“Inventory policy is not included in the list”: fixing a Shopify CSV
The column that controls selling when out of stock contains a value Shopify doesn’t accept. It only allows deny or continue.
Inventory policy is not included in the listWhat the message means
Shopify calls the setting “inventory policy”. In the current template the column is Continue selling when out of stock; older files call it Variant Inventory Policy. The only valid values are deny (stop selling at zero stock) and continue (keep selling). Anything else, such as yes, no or TRUE, fails.
How to fix it
- Find the column
Continue selling when out of stockorVariant Inventory Policy. - Replace every value with
denyorcontinue, in lowercase. - Fill empty cells on variant rows, or delete the column for new products to use the default (
deny). - Import again.
URL handle,Title,Price,Inventory tracker,Inventory quantity,Continue selling when out of stock
stoneware-mug,Stoneware Mug,18.00,shopify,0,denyWhich value should you choose?
Use deny for items you only sell when they are on hand. Use continue for made-to-order products, pre-orders or dropshipped items your supplier ships on demand, and set expectations about delivery times on the product page.
Frequently asked questions
Is “continue” the same as allowing backorders?
It lets customers buy the variant when stock is zero or below. How you handle those orders is up to you.
Are TRUE and FALSE accepted?
No. This column takes deny or continue, not true or false.
What happens if I delete the column?
New variants use Shopify’s default, which is deny.
Turn a supplier file into an import-ready CSV
Upload a supplier PDF, Excel or CSV price list. Map the columns, set your markup, fix flagged rows and download a Shopify or WooCommerce CSV. The first five rows are free to preview.