💡 TL;DR
If your profit numbers look wrong or your COGS uploads don’t work, this guide will help you fix the most common issues — from data gaps and upload errors to confusing date overlaps and misformatted files.
🎯 What You’ll Learn
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Why a product might show $0 COGS
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How to fix upload issues (warnings or failed)
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How to spot date overlap and gaps
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Tips for debugging Excel file errors
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How to verify if COGS is applied correctly
🚨 Issue: Product Showing $0 COGS
Symptoms
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Profit is grossly inflated
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P&L shows margin of 100%
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Cost fields are blank on dashboards
Likely Causes
| Cause | Fix |
|---|---|
| No COGS defined for the product | Manually define or upload cost |
| Dates outside defined cost period | Add missing cost periods that cover those sales |
| Incorrect marketplace selected | Check you’re entering cost in the correct region |
| SKU mismatch | Confirm the SKU is spelled exactly as in SL |
🚧 Issue: Excel Upload Fails or Partially Uploads
Error Messages You Might See
| Message | Meaning | Fix |
|---|---|---|
FAILED |
File was completely rejected | Check template, formatting, tab name |
DONE_WITH_WARNINGS |
Some rows skipped or errored | Check row-by-row feedback on screen |
| No message at all | Empty file or only header present | Add actual data |
Common Mistakes
| Mistake | How to Fix |
|---|---|
| Extra tabs or renamed worksheet | Use only one tab named exactly as in template |
| Wrong date format (e.g. DD/MM/YYYY) | Use YYYY-MM-DD only |
| Overlapping cost periods | Adjust end date of previous period |
| Unknown SKU | Verify SKU exists in SL and matches exactly |
| Currency field typo | Use 3-letter ISO codes only (e.g., EUR, USD) |
| Total Paid or Units missing in Detailed View | Provide at least one to compute unit cost |
🧠 Pro Tip: Open your Excel file in Notepad to check for hidden formatting issues or unexpected characters.
📆 Issue: Cost Periods Overlapping or Missing
Overlap Error
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SL doesn’t allow cost periods to overlap
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You’ll get a warning or upload failure
Fix:
Edit either the Start Date of the new period or the End Date of the previous one so that they do not overlap.
Gap in Coverage
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No cost period defined for a stretch of time
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SL treats this as $0 cost
Fix:
Insert a new period to fill the gap — even if it’s just one day.
🧪 How To Confirm COGS Is Applied Properly
Option 1: Check Order-Level Cost
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Go to Product Dashboard > Order List
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Look at the “Unit Cost” column
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Each row shows the cost applied to that sale
Option 2: Check Profit Reports
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Go to Sales Per Day Per Product or P&L Report
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Select the product and date range
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Confirm cost and profit values align with expectations
🧠 Expert Tips
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Always use a fresh download of the template before bulk uploading.
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Include Start and End dates for each row — don’t leave blank unnecessarily.
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Use Notes and Provider fields in Detailed View to help future-proof audits.
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Keep a master spreadsheet of all cost changes by product for easy reference.
🔄 When All Else Fails
Still seeing odd results?
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Try uploading just one test product with one cost period to isolate the problem.
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Double-check the marketplace selection — wrong region = invisible cost data.
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Contact SL support with a copy of your Excel file and product SKU.