Most churches arrive with a list already — a spreadsheet, or an export from whatever they used before. Importing it is the fastest way to make the rest of the product useful, because groups, messaging and giving all read from People.
Start from the example file
The import screen has a Download example CSV button. Use it. It is the definitive answer to "which columns do I need?" — far more reliable than guessing from a help page, because it comes from the same code that reads your file.
- Replace the three example rows with your own people, keeping its headings.
- Save as CSV — export from Excel or Google Sheets rather than renaming an
.xlsx. - Give each person their own row.
- Every row needs a name and at least an email address or a phone number. A row with neither is flagged as needing attention and is not imported. Only people with an email address can be sent a sign-in link, and staff rows must have one.
Running the import
- Open People, click the + button (People actions), and choose Import Members.
- Download the example CSV if you have not already, and match your file to it.
- Drop your CSV onto the upload area, or click it to pick the file.
- Read the summary that appears: how many rows are in file, how many are ready to import, and how many need attention.
- Use Preview all to look through the rows before committing, or Choose a different file to start over.
- Check the options under the summary. Update existing members with details from the file and Email them their sign-in link now are ticked by default; untick the second to import without inviting anyone.
- Click Import (it shows the count, for example Import 25 people) and wait for the result.
Reading the result
The result counts four outcomes: imported (new records created), updated (existing people matched and amended), skipped (already in your directory and left unchanged because Update existing members with details from the file was unticked) and failed. Failures are listed individually, each naming the line number in your file and what was wrong with it, so you can correct the file and run it again. Rows that needed attention before you imported were left out altogether — find them with Preview all.
Importing the same file twice
Re-importing recognises people by email address. With Update existing members with details from the file ticked (the default), a row whose email is already in your directory updates that person instead of creating a duplicate, which makes re-running a corrected file the intended way to fix a partly-failed import. Rows with only a phone number are not recognised and are added again, so leave out phone-only rows that already imported.