Import from CSV / Excel
Upload clients, projects, or time entries from a spreadsheet — supported formats, limits, required fields, and the import wizard step by step.
Bring data in from a spreadsheet under Settings → Imports (/settings/imports). It's the
fastest way to seed Hoursmith with your clients, projects, and historical time.
- Role
- OwnerAdmin
CSV / Excel imports are run by Owner and Admin, and are free on every plan.
Supported files and limits
- Formats:
.csv,.tsv, and.xlsx/.xls(single sheet only). - Limits: 5 MB, 10,000 rows, 200 columns.
What you can import
| Entity | Required fields |
|---|---|
| Client | name |
| Project | name, client |
| Time entry | date, project, user, hours |
Need a head start? Download the CSV templates (client, project, entry) from the import page — each comes pre-filled with sample rows so you can see the expected shape.
Run the import
Choose CSV / Excel
On Settings → Imports, use the source picker and choose CSV / Excel, then pick the entity you're importing (Client, Project, or Time entry).
Upload your file
Upload your .csv, .tsv, .xlsx, or .xls file (single sheet).
Map your columns
The wizard auto-detects headers; adjust the dropdowns to match Hoursmith's fields. A required field with no mapping blocks the Preview step. See Column mapping.
Set options for the entity
Depending on what you're importing:
- Dated entities show a date-format picker: Auto, US (MM-DD), or EU (DD-MM).
- Projects have a Create missing clients toggle.
- Time entries include a per-user map your team step, with a credit to me option.
Preview and confirm
Review the preview, then confirm to run the import.
Re-uploading the same file is a no-op — rows are de-duplicated, so you won't get duplicates if you run it twice.
After the import
The run is recorded as an import job with per-entity counts and any errors, plus a Resume option and a 24-hour Undo. See Import jobs.
Troubleshooting
- The Preview step is blocked. A required field has no column mapped — set it in the mapping step. See Column mapping.
- My dates imported wrong. Set the date-format picker explicitly (US
MM-DDor EUDD-MM) instead of leaving it on Auto. - My Excel file didn't import fully. Only a single sheet is supported — split multi-sheet workbooks into separate files.
- Time entries aren't attached to the right person. Use the map your team step, or credit to me.
- The import failed. See Import failed.
Import from Paymo
Move your clients, contacts, projects, tasks, time entries, and invoices from Paymo into Hoursmith with your Paymo API key.
Column mapping
Match the columns in your CSV or Excel file to Hoursmith fields — auto-detection, required fields, the date-format picker, and per-entity options.