Import file formats: CSV, Excel, dates and separators
What an import file must look like: CSV or Excel, size and rows, header language, separators inside a cell, and the date and number format of each record type.
People with the edit permission on the module they import into: «Contacts», «Inventory», «Spaces», «Crew», «Transport», «Projects» or «Orders». With view mode the «⋯» menu doesn't show the import, update or export actions.
Most import problems come from the file, not from the data: a second sheet left in the workbook, dates written the way one importer expects but not another, or a decimal comma where a decimal point was needed. This page collects what every import file must look like, and where the record types differ.
The file you upload
| Aspect | Rule | If it isn't met |
|---|---|---|
| Format | CSV, XLS or XLSX. | «The file format must be .xlsx or .csv» |
| Size | Up to 10 MB. | «The file is too large. Maximum 10MB allowed.» |
| Sheets | One sheet in Excel. | «The file must not contain multiple tabs; they are not supported» |
| Content | A header row and at least one data row. | «The file must have at least one header row and one data row» |
| Headers | Every column named, none repeated (capitals don't count). | «There are duplicate headers: …» or «Columns … have no header» |
| Rows | Up to 100,000 per file. | A message that mentions a contact limit; the real limit is 100,000 rows. |
| CSV encoding | UTF-8. | Accents and ñ show wrong. Save as UTF-8 or upload the XLSX. |
| CSV separator | Comma or semicolon, detected from the file. | All columns merged into one. Save as XLSX and upload again. |
Completely empty rows are skipped, and spaces at the start and end of each cell are removed.
Headers and language
- Templates and exports come out with Spanish headers if your Filmo is in Spanish, and English headers in any other language. Imports that recognize headers accept both, so a colleague with Filmo in English can fill in your Spanish template.
- Some update files are fixed in Spanish: the three item update files and the order files. Crew updates only accept a file exported with Filmo in Spanish, and vehicle updates only recognize the headers of the language you exported in.
- A header that starts with # makes a , read as text. Contacts, items, spaces, crew and vehicles create the field if it doesn't exist; updates only change fields the record already has.
- Files for updates carry a column. Don't edit it or its header.
Several values in one cell
| Separator | Used for |
|---|---|
| Comma (,) | Emails, phone numbers, tags, payment days, related contacts, additional contacts. Tags also accept a semicolon in crew, vehicles and contact updates. |
| Semicolon (;) | A contact's websites. |
| Double pipe (||) | Notes, several taxes, several additional addresses. |
| Pipe (|) | The parts of one additional address. |
| Greater than (>) | Levels of a collection or a sub-location, such as “Tents > Frame tents”. |
| One per line | A space's amenities and equipment. |
For yes/no columns, true, 1, sí, si and yes count as yes, in capitals or not. In most record types any other text counts as no without a warning; spaces and vehicles reject the row instead.
Dates and numbers
| Record type | Dates | Numbers |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts | No date columns. | Discount and days as plain numbers. |
| Items, import | Use YYYY-MM-DD (2024-03-15). Day/month dates with a day up to 12 are read the other way round. | 1.500,00 and 1,500.00 both work; a currency symbol is allowed. |
| Items, updates | YYYY-MM-DD. | Decimal point, no symbol (100.50). Anything else is ignored without an error. |
| Spaces | No date columns. | Both decimal formats work. |
| Crew | DD/MM/YYYY (also with - or .). | Decimal point (350.50). |
| Vehicles | DD/MM/YYYY (also with - or .). | Decimal point (0.35). |
| Projects | DD/MM/YYYY HH:MM:SS; without a time, 09:00 start and 18:00 end. | — |
| Orders | Several formats; see the orders article. | — |
Warning: In an XLSX, a cell formatted as a date reaches Filmo the way Excel displays it. Only orders convert it safely. For every other record type, write dates as text in the format above.
Files Filmo gives you
| File | Format |
|---|---|
| Template («Download CSV template») | Comma-separated CSV with sample rows you should delete. It opens with the right accents in Excel. |
| Contacts and item exports | Semicolon-separated CSV, or Excel. |
| Spaces, crew, vehicles and projects exports | Comma-separated CSV, or Excel (projects: CSV only). |
| Order exports | Comma-separated CSV, or Excel. Accents can show wrong when the CSV is opened in Excel: choose Excel instead. |
| Errors file («Export errors») | Semicolon-separated CSV. |