Data and insights · Guide 28
Importing and exporting data
Bring your clients and pets into Barclo from a spreadsheet, and take a copy of your data out whenever you like.
Both live in Settings, on the Account tab, under Import and export. The owner and managers can use them. If you haven't added any clients yet, Import a list on the Clients page takes you straight there.
Importing clients and pets
Barclo imports a CSV file: a spreadsheet saved in a simple format. In Excel choose File › Save As and pick CSV. In Google Sheets choose File › Download › Comma-separated values. Files saved with semicolons or tabs between the columns work too.
Download the template
Choose Download CSV template. It has every column Barclo reads, with three example rows to copy.
Fill in one row per pet
Put each pet on its own row, with its owner's details. A client with two pets has two rows with the same email address.
Save it as CSV
Keep the column names in the first row exactly as they are in the template. The file can be up to 5 MB.
Upload and import
Choose the file, then Upload and import. Barclo imports it straight away and shows what it did.
Only four columns must be filled in on every row: client_first_name, client_last_name, pet_name and pet_species. Everything else can be left blank.
| Group | Columns |
|---|---|
| Client | client_first_name, client_last_name, client_email, client_phone, client_address_line_1, client_address_line_2, client_city, client_postcode |
| Emergency contact | emergency_contact_name, emergency_contact_phone |
| Pet basics | pet_name, pet_species, pet_breed, pet_size, pet_sex, pet_date_of_birth, pet_weight_kg, pet_colour, pet_microchip, pet_neutered |
| Pet health | pet_medical_conditions, pet_allergies, pet_dietary_requirements, pet_medications, pet_vet_name, pet_vet_phone |
| Pet behaviour | pet_good_with_dogs, pet_good_with_other_pets, pet_good_with_children, pet_recall_reliability, pet_lead_type, pet_muzzle_required, pet_triggers_and_fears |
Some columns take set words:
- pet_species: dog, cat, rabbit, bird, reptile, small_mammal or other.
- pet_size: toy, small, medium, large or giant. pet_sex: male or female.
- pet_good_with_dogs: yes, no, selective or unknown. pet_good_with_children: yes, no or unknown.
- pet_recall_reliability: excellent, good, poor, none or unknown.
- pet_muzzle_required: no, situational or always. Leave it blank if you haven't asked.
- pet_date_of_birth: write dates as year, month, day, for example 2021-06-20.
- Phone numbers can be in any UK format.
How Barclo matches clients
- The same email means the same client. Rows sharing an email become one client with several pets.
- A client already in Barclo with that email is matched, not copied. The pets on those rows are added to them, and their existing details are left as they are.
- A row with no email becomes a client of its own, so give a client with two pets an email, or they will arrive as two clients.
Don't import the same file twice. Clients are matched by email, but pets are not, so a second run adds every pet again. If an import goes wrong part way, fix the skipped rows and import only those.
When it finishes, Barclo says how many clients were created, how many were matched to existing clients, and how many pets were added. Any row it couldn't use is skipped and listed with its row number and the reason, such as a missing name or an unknown species. Importing doesn't email your clients: invite them to the portal when you're ready.
Stuck? Email your file to support@barclo.co.uk and we'll import it for you.
Exporting your data
Your data is yours. Under Export your data there are three downloads, each a CSV file you can open in Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers:
| Button | What you get |
|---|---|
| Export clients & pets | One row per pet with its owner, in the same columns as the import template, so the file can be imported again. |
| Export bookings | Date, start and end time, service, client, pets, price, status, who did it, and notes. |
| Export invoices | Invoice number, client, issue and due dates, subtotal, VAT, total, status, date paid and how it was paid. |
You can still download these if your subscription has ended.
- For your accountant: an export made for Xero or QuickBooks is in Money › Reports. See Reports.
- For a licence inspection: day care and boarding businesses can download their register. See Licence register.
- Everything at once: the owner can download a full copy of the business's data from Settings › Account › Close account with Download my data, without closing anything.
Questions
Can I import bookings or invoices?
No. The importer brings in clients and their pets. Add regular bookings as repeat bookings once your clients are in.
Guide: BookingsWill importing send my clients an email?
No. Nothing is sent on import, including form signing links. You choose when to invite each client to the portal.
Guide: Clients