eBrigade Excel import module
Import your data into eBrigade from an Excel file
A guided 5-step wizard loads your staff, membership dues, equipment, uniforms, vehicles, consumables, clients or external participants from a pre-filled Excel template. Every import can be rerun, is logged in a history, and comes with a report listing each line in error and why.
These buttons are about the full eBrigade subscription: this module is included at no extra cost in every plan.
5-step Excel import wizard: staff (human or animal), dues, equipment, uniforms, vehicles, consumables, clients and external participants in an activity. Pre-filled Excel template with drop-down lists, optional sending of login details by email, history and a line-by-line error report.
What is the eBrigade Excel import module?
A 5-step Excel import wizard: staff (human or animal), membership dues and external participants in an activity. A pre-filled Excel template with drop-down lists, optional sending of login details by email, a history and a line-by-line error report. It is included at no extra cost in every eBrigade plan.
Why use Excel import?
Re-entering hundreds of member records or membership dues by hand during a migration takes weeks and piles up data-entry errors. Loading a raw file with no checks also risks pushing duplicates, invalid email addresses or unknown ranks straight into production.
What Excel import changes in eBrigade
The module provides an Excel template suited to the type of import, with drop-down lists and reference sheets (list of countries, list of ranks) to guide data entry. You upload the completed file, the import runs, and each line in error is rejected and detailed in a downloadable report — valid data goes in, and the rest can be corrected without holding everything else up.
What you can do with Excel import
A stepper structures the whole process: choosing the type, downloading the template, selecting the organisation, uploading the file and running the import. No step is left open to interpretation.
Staff (human members, and animal members when the Animals module is active), membership dues, equipment, uniforms, vehicles, consumables, CRM clients and external participants in an activity. Each type has its own Excel template and its own checks.
The downloaded template is suited to the type of import, with validation drop-down lists and built-in reference sheets (list of countries, list of ranks) to make data entry more reliable.
Columns are recognised by their heading, not their position: you can reorder them freely, and only the mandatory fields are required.
A checkbox at the last step triggers an automatic email to each imported member with the login link, username and password.
Each line in error is rejected and listed in a downloadable Excel file stating the reason (duplicate, invalid email, unknown rank, staff number already in use). Your last ten imports remain visible in the history, split between Staff and Membership dues.
Step by step
Select Staff (human, or animal if the Animals module is active), Membership dues, Equipment, Uniform, Vehicle, Consumable, Client or External participants. The Excel template and checks adapt automatically to the type chosen.
Get a preconfigured template file, with validation drop-down lists and reference sheets (list of countries, list of ranks). Columns are identified by their heading: you can reorder them, and only the mandatory fields are enforced.
Choose the destination section, then drag in or select your completed file. For a membership dues import, matching to members is done by surname, first name and email.
Start the import in one click. A checkbox lets you send each imported member an email containing the login link, username and password.
At the end, a summary shows the records created and the failures. A downloadable error file lists each rejected line and why. Your last ten imports can still be viewed in the history.
Where this module really pays off
Getting started with eBrigade: migrating staff records from an existing Excel file, with login details sent automatically to each member created.
Membership dues: bulk import of payments, automatically matched to members by surname and first name (and by email if provided).
Animal members: import of animal records when the Animals module is active, using a dedicated template.
Activities: import of external participants linked to a specific activity, with no need to re-enter the attendance list.
Multi-site organisations & federations: regular, repeatable imports of new lists into the chosen organisation, with a history of recent uploads.
Frequently asked questions
What types of data can be imported?
Eight types: staff (human members, and animal members if the Animals module is active), membership dues, equipment, uniforms, vehicles, consumables, CRM clients, and external participants linked to an activity. Each type requires the same permission as creating the record by hand. A pre-filled Excel template is provided for each type of import. Imports use the Excel (.xlsx) format.
What happens if the file contains errors?
The import processes the valid lines and rejects the incorrect ones without holding up the rest. A downloadable Excel error file lists each rejected line with the reason (duplicate, invalid email, unknown rank, staff number already in use). You correct those lines and run the import again.
Is the Import module a one-off at start-up, or can I import regularly?
Both. It is used for the initial migration, but can be rerun as often as needed for bulk updates or occasional additions. Your last ten imports are kept in a dated history, split between Staff and Membership dues.
How are membership dues matched to members?
Matching is automatic, by surname and first name, and by email when provided. Recognised payments are added to the membership dues tracking of the corresponding member.
Do imported members receive their login details?
If you wish. A checkbox at the last step sends each newly imported member an email containing the login link, username and password. You can also untick it to import without notifying anyone.
Can the import be used from a mobile device?
No. The import is used from a computer and requires the Add staff permission. On mobile, a message asks you to carry out the operation from a desktop computer.