In this article, you will learn about the importing process in Workiz.

Workiz can help save you valuable time by importing various pieces of historical business data — such as job, client, or invoice information — designed to help you hit the ground running. Below, we provide a breakdown of what to expect and how to best prepare your files for the importing process.

Importing overview

Here is a general overview of what we can and cannot import. For more complete lists, please see the links at the end of this article.

Understanding the process

The importing process detailed in this article requires you to prepare your files in order to submit a formal request with our technical support team. This request is typically submitted around the time of your onboarding period to help you get started with Workiz. 

1. Review the import documentation
2. Prepare your files for import
3. Submit files to our technical support team

Timeline

Depending on the size and/or complexity of your files, it may take up to 2–3 weeks for your import to be completed.

Limitations

QuickBooks Online

If you are using or plan on using the QuickBooks Online integration in Workiz, it is not recommended to import jobs, estimates, or invoices. This may result in complications with duplicate payment information.

Because clients, leads, and items do not contain payment information, you may request an import of these entities as long as they exist outside of your QuickBooks account. If your clients and items are already stored in your QuickBooks account, you can import them by simply connecting your Workiz and QuickBooks accounts.

File types

Workiz can only accept flat CSV or XLS/XLSX files for importing purposes. A flat file is a plain text file with each row representing a single, separate entity (e.g., one row = one job, invoice, or client).

A flat CSV cannot have complex hierarchical structures or relationships between separate rows.

When compiling your data, be sure to create a separate file for each entity. If you are requesting an import of clients, jobs, leads, estimates, invoices, and items, you will need to have six separate files.

Temporary changes to account settings

To ensure optimal results and reduce any unwanted notifications, our importing team will have to make some temporary changes to your account settings during the importing process.

Automation rules

Importing data into Workiz may result in unintended triggers of existing automations on your account. For example, if you have an automation rule to send a text message to a client whenever a job is marked done, importing 500 done jobs will result in 500 text messages.

To prevent this from happening, our team will temporarily turn off any automations that may be impacted by the data you are importing.

Please note that this may briefly impact automations that would have otherwise triggered for your day-to-day operations.

Update job end time

If you have your account settings set up to automatically update a job's end time to reflect when it was marked done or canceled, our team will temporarily turn this setting off.

Many of the jobs you are importing may be done jobs with unique end times. Failing to turn this off will result in all of your done jobs being imported with identical end times that match the import date.

Our team will ensure your original account settings are restored after the importing process is complete.

Preparing your files for import

• Determine import information

  Before you begin the import process, it's important to identify which information you want to import. Workiz allows you to import clients, jobs, leads, estimates, invoices, and items. To understand the required fields and specific details for each import type, you can refer to the links provided at the end of this article.

• Refine your data selection

  You may have a variety of data in your exports, including jobs, estimates, and invoices that all pertain to a single job. In Workiz, each of these should be imported as separate entities, potentially resulting in duplicate information. To avoid this, consider importing only the jobs to prevent duplications. The comprehensive fields available on the job page in Workiz allow for maximum data import.

• Export data from your current CRM

  Export the data you want to import from your current CRM. As mentioned, these exports can be in either CSV or XLS/XLSX file formats.

  It's possible that your CRM's export contains unnecessary columns. Feel free to delete these extraneous columns before providing the file to Workiz.

• Format for flat file import

  As mentioned, Workiz's import tool functions with flat files, which means each row is treated as a separate entity. If your file contains duplicate or multi-dimensional data, please consolidate it so that each row stands alone.

  Additionally, if a single row includes multiple entries (e.g., two phone numbers separated by a comma), split them into distinct columns with one entry per column.

• Review required fields

  To ensure successful import, each row in the exported file must contain valid information for all required fields.

  If a row is missing any of the mandatory fields, it will not be imported. However, the import process will continue for other rows with complete data.

• Optimize column headers

  Aligning your column headers with Workiz's field names can simplify the import process.

  For example, if your file's columns are labeled "Cell Phone" and "Home Phone," please adjust them to "Primary Phone" and "Secondary Phone" to match Workiz's import fields.

• Create custom fields

  Fields in your file that don't correspond with Workiz's default fields may be imported as custom fields for client, item, lead, and job imports. This enables flexibility in managing your data and maintaining its integrity during the import process.

Submitting your files for import

After preparing your files for import, please provide them to our technical support team.

Entity-specific guidelines

To learn more about how to prepare your data for importing into Workiz, please see the following articles: