal product name. Must be unique.

    • Display Name (optional) – The customer-facing name shown on invoices. If left blank, Tabs uses the Name value.

    • Description (optional) – Additional details about the product.

    • Integration Item (optional) – Select the matching item from your connected ERP or accounting system.

    • ERP Class (optional) – Select the accounting classification associated with the product.

  4. Click Save.

New products are created as Active by default and are immediately available when creating contracts and billing terms.

Edit a Product

  1. From the Product Catalog, select the product you want to update.

  2. Click Edit.

  3. Update any fields as needed.

  4. Click Save.

Changes apply going forward. Existing invoices and historical billing records retain the values that were in place when they were created.

Bulk Upload

Use bulk upload to add or update multiple products at once. This is ideal for initial product catalog setup, making batch updates to existing products, or regular syncing from external systems.

  1. Navigate to Product Catalog from the left navigation menu.

  2. Click the Upload Products button (or Bulk Actions menu).

  3. Download the CSV template or prepare your own file with the following columns:

    • tabs_product_id (optional) – Use this when editing existing products. Include the product's UUID to update that specific product. Omit this field for new products.

    • name (required) – Internal product name. Must be unique (only required for new products).

    • display_name (optional) – Customer-facing name. Defaults to the product name if blank.

    • description (optional) – Product details.

    • integration_item (optional) – ERP item identifier from your connected system.

    • erp_class (optional) – Accounting classification code.

    • status (optional) – Set to "active" or "inactive". Defaults to "active".

  4. Select your CSV file and upload it.

  5. Tabs will validate the file and show any errors or warnings.

  6. Review the validation results. If there are errors, correct the CSV and re-upload.

  7. Click Confirm to complete the upload.

Creating vs. Editing Products

  • New products: Include a unique name and omit the tabs_product_id field. The system will create new products with the fields you provide.

  • Existing products: Include the tabs_product_id of the product you want to update. Any fields you provide will overwrite the existing values for that product.

Best Practices for Bulk Upload:

  • Test with a small batch first before uploading your full catalog

  • Ensure all product names are unique within your CSV (for new products)

  • When editing products, always reference the correct tabs_product_id to avoid creating duplicates

  • Keep the CSV format consistent (UTF-8 encoding, standard comma delimiters)

  • Map integration items carefully to avoid incorrect accounting classifications

Activate or Deactivate a Product

If you no longer sell a product, you can deactivate it instead of deleting it.

  1. Open the product detail page.

  2. Use the action menu and select Deactivate.

When a product is deactivated:

  • It no longer appears when creating new billing terms.

  • It remains associated with existing contracts and historical invoices.

  • It can be reactivated at any time.

Deactivating products preserves historical reporting and auditability.

See Which Contracts Use a Product

Open a product's detail page and navigate to Related Contracts.

From there, you can view every contract currently referencing the product and assess the impact of any planned changes.

Linking to Your Accounting System

The Integration Item field connects a product in Tabs to the corresponding item in your ERP or accounting system.

When linked:

  • Invoice line items can map consistently to your accounting system.

  • Revenue data can be categorized using the correct accounting item.

  • Product mappings only need to be configured once.

Best Practices

  • Use clear, standardized product names.

  • Deactivate products that are no longer sold instead of deleting them.

  • Review related contracts before making major product changes.

  • Keep Integration Item mappings up to date to ensure accurate financial reporting.

  • For bulk uploads, validate your CSV file carefully before uploading to avoid data quality issues.

  • Consider bulk upload for initial catalog setup or regular syncs from your ERP system.

What's Next

To learn how products are used when configuring customer billing, see How the Product Catalog Works with Billing Terms.