When importing clients into Senta, we provide template CSV files, to help you ensure you're importing the correct information to get your Senta workspace up and running. We're always happy to help check CSV files or provide guidance on this process if needed - just let us know by emailing us at support@senta.co.
Please note that this guide pertains to UK practices only.
How you populate your CSV will depend on various factors, dependent on your practice's needs. The CSV is sectioned off into groups of columns, as follows:
A-P (PALE YELLOW)
Client details
Q-R (PINK)
Services/Payment (if set up)
S-AH (LILAC)
Ltd Company details
AI - AS (PALE BLUE)
LLP details
AT - AV (GREY)
Partnership details
AW - AY (PALE ORANGE)
Sole trader or unincorporated association details
AZ (WHITE)
Trust details
BA (BRIGHT GREEN)
Accounts details/Bookkeeping details
BB - BI (RED)
VAT details
BJ - BQ (PALE GREEN)
Payroll details
BR (PURPLE)
CIS details
BS - BT (BRIGHT BLUE)
Charity details
BU CA (YELLOW)
Services
CB - CW (ORANGE)
Contact details (can be copied and pasted to account for extra contacts)
The Expanded import files (attached below in xlsx format) contains columns and rows that will need to be deleted prior to saving your file as a CSV for import. These are coloured in black, and are noted in Comments in Column A:
Columns A-P will be imported in almost all cases, as this is where the base client business and contact information is stored. You can also use just the Client Name column to import updates or additional/new information against existing clients as well - just make sure you've selected a Key Column on the import page so Senta can match against existing client records.
If you have custom fields you've added to forms in Senta, you can add these as a column in your CSV to import this data as well. You just need to ensure the name of the column matches the name of the field label.
Things to consider before you get started:
- Is a CSV the best method? Could you import your clients using Companies House or Xero, for example?
- How big is your client base and where will you get your client data from, to put into the CSV?
- Which information do you want to import for your clients?
- Have you got all the relevant information for the import, such as accounting reference dates, or will you add these manually?
- Which, if any, Services do you want to switch on for each client using the CSV? Have you accounted for these by updating whether services turn on automatically for clients as soon as they're added? Or do you want to import the data around services (reference dates, frequencies etc) and turn services on manually afterwards?
- Do you want to import your data in batches, or in one go? There are templates attached that cover specific business types - this can make importing and mapping data much easier.
- Do you have any custom form fields that you need to add to the CSV file?
Helpful links