Import your client list
Upload a CSV to add or update clients in bulk — column mapping, validation, tags, and communication preferences.
The client import tool adds clients to your account in bulk from a spreadsheet. Use it when you're moving from another platform, loading a presale sign-up list, or bulk-updating clients you already have — you can run it as often as you like, not just at launch.
Go to Customers → Clients → More → Import Clients to start.
Before you start
- Export your client list as a CSV from your current platform or spreadsheet app. You can use Arketa's provided template, but you don't have to — the wizard maps your own headers for you.
- Every row needs an email address. Email is how Arketa identifies a client, so rows without one are skipped.
- Run the import on a desktop or laptop. The wizard isn't built for phone screens yet.
Importing a client list moves client records, tags, and profile details. It does not move active packages, subscriptions, or stored payment methods — those transfer only as part of an initial migration handled by our team. If you're switching platforms and have active subscriptions or stored cards, email support@arketa.com before you connect Stripe. See transferring clients to Arketa.
Run the import
Upload your file
Go to Customers → Clients → More → Import Clients and select your CSV.
Map columns
Arketa auto-detects 25+ fields from your column headers, so First Name, FNAME, and given_name all land in the same place. Any header it can't recognize is listed here for you to handle: assign it to an Arketa field, make it a custom field, or ignore it.
To import into a custom field, name the column exactly what you want the field to be called — Arketa creates it for you.
Review and validate
Every row is checked before anything is created. Rows come back as clean, warning, or error, and you choose how to proceed: import everything including warnings, import only the clean rows, or stop and fix your file first. Nothing is created or updated until you confirm here.
Set import options
Optionally apply one batch tag to everyone in this import — something like Momence Import June 2026 makes the group easy to find and filter later.
Choose communication preferences
The last step sets marketing and waiver consent for the clients in this import. For each preference you pick Use CSV value, Opt everyone in, or Opt everyone out.
Choosing opt everyone in or out overrides your spreadsheet — the values in those columns are ignored and everyone in the import gets the same setting. Pick Use CSV value when your file already has the right consent per client.
This step is the recommended way to handle any opt-in or opt-out request for a client list. If you've already imported clients with the wrong marketing preference, re-importing the same list and choosing Opt everyone in updates them in bulk.
What happens to clients who already exist
Existing clients are updated, not duplicated. Arketa matches on email address, ignoring capitalization and extra spaces.
Data your client already has on file is preserved — the import only fills in fields that are currently blank. Tags and contact lists from your file are added on top of what was already there, so nothing gets replaced.
Fix the rows that didn't import
On the Review and validate step, click Download problem rows. The CSV that downloads has a Validation Status column at the front explaining exactly what's wrong with each row.
- Fix the data in your spreadsheet
- Delete the
Validation Statuscolumn - Re-upload just that file
Re-uploading a corrected file won't trip duplicate-email errors against your first import — the duplicate check looks within a single file, not across imports.
Review past imports
Go to Customers → Clients → More → Import History to see every import you've run, including how many clients were created, updated, and skipped. Open Details on any import to download its skipped rows again.