Skip to main content
An Import clients card counting 53 new clients, 4 duplicates and 3 rows with problems, with Import 53 clients as the next action An Import clients card counting 53 new clients, 4 duplicates and 3 rows with problems, with Import 53 clients as the next action If you already keep a list of clients, bring it in at once. Import a spreadsheet to add the clients in it, or turn a group of labels into clients, so the work already tagged with each label gets its client too.
Beta
Clients are rolling out gradually, so your workspace may not have them yet. If Clients is missing from the sidebar, ask us to turn them on.

Import a spreadsheet

1

Open the import

On Clients, open More actions beside Add client and choose Import clients. While you have no clients yet, Import clients sits in the middle of the page.
2

Choose the file

Pick a CSV or XLSX file of up to 5,000 rows whose first row names its columns. The file is read in your browser and never stored.
3

Match the columns

Each column fills one client field. Columns named after a field are matched already; set the rest, or choose Don’t import. One column must fill Name.
4

Review the rows

The window counts the New clients, Duplicates skipped and Rows with problems, and lists the skipped rows with their reasons.
5

Start the import

Select the button that names how many clients it adds, such as Import 53 clients. You can close the window: the import keeps running, the sidebar shows its progress, and the window says how many clients were added when it ends.
The Import clients window on its Review step: 53 new clients, 4 duplicates skipped and 3 rows with problems, each problem and duplicate listed by row with its reason, above the first clients to add The Import clients window on its Review step: 53 new clients, 4 duplicates skipped and 3 rows with problems, each problem and duplicate listed by row with its reason, above the first clients to add A row is skipped as a duplicate when a client already has its client number, email or name, archived clients included, or when an earlier row in the file does. An import only adds clients: it never changes one you already have. To bring in the rows it skipped for a problem, fix them in the file and import it again; the clients added the first time are skipped as duplicates.
Every required client field needs a column, and a value in each row. Leave one unmatched and every row is listed as a problem.
Or attach the file in Begin AI (Cmd / Ctrl + J) with Attach file, and ask:

Import the clients in this file.

Begin AI matches the columns itself and shows a card counting the new clients, duplicates and rows with problems. It asks first even when your approval mode applies changes automatically.

Turn a label group into clients

If you have been tagging work with a label for each client, convert the group those labels sit in. Each label becomes a client, and every shift, time entry, shift template and shift pattern carrying the label gets that client.
1

Open the group's menu

In Settings → Labels, open the group’s menu and choose Convert to clients.
2

Check what it changes

Each label is listed beside the client it becomes. A label with the name of an active client uses that client rather than adding another. Below the list, the window counts the work it will update.
3

Choose what happens to the labels

The labels stay on the work unless you choose Remove the labels from shifts and time entries, which takes them off templates and shift patterns too. Delete the labels afterwards also takes them out of the label list. A label stays while time off, availability, or a shift or time entry already holding 10 clients still carries it, and the window then says how many were kept.
4

Convert

Select the button that names how many labels it converts, such as Convert 4 labels. The conversion runs in the background, and the sidebar shows its progress.
The Convert Customers to clients window over Labels settings: four labels beside the clients they become, two using existing clients, the shifts, time entries, shift templates and shift patterns it updates, and both options off The Convert Customers to clients window over Labels settings: four labels beside the clients they become, two using existing clients, the shifts, time entries, shift templates and shift patterns it updates, and both options off
A conversion cannot be undone. It changes everyone’s shifts and time entries, so only a role that sees everyone can run one; a role narrowed by Who can they see? is told to ask an administrator.
If a conversion stops part-way, the sidebar says so. Open Convert to clients on the group again and select Resume conversion to carry on from where it stopped, with the options it started with.

Next

Tagging work with clients

Put clients on new shifts and time entries.

Seeing work by client

See the shifts and hours for each client.

Still need help?

Contact support

Email the Begin team and we’ll get back to you.

Ask Begin AI

Open the AI assistant and get instant answers based on these docs.