The Import Venues page allows bulk upload of venue data from spreadsheet files. This is useful when migrating from existing systems, onboarding new clients with established venue lists, or adding multiple venues at once rather than creating them individually.
Import supports both creating new venues and updating existing ones. Venues are matched by reference number - if a venue with the same reference already exists in the system, it can optionally be updated with the new information from the file.
File Requirements
Supported file formats
CSV (Comma-Separated Values) and Excel (.xlsx, .xls) files are accepted.
Maximum file size
10MB per upload. Files larger than this need to be split into smaller batches or cleaned to remove unnecessary data before import.
File structure
Each row should represent one venue. Columns should contain venue data fields. The file can optionally include a header row with column names in the first row.
Supported Columns
The import process recognizes specific column names. Use these exact names in your header row for automatic mapping:
Venue Name (required)
The venue's display name. Must be included for every venue. Example: "Reading Station"
Your Reference (required)
A unique identifier for the venue. Used to match venues during updates. If importing a file with a reference that already exists in the system, the existing venue can be updated rather than creating a duplicate. Example: "VENUE001"
Address line 1 (optional)
Address line 2 (optional)
Town/City (optional)
Postcode (optional)
Address fields for venue location.
Used for mapping and geographic filtering. Can be left blank if location data isn't available.
Venue groups (optional)
Group name(s) to assign to the venue. Example: "Reading"
Status (optional)
Whether the venue is active or inactive. Use "active" or "inactive" (case insensitive). If blank, venues default to active.
Uploading the File
1. Choose file button
2. Click Choose file to select a spreadsheet from your device. Browse to the file location and select it for upload.
3. My file has headers in the first row checkbox:
Tick this checkbox if the first row of the spreadsheet contains column names (e.g., "Venue Name," "Address," "Postcode" in Row 1). Leave unticked if the first row contains actual venue data. When checked, the system treats Row 1 as labels rather than data, preventing the header row from being imported as a venue.
4. Assign group (optional)
Select a group from the dropdown to assign all venues in this import to the same venue group. Useful when importing a batch of venues that share common characteristics. For example, importing all venues for a new client and assigning them to that client's group. If venues need different group assignments, leave this blank and assign groups individually after import, or include a Venue Groups column in the spreadsheet.
5. Column Mapping
After uploading the file, click Next: Map Columns. The system attempts to automatically match columns from the uploaded file to venue data fields. Review the mappings and adjust if necessary. For example, if the spreadsheet uses "Site Name" instead of "Venue Name," select the correct correspondence from the dropdown.
6. Update existing venues checkbox
Tick this checkbox to update venues that already exist in the system (matched by reference number).
When checked:
- Venues with matching references are updated with new information from the file
- Existing venue data is overwritten with imported data
- Venues without matching references are created as new entries
When unchecked:
- Only new venues are created
- Existing venues with matching references are skipped (not updated or duplicated)
Use the update option when refreshing venue information from an external system or correcting data across multiple venues. Leave unchecked when adding new venues to avoid accidentally overwriting existing records.
7. Completing the Import
Click Import Venues to begin processing the file. ** If the import succeeds:** A notification appears confirming how many venues were imported or updated. The new venues appear in the Manage Venues list and become available for assignment to audit jobs. ** If the import fails:** A notification appears with details about what went wrong. Common issues include:
- Missing required fields (Venue Name or Your Reference)
- File format errors or corruption
- File size exceeding 10MB
- Invalid data in specific fields
Review the error details, correct the file, and attempt the import again. Partially successful imports may create some venues before encountering errors. Check the Manage Venues list to see what was imported before fixing and re-uploading.
After Import
Imported venues can be edited individually at Dashboard > Manage Venues > Edit to refine details, adjust group assignments, or correct any import errors. More information here. All standard venue management functions apply to imported venues. They're identical to manually created venues once in the system.