If you have an existing client list, you can import it into Dubsado with a CSV file.
You’ll need:
A paid Dubsado plan (not available to trial users)
A CSV file of your contacts (the file extension must be .csv, not .xlsx)
In this article
Before you import
There are a few important things to know before starting the import process:
We strongly recommend watching the video above! It will walk you through the correct way to format your CSV file for import. Preparing your CSV with the proper column titles will make the import go more smoothly.
A maximum of 1000 clients can be imported at one time. Split up your CSV into multiple files and repeat the import process for each if you have more than 1000 clients.
Avoid importing duplicate clients. If you already have clients in Dubsado, remove any duplicates from your CSV before importing.
It is not possible to automatically apply workflows to new projects created during an import.
The import process works best when using the Chrome browser on a desktop or laptop computer.
Import a CSV client list
Go to Utilities >> Address Book.
Click Import in the top right.
Click Browse and select your CSV file.
A partial preview of your data will generate below.
Use the dropdown at the top of each column to match the CSV column titles with the names of the fields in Dubsado. More info on mapping your data.
If you'd like to create a new project for each new client, check the Import as leads checkbox under the file selection area. More info on import options.
Click Submit next to the file selection area to begin the import.
If you have a very large list, please allow a few minutes for the import to complete. You will then be able to view your clients under Utilities >> Address Book, and if you chose to import as leads, you'll find the new projects on the Projects page under Leads >> All.
Map CSV data to Dubsado fields
When you prepared your CSV file for import, you used the first row to give each column of data a title.
Dubsado will make a best guess based on the title of each column, but you may need to make some adjustments to correctly match each column with a field in Dubsado.
You can import the following data:
First Name
Last Name
Email
Phone
Company Name
Address Line 1
Address Line 2
City
State/Province
Zip/Postal
Country
Custom Mapped Client Fields
⚠️ Heads up! Any columns in your CSV that you DO NOT map into one of those options will go into the Notes of the client profile. You will be able to select which columns of data you want to import as notes, and which you would like to leave out.
Import Options
You have two options for how you'd like to import your clients, controlled by the Import as leads checkbox.
Import to address book only
This is the default option with "Import as leads" unchecked. This will only enter all of your clients into the address book and not create any new projects. If you would like to create a new project with one of the clients you imported, you can go to the Projects page, click New Project, and then select the client from the dropdown list.
Import as leads
When you check the box for "Import as leads," Dubsado will create a new project for each client during import. The project will be titled with the client’s first and last name and will appear under the All Leads status on the Projects page.
Importing clients as leads will also give you some additional fields to map to from your CSV:
Job Start and Job End
Custom Mapped Job Fields
FAQ
My data isn’t showing up correctly in the preview
First, check that your file has a .csv file extension. If not, you need to export a CSV file from your spreadsheet first. Excel (.xlsx) and Numbers (.numbers) files are not supported.
Also check the formatting of your CSV file. Open up your CSV in Google Sheets or Excel to check the formatting:
The first cell of every column should be a header for the data in that column (i.e. "First Name," "Email," "Phone").
There should only be ONE row of cells for the headers and nothing above it. Delete any extra rows.
What if I have an Excel Sheet or Google Sheet?
If you already have your contacts in a Google Sheet or Excel Spreadsheet, you will need to export it as a CSV file so you can import it into Dubsado. Follow the tips above to ensure your data is formatted correctly.
I need to import more data than the default First Name, Last Name, Email, etc.
No problem! Before importing, you can create custom mapped client and/or job fields for your additional data. Learn more about creating custom mapped fields here.
What happens if I import a client that already exists?
Importing a CSV file will create a new entry for each of the clients on that list, duplicating any clients who already exist in your Dubsado address book. We recommend uploading a file of only clients who do not yet exist in Dubsado.
If you do import a duplicate client, carefully review both client profiles in the address book and only delete the newly imported one. Removing clients from the address book will remove all information associated with that client, including invoices. There is no way to merge two clients.
Can I start a workflow automatically on all the new clients I import?
No, a workflow cannot be automatically applied to new projects created during a CSV import. If you would like to start a workflow on all of the clients on your list, we recommend turning on Import as Leads so that a project gets created for each client. You can then open each project and go into the Workflows tab to manually apply a workflow.
I made a mistake importing my clients. Can I start over?
You can, but proceed with caution! Click Remove Project and Client Imports. This will remove ALL the clients you have ever imported via CSV (not just the most recent import) and any projects created during import if you had “Import as Leads” turned on. It will not affect clients or projects that you have manually created in the system, but we recommend using caution when clicking this button, as the effects are irreversible.
