Overview
If you already have a client base, adding each client one by one would be tedious. The bulk importer lets you paste data in almost any format, or type it into a spreadsheet directly. Copy from Excel, Google Sheets, your notes app, or even a messy WhatsApp thread. Foundations figures out the structure and maps it to the right fields.
What you can import
Required for each client:
- First name
- Last name
Optional:
- Phone number
- Notes or description
- Session data (e.g. "4/10 sessions"). If included, Foundations will automatically create a session block for that client with the correct number of sessions used and remaining.
Supported formats
The importer is flexible. All of the following formats work:
Tom,Smith,tom@example.com
Sarah,Jones,sarah@example.com
Sarah Jones, sarah@example.com
Sarah Jones - sarah@example.com - 8/12 remaining
Column headers are flexible too. "First Name", "firstname", "Name", and "Client" are all recognised. Full names are automatically split into first and last name.
How to import
There are two ways to get your data in:
Paste tab: Copy data from a spreadsheet, notes app, or anywhere else and paste it in. Foundations parses it automatically.
Spreadsheet tab: Type client details directly into the rows. Useful if you're adding a handful of clients from memory or a paper list.
Both paths lead to the same spreadsheet preview. The steps:
- Navigate to the Clients page.
- Click Bulk Import Clients in the top-right corner.
- Paste your data, or switch to the Spreadsheet tab and type it in.
- Review the spreadsheet preview. You can edit any cell, add rows, or delete rows before importing.
- Click Import to confirm.
Reviewing and editing
Before you confirm the import, Foundations shows you a spreadsheet preview of every client that will be created. You can:
- Edit any cell (click it and type)
- Delete rows you don't want to import
- Add new rows manually
- Fix validation errors inline (they're highlighted in red)
You can import up to 50 clients at a time. If you have more, run the import in batches.
After the import completes, successfully imported clients appear in your clients table immediately. You can schedule sessions, create session blocks, and send invoices for them as normal.
What can go wrong
Validation errors are shown inline in the spreadsheet preview so you can fix them before importing. Common issues:
- Missing required fields (first name, last name, or email is empty)
- Invalid email format: check for typos in email addresses
- Duplicate name: a client with that name already exists in your account
- Invalid session data: sessions used must be less than total sessions