How to import your client list to BookHero: the complete step-by-step guide

Migrating to a new system is one of the most sensitive parts of any software change. The idea of typing 200, 500, 1000 clients by hand is reason enough for many people not even to start. Good news: BookHero imports via CSV, and in 95% of cases the process takes under 30 minutes start to finish, even with big lists.

This guide is the complete step-by-step - exact format, preparation, import, verification. Follow all the steps and you come out with the list imported and headache-free.

Where is your list right now

If you come from another booking platform not in the list, contact us - help@bookhero.app. In general we can help transform any format into compatible CSV.

The exact CSV format BookHero accepts

Example of a ready-to-import file:

Step 1: Prepare the file (10-15 minutes)

1. 1

   Open Excel or Google Sheets

   Create new sheet. Row 1: name, phone, email, notes. Row 2 onwards: each client.

2. 2

   Clean basic data

   Check phone is in consistent format (all with country code or all without). Emails without leading/trailing spaces. Names without unnecessary ALL CAPS.

3. 3

   Add useful notes

   This is the chance to add context about the client (preferred color, allergies, usual frequency). Don't overdo - 1-3 lines per client is enough.

4. 4

   Check duplicates

   Filter by duplicate phone and decide which version to keep. Ideally resolve before importing - cleaner.

5. 5

   Save as CSV UTF-8

   In Excel: Save as > CSV UTF-8 (comma-separated). In Google Sheets: File > Download > Comma-separated values (CSV).

Step 2: Import in BookHero (5 minutes)

1. 1

   Go to Clients in the side menu

   On any dashboard screen, click Clients. You go to the current client list.

2. 2

   Click Import CSV

   Button visible at the top of the page. If you have no clients yet, it's the main button; if you do, it's more discreet.

3. 3

   Choose the file

   Upload dialog. Pick the CSV you prepared in step 1.

4. 4

   Preview the first 5 rows

   BookHero shows how it'll interpret the columns. Confirm: name→Name, phone→Phone, etc. If mapping is wrong, adjust in the dialog.

5. 5

   Confirm import

   Click Import. For 200 clients, takes 5-10 seconds. For 5000, can take 30-60 seconds.

How BookHero handles duplicates

Duplicates happen - same client registered twice (changed number, new email, etc.). BookHero detects automatically based on primary phone. If the CSV file has 2 entries with same phone, it flags them before import for you to decide.

• Duplicate within CSV (2 rows with same phone): flagged before importing, you choose which to keep.
• Duplicate between CSV and existing clients (you import someone already there): you can opt to update existing data or ignore.
• No phone: BookHero can't detect duplicates, imports as new client. If you don't have phones, we recommend manual verification after.
• Phones in different format (912345678 vs +44912345678): BookHero normalizes before comparing - they're detected as duplicates.

Step 3: Verify the import (5 minutes)

Don't skip this. Even if the system says it imported everything, it's important to confirm visually:

• Total count: number of clients in the list should match CSV rows.
• Open 5-10 random cards: complete data? special characters right? notes legible?
• Search for a specific client: use the search bar, confirm they appear.
• If there's discrepancy, you can delete all newly imported and try again (Delete selected button on the list).

Typical mistakes to avoid

• Wrong encoding: special characters look weird. Solution: always save in UTF-8.
• Wrong separator: using ; instead of , (typical in some European locales). Solution: replace all with comma before saving.
• Phones in different formats: some with country code, others without. Solution: normalize all to one format before import.
• Importing without checking duplicates first: creates duplicates you have to merge manually after. Solution: filter duplicates in Excel before.
• Importing all at once if list is huge (>5000): if there's an error, hard to identify. Solution: split into chunks of 1000-2000.

What to do after the import

Importing is just the first step. To get real value from the imported list:

1. 1

   Add origin to existing clients

   On each card, add private note with real origin (Booksy, personal Excel, etc.). Useful to distinguish historical clients from new ones when you start recording origin of new arrivals.

2. 2

   Identify your top 20%

   In Clients, sort by accumulated spend (if you imported with history) or by visit count. The top are your VIPs - candidates for special recognition.

3. 3

   Announce the change to active clients

   Send a message to clients who return regularly: we moved to BookHero, book here [link]. Reduces friction of the migration for them.

4. 4

   List of inactives to reactivate

   If your list has clients you haven't seen in a while, identify the top with >90 days inactive - immediate candidates for reactivation campaign.

Limits and capacity

• No hard limit on number of clients - we've imported 10,000+ lists no problem.
• For lists >5000, we recommend splitting into smaller files (1000-2000) for easier verification.
• Process is instant up to 1000 clients; >5000 may take 1-2 minutes.
• Notes have 500-character limit per client - if you have longer text, split or abbreviate.
• Unique email is required for clients who'll have login (if applicable). Unique phone recommended.

Assisted migration (free)

If you get stuck at any step, or your list has special complexity (multiple custom fields, weird format), contact us at help@bookhero.app. The product team does the import for you, no charge. Typically takes 24-48h.

Frequently asked questions