# Importing your data into Ridge from a CSV

Settings › General › **Import from another app** accepts CSV files. Jobber's own exports work as-is (Clients, Jobs, Invoices — export them from Jobber and drop the files in). Coming from Excel or anywhere else, save each sheet as CSV with the columns below. Header names are matched loosely, and you can remap any column on the mapping screen before anything is written.

## clients.csv

| Column | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| name | yes | Company or person. `First Name` + `Last Name` columns are combined automatically. |
| contact | | Contact person's name. |
| email | | |
| phone | | |
| address | | Billing address, one line. |
| terms | | Payment terms in days. Defaults to 30. |

## jobs.csv

| Column | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| name | yes | The job or project name. |
| client | yes | Client name — matched to an existing client, or created if new. |
| type | | Job type, e.g. `Hauling`. Defaults to `Other`. |
| unit | | `hour`, `load`, `tonne`, or `flat`. Anything unreadable defaults to **hourly** — fix it on the job after import. |
| rate | | Dollars per unit (or total if flat). Defaults to $0 — set it after import. |
| status | | `active`, `quote`, or `done`. Defaults to active. |
| desc | | Free-text description (kept for your reference). |

## invoices.csv (optional)

| Column | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| number | yes | Numeric part is kept; your invoice counter moves past the highest imported number. |
| client | yes | Matched or created by name. |
| total | yes | Dollars, tax included. |
| status | | `draft`, `sent`, or `paid`. Defaults to sent. |
| issued | | Date, any common format. |
| due | | |
| paid | | Used when status is paid. |

## How the import runs

1. Choose one or more CSV files. Each is detected as Clients, Jobs, or Invoices — override with the dropdown if it guesses wrong.
2. Check the column mapping (auto-filled; `*` fields must be mapped).
3. **Preview** shows exactly what will be created — new clients, jobs with their billing type and rate, invoices — and flags anything defaulted (hourly billing, $0 rates). Nothing is written yet.
4. **Import everything.** Existing clients with the same name are skipped, never duplicated. Jobs referencing unknown clients create them on the fly.

A typical shop — 30 clients, 10 open jobs — is in and working in well under ten minutes.