Import a CSV or Excel cut list.
Bring in a spreadsheet, check every row, then plan plywood and lumber with stock and grain settings you choose. Your file stays on your device.
Choose your cut list
Your file stays on your device.
CSV or Excel (.xlsx), up to 5 MB.
File formats and supported limits
UTF-8 CSV uses commas between columns and a dot for decimals. Fractions such as 1/8 and 23 1/4 are accepted. Thousands separators, decimal commas, formulas, macros, external links and hidden spreadsheet data are unsupported. Numeric XLSX cells use stored values, not display rounding; store identifiers as text. Dates, percentages, currencies and custom number formats are unsupported. Export a reviewed values-only CSV when needed, including from the SawNest Excel template.
2,000 rows, 100 columns, 100,000 cells, 2,000 characters per cell, 20 worksheets, 200 ZIP entries and 20 MB of actual expanded XLSX data. Up to 2,000 sheet pieces or 5,000 lumber pieces per group; 40 groups and 2,000 source rows per workspace. Exceeding a limit rejects the import. Counts are never reduced.
How to import an Excel or CSV cut list
Use a completed parts list from a spreadsheet or design report. SawNest reads CSV and values-only .xlsx files up to 5 MB, with up to 2,000 data rows. No account is required. Start with the small sample below to see the review process before choosing your own file.
- Prepare finished dimensions. Keep one part size per row and put its count in Quantity. Keep width, length and thickness in separate columns. Use either inches or millimeters throughout the selected table; omit unit suffixes from numeric cells. Enter kerf and stock trim later.
- Choose the file and confirm units. For Excel, select the worksheet. In the header and column options, identify the first row of the table, confirm whether it contains headings, and check each suggested mapping. A column named Length is not proof of a grain direction.
- Review the counts and groups. Check every invalid or excluded row. Sheets are grouped by material and thickness; lumber also separates by cross-section width. Hardware stays outside the cutting plan and remains in the materials list. Duplicate rows both count, so resolve accidental duplicates in the source.
- Choose stock and plan each group. Select Import reviewed groups, then confirm measured stock, kerf, trim and grain or rotation settings. Check requested, placed and unplaced counts before exporting. Save the workspace explicitly if you want to return in this browser.
Starting from a drawing? Follow how to make a woodworking cut list. For a blank spreadsheet, use the Excel cut-list template; export the filled part rows as values-only CSV before importing its formula-based workbook.
Sample CSV: plywood, lumber and hardware
This synthetic example demonstrates the importer; it is not an assembly or construction plan. Download it, choose it in the file picker above, select Millimeters, and confirm that the first row contains column headers. The Category column identifies Plywood, Lumber and Hardware.
Download the sample cut-list CSV
Scroll the table sideways on smaller screens to see every dimension.
| Label | Material | Category | Thickness | Width | Length | Quantity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P-01 | Demo plywood | Plywood | 18 | 280 | 600 | 2 |
| P-02 | Demo plywood | Plywood | 18 | 280 | 400 | 3 |
| B-01 | Demo pine | Lumber | 19 | 38 | 450 | 4 |
| H-01 | Demo screws | Hardware | — | — | — | 20 |
Expected review: 3 cutting rows, 9 pieces, 2 material groups. The plywood group has 5 pieces and the lumber group has 4. One hardware row with a count of 20 is excluded from cutting and retained in the materials list. No pack-size or purchase rounding is applied.
Material, Category, Thickness, Width, Length and Quantity should map to the matching fields; Label identifies each part. You can map different source headings manually. If a report includes both Qty and QtyTot, a mapped QtyTot takes precedence and is used once. Check whether it already includes the batch quantity before importing.
Common cut-list import questions
Why was my Excel workbook rejected?
The importer accepts .xlsx, but does not evaluate formulas or support macros, external links, hidden spreadsheet data or legacy .xls files. Make a separate values-only copy of the filled parts table, or export that table as UTF-8 comma-separated CSV. Remove title rows, totals and unused columns that are not part records. Keep the original workbook for your calculations.
Can I use fractions, decimal commas or mixed units?
Inches can use values such as 23.25, 1/8 or 23 1/4. Use a dot for decimals, without thousands separators or unit suffixes. Quantities must be positive whole numbers. Convert mixed-unit dimensions to one system before import, then explicitly select that system. Selecting a unit describes the source numbers; it does not repair a mixed-unit table.
Does the file set grain direction and rotation?
Source notes and unmapped columns are retained for reference, but they do not automatically become grain constraints. Confirm grain and rotation in the planner for each material group and part. Keep width and length in the same order as the drawing, and inspect the resulting layout. See the optimizer methodology and limits.
Are screws, stock inventory and assembly instructions imported?
Recognized hardware categories and rows marked Omit / Exclude are kept outside cutting and retained in the materials list and source record. The file supplies required parts; enter available sheets or boards in the stock settings. Notes about bevels, rips and joinery remain reference notes. The layout does not create a 3D assembly, joinery design or machining sequence.
Where is my file stored?
The file is read on your device. Save workspace locally stores the reviewed workspace in this browser only when you choose it. Browser storage can be cleared and does not sync between devices. Keep your original file and download the exports you need. Read the SawNest privacy policy.