How do I import my clients into Bookem?

Bookem makes it easy to upload your client list using a spreadsheet or CSV file - saving you time and effort.

You can import the file yourself or contact us to do it for you at a flat rate.

What you'll need

  • A CSV (Comma Separated Values) file or spreadsheet (Excel or Google Sheets) with the client information

  • Each client’s name and contact details

  • Clean, well-formatted data (see tips below)

How to import your clients

1. Go to Clients and click on ‘Import clients’

2. Download an example file to see the required column headers

3. Rename your column headers to match the example exactly

  • e.g. Use lastname instead of surname, use date_of_birth instead of birthday or DOB

4. Clean and format your data

  • Dates: Use the international format 'yyyy-mm-dd', and save them as text

  • Phone numbers: Use international format. For example, use '27821234567' for South Africa or '15551234567' for the US. The '+' sign can be removed if you wish.

5. Click Upload CSV file, preview your data, and fix any issues flagged (ignore those that do not apply to you)

6. If everything looks good, click Import. Your client list will appear on the Clients page

All done! You can now go to the Clients page and double-check everything looks as expected.

Pro tips for cleaning your data

Before importing, cleaning your data is crucial. Here are some helpful data cleaning resources:

  • Google Sheets: Use functions like `CLEAN`, `TRIM`, and `SUBSTITUTE` to clean up your data.

  • Excel: Similar functions are available in Excel, such as `TRIM`, `CLEAN`, and `REPLACE`.

  • OpenRefine: Great for bulk data cleaning and transformations

✅ Do’s and ❌ Don’ts

✅ Do

  • Fill in all required fields like first name

  • Use consistent formatting throughout

  • Check for duplicates

  • Save your file in UTF-8 encoding

❌ Don’t

  • Use special characters or emojis

  • Leave blank rows or columns

By following these steps, you'll avoid common import errors and get your client list into Bookem in no time.

Learn more