Importing from CSV
Importing from CSV
SceneItAll supports bulk importing of cast members and crew from CSV or Excel files. The import process uses a three-step wizard: file selection, column mapping, and preview with validation.
Supported File Formats
- CSV (
.csv) - Excel (
.xlsx,.xls)
Importing Cast Members
- In the Cast List tab, click “Import”.
- The import wizard opens.
Step 1: Choose File
Click “Choose File” and select your CSV or Excel file. If the file can’t be parsed, an error message appears.
Step 2: Map Columns
SceneItAll tries to auto-detect your columns based on header names. Review and adjust the mappings:
Basic Info
| Field | Required | Auto-detected from |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes | ”name”, “actor”, “performer”, “cast name”, “full name” |
| Character | No | ”character”, “role”, “character name” |
| Cast # | No | ”cast number”, “cast #”, “number”, “no”, ”#“ |
| Contract | No | ”contract”, “contract type”, “type” |
| No | ”email”, “e-mail”, “mail” | |
| Phone | No | ”phone”, “telephone”, “tel”, “mobile”, “cell” |
| Stage Name | No | ”stage name” |
| Nationality | No | ”nationality” |
Agency
| Field | Auto-detected from |
|---|---|
| Agency Name | ”agency name”, “agency” |
| Agent Name | ”agent name”, “agent” |
| Agent Email | ”agent email” |
| Agent Phone | ”agent phone” |
Manager
| Field | Auto-detected from |
|---|---|
| Manager Name | ”manager name”, “manager” |
| Manager Email | ”manager email” |
| Manager Phone | ”manager phone” |
Measurements
| Field | Auto-detected from |
|---|---|
| Height, Weight, Chest/Bust, Waist, Hips, Inseam | Standard measurement names |
| Jacket/Suit, Shirt/Top, Trouser/Pant, Dress | Clothing size names |
| Shoe, Hat, Glove, Collar | Accessory size names |
| Measurement Notes | ”measurement notes”, “notes” |
For any column your file has that wasn’t auto-detected, use the dropdown to map it manually. Select ”— Skip —” to ignore a column.
A preview table shows the first 3 rows of your data with the current mappings so you can verify the results.
Click “Continue” when the mappings look correct. Name is required — the button is disabled until it’s mapped.
Step 3: Preview and Import
The wizard validates every row and shows results:
- Green chip: “X valid” — rows that will be imported.
- Red chip: “Y errors” — rows with validation issues.
The results table shows each row with a status icon (checkmark or X). Error rows have a red tint and show the first error as text.
Validation rules:
- Name is required.
- Email fields are validated for format.
- Cast numbers are checked for duplicates within the import batch.
- Contract types are normalized (e.g., “principal”, “day player”, “run of show”).
Click “Import X members” to import all valid rows. Rows with errors are skipped.
Importing Crew Members
- In the Crew Directory tab, click “Import”.
- The process is identical to cast import, but with different fields.
Crew Fields
| Field | Required | Auto-detected from |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes | ”name”, “crew name”, “full name” |
| Position | Yes | ”position”, “role”, “job title”, “title” |
| Department | Yes | ”department”, “dept”, “dep” |
| Yes | ”email”, “e-mail”, “mail” | |
| Phone | Yes | ”phone”, “telephone”, “tel”, “mobile”, “cell” |
| Company | No | ”company”, “agency”, “firm”, “organisation” |
| Crew ID | No | ”crew id”, “crew #”, “crew number”, “manual id” |
| Is HoD | No | ”hod”, “head of department”, “department head” |
Crew validation rules:
- Name, Position, Department, Email, and Phone are all required.
- Email is validated for format.
- Crew ID must be alphanumeric (with hyphens) and unique within the batch.
- Is HoD accepts: “yes”, “true”, “1”, “y” (case-insensitive).
Importing Availability Dates
From the Availability tab, click “Import Dates” to bulk-set availability:
- Select a person from the dropdown.
- Choose a status (Available, Booked, Hold, Travel, Unavailable).
- Select dates on the calendar (click individual dates or drag to select a range).
- Optionally add a note.
- Click “Import X Dates”.
See the availability calendar guide for more details.
Tips
- Export your existing spreadsheet to CSV before importing. Most spreadsheet apps (Excel, Google Sheets) support CSV export.
- Auto-detection works best when your column headers use common names like “Name”, “Email”, “Phone”, “Role”.
- Review the preview table in Step 2 carefully — incorrect column mappings are the most common source of import errors.
- You can import in batches. If you have 200 crew members, you can split them into multiple files and import each separately.
- Rows with errors are skipped, not rejected. Fix the errors in your source file and re-import just those rows.