# Excel (.CSV) or similar, import / export **URL:** \ **Category:** Uncategorized\ **Created:** [October 16, 2013, 10:22am UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/excel-csv-or-similar-import-export/31 "2013-10-16T10:22:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Radclif](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a87d85/32.png) [@Radclif](https://forum.manager.io/u/Radclif)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2013, 10:22am UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/excel-csv-or-similar-import-export/31/1 "2013-10-16T10:22:17Z")
Is there and Excel interface or similar. This would be ideal for importing our customer base and opening balances, etc. Is there such a luxury, and I have simply missed it, or is there something planned. Any form of Excel (or OpenOffice / LirbeOffice) integrations would make this system amazingly powerful. ---
**Author:** ![lubos](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.manager.io/lubos/32/62798_2.png) [@lubos](https://forum.manager.io/u/lubos)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2013, 11:42am UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/excel-csv-or-similar-import-export/31/2 "2013-10-16T11:42:59Z")
Importing/exporting is not yet supported other than importing bank statements. In some cases exporting works by doing simple copy/paste procedure but it’s really an ugly hack rather than feature. ---
**Author:** ![JamesBell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/aca169/32.png) [@JamesBell](https://forum.manager.io/u/JamesBell)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 5:31pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/excel-csv-or-similar-import-export/31/3 "2014-01-18T17:31:34Z")
This topic has many views and is a few months old now. I see other questions asking about importing too. The “New Customer” form only has a few fields, it would not seem that difficult to add a CSV import for customers. This is the primary thing holding us back from using Manager at this point. Creating invoice items will not take long. Setting up an invoice template only takes a few minutes. Typing in 100 customers’ names, addresses, etc will take **hours**. Please please move this up on your to-do list. ---
**Author:** ![lubos](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.manager.io/lubos/32/62798_2.png) [@lubos](https://forum.manager.io/u/lubos)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2014, 12:54am UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/excel-csv-or-similar-import-export/31/4 "2014-01-19T00:54:36Z")
Exporting to TSV (tab-seperated values) format has been already implemented in various places. Importing is a bit more complicated. It’s not like I can do the feature and move on. It will always not work for someone for one or the other reason and investing time into ever improving importing facilities for marginal gains doesn’t sound like great investment of time when major modules such as inventory, payroll, job costing, time tracking etc. are still due to be released. Perhaps I could implement basic import facility in a sense that Manager won’t be very forgiving to format given. Which means data in CSV/TSV file must be in very specific layout. Maybe this is the way to go, you can use Excel or other spreadsheet program to make necessary adjustments before import. I’m unlikely to do it this month but perhaps next month. ---
**Author:** ![robbiebays](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cc9497/32.png) [@robbiebays](https://forum.manager.io/u/robbiebays)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2014, 7:37pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/excel-csv-or-similar-import-export/31/5 "2014-02-02T19:37:09Z")
Are there any plans to add the export feature to each account configured? Personally I would find it useful to export each account I have setup to CSV for my accountant to use. Cheers ---
**Author:** ![aoboau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9bd4f/32.png) [@aoboau](https://forum.manager.io/u/aoboau)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2014, 10:22am UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/excel-csv-or-similar-import-export/31/6 "2014-03-11T10:22:58Z")
Agree! Export to csv should be very useful! ---
**Author:** ![pnmy009](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ea666f/32.png) [@pnmy009](https://forum.manager.io/u/pnmy009)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2014, 7:51am UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/excel-csv-or-similar-import-export/31/7 "2014-04-06T07:51:30Z")
Waiting for the Import feature. When can we expect. ---
**Author:** ![lubos](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.manager.io/lubos/32/62798_2.png) [@lubos](https://forum.manager.io/u/lubos)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2014, 4:34am UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/excel-csv-or-similar-import-export/31/8 "2014-04-07T04:34:24Z")
I’ve started working on importing facilities. So far, importing works for `Inventory Items` 1. Go to `Inventory Items` 2. Click `New Inventory Item` 3. Click `Import...` button What do you need to import? ---
**Author:** ![pnmy009](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ea666f/32.png) [@pnmy009](https://forum.manager.io/u/pnmy009)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2014, 7:21am UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/excel-csv-or-similar-import-export/31/9 "2014-04-07T07:21:25Z")
Customers and Suppliers must required for every one. If possible Sales & Purchase Invoices as well. After importing the items to Inventory those items has to be reflect in Purchase and sales Items as well otherwise we need to add a single item thrice(Sales, Purchases & Inventory) in the tool. ---
**Author:** ![sogko](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.manager.io/sogko/32/584_2.png) [@sogko](https://forum.manager.io/u/sogko)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2014, 5:03am UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/excel-csv-or-similar-import-export/31/10 "2014-11-13T05:03:50Z")
@lubos Just started using [Manager.io](http://Manager.io) and the importing facilities for Inventory Items works perfect. And I noticed that we can do the same for Customers and Suppliers, but not Purchase Invoices or Employees. I can’t find any updated documentation / guide on which data can be imported. Any plans to update the guide? Thanks again! ---
**Author:** ![lubos](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.manager.io/lubos/32/62798_2.png) [@lubos](https://forum.manager.io/u/lubos)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 6:59pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/excel-csv-or-similar-import-export/31/11 "2014-11-14T18:59:13Z")
Employees are not importable but mostly because nobody has asked for this. Unlike customers, suppliers or inventory items, small businesses are not known to employ hundreds of employees to justify importing facilities. Purchase invoices cannot be imported since single purchase invoice can contain multiple line items and that doesn’t work well with spreadsheets if you want to represent multiple invoices with multiple line items. Why do you need to import multiple purchase invoices? How does your spreadsheet with purchase invoices look like? ---
**Author:** ![Ayman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Ayman](https://forum.manager.io/u/Ayman)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2015, 10:18am UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/excel-csv-or-similar-import-export/31/12 "2015-06-13T10:18:01Z")
importing invoices ( sales /purchase) is vital for people to migrate to manager. what am suggesting, once i set up the manager, and set up the invoices format ( at least sales invoices), then cam export the file ( for single invoice) then can redesign the excel sheet to match what i set up, and them import the data hopefully will see it soon as well. ---
**Author:** ![Tut](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.manager.io/tut/32/3286_2.png) [@Tut](https://forum.manager.io/u/Tut)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 3:00am UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/excel-csv-or-similar-import-export/31/13 "2015-06-14T03:00:32Z")
There is no reason that companies migrating to Manager should import prior invoices. Instead, set opening balances and continue from that point. Companies change accounting systems all the time without importing all history. ---
**Author:** ![shopcal54](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/779978/32.png) [@shopcal54](https://forum.manager.io/u/shopcal54)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2015, 4:40pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/excel-csv-or-similar-import-export/31/14 "2015-08-18T16:40:05Z")
I tend to disagree with that as a blanket statement. There are a lot of companies that use other software to generate pricing for quotes and invoices because typical accounting software cannot handle the complexity of pricing items in some industries. These companies still need to use an accounting software because most CPA’s want the information sent to them the way an accounting software formats things. Being able to import basic invoice data is essential for these types of companies.Customer name, order date, line item description, line item total, tax, invoice total, payments, balance and a reference number. You can import to Quick Books but it is a pain. I was hoping to point people to Manager but if there is no way to import basic invoice information then Manager is not an option. ---
**Author:** ![Tut](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.manager.io/tut/32/3286_2.png) [@Tut](https://forum.manager.io/u/Tut)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2015, 11:12pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/excel-csv-or-similar-import-export/31/15 "2015-08-18T23:12:20Z")
@shopcal54, I believe you missed my point. I fully realize that development of pricing may require elaborate, off-line inputs and calculations. And I agree that accounting software cannot be expected to handle all the things that may be necessary to determine prices in every industry. But this thread, which is almost 2 years old, has been focused on importing information at the time of transition to Manager. Obviously, customer information, supplier information, and inventory data has to be imported in some fashion. My point was that not all prior sales and purchase invoices need to be imported for an ongoing business. You need to import those that are unpaid to establish accounts payable and receivable. Otherwise, you can set opening balances in various accounts and go forward. In other words, to be accurate and useful, Manager does not need every prior invoice that ever existed. ---
**Author:** ![shopcal54](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/779978/32.png) [@shopcal54](https://forum.manager.io/u/shopcal54)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 3:38am UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/excel-csv-or-similar-import-export/31/16 "2015-08-19T03:38:33Z")
Could be. I just read where you stated there was no need to import. And yes the thread is a few years old but I still cannot find anyway to import anything but banking information into Manager which leads me to believe that there may never be a feature in Manager to import sales data. ---
**Author:** ![Tut](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.manager.io/tut/32/3286_2.png) [@Tut](https://forum.manager.io/u/Tut)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 4:41am UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/excel-csv-or-similar-import-export/31/17 "2015-08-19T04:41:18Z")
> [@shopcal54](#): > > there may never be a feature in Manager to import sales data. I guess I don’t see the purpose. Manager is an accounting program, not a sales management tool, and not an estimating tool. If you need those capabilities, some other program might be a better fit. ---
**Author:** ![shopcal54](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/779978/32.png) [@shopcal54](https://forum.manager.io/u/shopcal54)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 2:36am UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/excel-csv-or-similar-import-export/31/18 "2015-08-20T02:36:50Z")
I guess so Tut. Accounting software cannot calculate complex pricing that is needed in some industries. Pricing / Invoice software used in those industries are not compatible with a CPA’s brain and as a result a lot of companies in those types of business have to manually key in every invoice into an accounting software so they can give it to their CPA. This creates double work for the accounting departments in those industries. Quickbooks has always had an import feature to import all kinds of data. So did Peachtree. But the import file creation for Quickbooks is very complicated or if you wish to use the OBDC method it becomes very expensive. Anyway, was hoping Manager would have an import feature or one on the horizon. ---
**Author:** ![Giora](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@Giora](https://forum.manager.io/u/Giora)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 6:24am UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/excel-csv-or-similar-import-export/31/19 "2015-08-20T06:24:46Z")
I concur with @shopcal54 and all other users asking for full export/import (.CSV) format. Yes Mr. @Tut there are other applications but all on board LOVE Manager! As engineer I’m using manager for **project accounting** and absolutely need easy import/export data as much as possible “interactive” interface to extend Manager capabilities beyond “pure” accounting. ---
**Author:** ![lubos](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.manager.io/lubos/32/62798_2.png) [@lubos](https://forum.manager.io/u/lubos)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 10:45am UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/excel-csv-or-similar-import-export/31/20 "2015-08-20T10:45:16Z")
As far as exporting goes, upcoming `Custom Reports` under `Reports` tab will allow to generate any report. Report will be exportable to spreadsheet format too. When it comes to importing, I will be adding support for individual use-cases based on demand. Just a reminder, this topic is almost 2 years old. When this topic was started, there was no import/export in Manager at all. If Manager doesn’t serve your use-case, start new topic. No point in reviving this one anymore. [Next page](https://forum.manager.io/t/excel-csv-or-similar-import-export/31.md?page=2)