Introduction to the Importer — bulk-loading records from a CSV spreadsheet.

The Importer lets you bulk-load records from a spreadsheet (CSV file) rather than adding them one by one. This is useful when you are migrating from another system or loading a large list of supporters.

You need the Import permission to use this feature. If you don’t see Import in the sidebar, ask your administrator.

What you can import

Entity type What it creates
Contact Individual people records
Organisation Institutional records
Thing Generic entities (funds, programmes, assets, etc.)
Payment Donation or transaction records
Touchpoint Interaction history records
Fundraising activity Campaign or event records

Import modes

Single import — import one type of entity at a time. Best for simple scenarios such as loading a list of donors.

Pipeline import — import multiple entity types in sequence, with relationships between them. For example, import organisations first, then contacts linked to those organisations. See Pipeline imports.

The import process

  1. Prepare your CSV file
  2. Upload the file
  3. Select what you are importing
  4. Map your columns to ThirdSectorBee fields
  5. Review and submit
  6. Monitor the job status

Full step-by-step walkthrough: Running an import.

Import history

All past import jobs are listed at the bottom of the Import page. Click any job to see its status, how many rows were processed, and any errors.