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Imports
Imports let you bring lots of records into ShelterSync at once from a spreadsheet (CSV file), instead of typing them in one at a time.
Bring in animals, volunteers, or fosters from a spreadsheet.
Upload a CSV file and the import wizard guides you through matching your columns, previewing the result, and confirming. This page lists your past imports and their results.
What you can do here
- Start a new import
- Review a past import's errors and warnings
The import wizard, step by step
Click Start a new import and the wizard walks you through:
- Choose what you're importing — animals, volunteers, or fosters.
- Upload your CSV — drag in the file, or download the template first if you're not sure of the format.
- Map your columns — match each column in your file to the right ShelterSync field. The wizard auto-matches common names; fix any it couldn't.
- Preview — ShelterSync validates every row and shows you what will be created, plus any warnings (rows that need attention) and errors (rows it can't import).
- Acknowledge & confirm — for people imports you'll confirm a PII acknowledgement (you're handling personal data). Then confirm to apply.
- Result — see exactly what was imported, skipped, or failed. Nothing is changed until you confirm at step 5.
Fields explained
| Field | What it means |
|---|---|
| Status | Where the import is in its lifecycle — validated, applied, or failed. |
Tips
- Start with the template so your columns line up — it saves time at the mapping step.
- A failed import changes nothing — fix the flagged rows in your file and try again.
- Importing people creates their accounts but no password — trigger a password reset for each when they're ready to log in.