Importing Clients and Jobs Into a New CRM

To import clients and jobs into a new CRM, clean your data in a sheet, save it as CSV, match each column to the CRM's fields, import a small batch, check it, then import the rest. Open jobs with payment schedules usually need extra care. Do the move in a quiet period, and keep your old system untouched until you have checked the new one.

Cleaning data

Most import problems are really data problems. Spend your time here.

1. One row per person. If a couple is one client, decide how to record two names.
2. Remove duplicates. Sort by email or phone and delete repeats.
3. Fix dates. Use a single date format. Mixed formats such as 03/04 are read differently in different places.
4. Split fields. First name and last name in separate columns if the CRM expects it.
5. Standardise phone numbers with country codes.
6. One value per cell. Do not store two emails in one cell.
7. Choose statuses. Use a short list, such as New, Proposal sent, Booked, Completed, Lost.
8. Archive the dead. Leads from years ago with no reply do not need importing.

Before editing, save a copy of the original file. You will want it if something goes wrong.

Mapping fields

Mapping tells the CRM which column goes where. Example, with a tidy sheet:

If the CRM does not have a field for something you track, such as "how they heard about you", either add a custom field, or put it in notes. Do not discard it.

Be careful with fields the CRM treats strictly. Dates must be valid dates, amounts must be numbers without currency symbols, and stage names must match the ones the CRM knows. Mismatches are the most common reason for rejected rows.

Import steps

1. Make a test file with ten rows.
2. Import it, and read the preview before confirming.
3. Open each record and compare it with your sheet.
4. Fix mapping problems and clean data.
5. Import the full file.
6. Check the count: rows in the file, records in the CRM.

If your CRM offers an undo or delete-all-imported option, note where it is. If not, test in a trial account first. Our post on how to trial a CRM fits well with this step.

Check

After import, run quick checks:

• Search for three clients you know and open them.
• Sort by event date. Do the upcoming weddings appear in the right order?
• Filter by stage. Are the counts right?
• Look for blank names, odd characters and dates in 1970 or in the wrong year.
• Check that notes did not get cut off.

Then spend ten minutes reading ten records start to finish. It is tedious and catches problems no filter will.

Open jobs

Open jobs are the hard part, because they carry money and dates. For each booked, unfinished job:

1. Create or import the client and project.
2. Enter the package, price and event date.
3. Record payments already received.
4. Enter remaining payments with their due dates.
5. Attach the signed contract as a PDF, or note where it is.
6. Add crew and shoot details.
7. Set the delivery deadline and edit stage.

Do this by hand for the jobs in the next six months, then double check each against your old records. If you have forty open jobs, it is a long afternoon, but it is cheaper than a missed payment.

Our post on spreadsheet versus CRM for Indian studios covers a common starting point. For tool options, see the best CRM for photographers and Sprout Studio alternatives. Once data is in, you can give clients a better experience, which the photographer client portal post explains.

ClickBook accepts imported clients, and a won deal becomes a client and project in one step. We can walk through your own file in a demo, including how open payment schedules should be entered.

Keep the old data

Keep your original sheet and exports for at least a year. Store them somewhere safe and label the date. If a client asks about a job from before the move, you will be glad of it.

Common import mistakes

Importing the whole sheet before testing ten rows is the most frequent. Others are leaving blank required fields, mixing date formats, keeping duplicate clients and pasting amounts with currency symbols. Fix these in the sheet, not in the CRM, because correcting hundreds of records one by one is slow. Finally, tell your team the date of the move, so nobody keeps updating the old sheet after it has been imported.

Quick checklist

• Back up the original file.
• Clean and de-duplicate.
• Map columns and test ten rows.
• Import and count.
• Enter open jobs by hand.
• Keep the old data for a year.

Frequently asked questions

What file format should I use to import clients?

CSV is the most common format and works with most tools. Check your new CRM's help page for the columns it expects.

Should I import everything?

Import active leads, current clients and open jobs. Old completed jobs can come across as a simple record, or stay in an archive file.

How do I avoid duplicates?

Remove duplicates in your sheet first, using email or phone as the key. Import a small batch before the full file.

Can I import payment schedules?

Some tools import them and some do not. Plan to enter open payment schedules by hand for current jobs if needed.