Client Data & Project History Import

Import historical client data and projects from your previous system.

What Can Be Imported

Recommended for Import

• Contacts - Client and vendor information
• Projects - Project details with basic financial summary

Not Recommended for Import

These record types are complex and tightly integrated with other system features. They're best created fresh in Readybuild:

• Estimates - Depend on item database, categories, and pricing structures
• Contracts - Linked to estimates, payment schedules, and approval workflows
• Invoices - Tied to contracts, change orders, and accounting integrations
• Change Orders - Reference contract line items and approval chains

Start Fresh

Most companies find it easier to import contacts and historical project summaries, then create estimates and contracts fresh for any active work.

Planning Your Import

What to Include

Essential:

• Active clients
• Recent completed projects (1-2 years) for reference
• Key project financial totals

Consider Skipping:

• Very old records (5+ years)
• Incomplete or test data
• Detailed estimate line items
• Historical invoices and payments

Data Assessment

Before importing:

1. Export data from your current system
2. Review data quality and completeness
3. Clean up duplicates and inconsistencies
4. Map your fields to Readybuild fields

Contact Fields

Your Field	Readybuild Field	Notes
Company/Client Name	company_name
First Name	first_name	Primary contact
Last Name	last_name	Primary contact
Partner First Name	alt_first_name	Secondary contact
Partner Last Name	alt_last_name	Secondary contact
Main Phone	main_phone
Cell Phone	primary_cell_phone
Email	email	Primary contact
Partner Email	partner_email	Secondary contact
Street Address	address1
Address Line 2	address2
City	city
State	state	2-letter code
ZIP	zip
Notes	notes
Previous System ID	legacy_id	Keep for reference

Project Fields

Your Field	Readybuild Field	Notes
Project Name	title
Description	description
Project Type	opportunity_type_id	Must match existing type
Sales Stage	stage_id	Must match existing stage
Production Stage	production_stage_id	Must match existing stage
Design Stage	planning_stage_id	Must match existing stage
Salesperson	sales_person_id	Employee ID
Project Manager	project_manager	Employee ID
Estimator	estimator	Employee ID
Lead Source	source	Must match existing source
Campaign	campaign	Must match existing campaign
Previous System ID	legacy_id	Keep for reference

Project Financial Fields

Projects have limited financial fields. Detailed invoice/payment tracking requires proper contracts and QuickBooks integration.

Your Field	Readybuild Field	Notes
Sold Amount	sold_amount	Original contract value
Total Sold Amount	total_sold_amount	Including change orders
Total Collected	total_collected	Typically synced from accounting

Project Date Fields

Your Field	Readybuild Field	Notes
Lead/Created Date	created_date	When record was created
Sold Date	actual_close_date	When contract was signed
Production Start	prod_job_start_date
Production Complete	prod_complete_date
Contract Start Date	prod_contract_start_date
Contract Finish Date	prod_contract_finish_date

Import Process

Step 1: Prepare Your Data

1. Export from previous system to CSV/Excel
2. Clean up inconsistencies
3. Map your columns to Readybuild fields
4. Save as CSV with UTF-8 encoding

Step 2: Import Contacts First

1. Navigate to Contacts → Import
2. Upload your contacts CSV
3. Map your columns to Readybuild fields
4. Review the preview
5. Process the import

Step 3: Import Projects

1. Navigate to Projects → Import
2. Upload your projects CSV
3. Map projects to their contacts (using legacy_id or name matching)
4. Review and process

Step 4: Verify Results

1. Spot-check a sample of imported records
2. Verify contact-project relationships
3. Check that financial totals look correct
4. Confirm team assignments

Handling Common Scenarios

Multiple Contacts per Household

• Import the primary decision-maker first
• Add additional contacts manually using the partner fields
• Or import as separate contact records if they need separate email/phone

Repeat Clients (Multiple Projects)

• Same contact appears in multiple rows
• Each row creates a separate project
• Link by company_name or legacy_id

Team Members

For team assignments to work:

• Team members must already exist in Readybuild
• Use their employee ID, not their name
• Leave blank if unsure and assign manually later

Data Cleanup Tips

Names:

• Standardize format (Smith vs. The Smiths)
• Consider adding "Residence" or "Home" for consistency
• Remove special characters

Addresses:

• Verify ZIP codes match cities
• Standardize abbreviations (St. vs Street)
• Check for and merge duplicates

Financial Data:

• Numbers only (no $ or comma symbols)
• Use decimals for cents (75000.00)
• Leave blank if unknown—don't use zero

Dates:

• Use consistent format (YYYY-MM-DD preferred)
• Leave blank if unknown
• Verify dates are logical (sold date after created date)

After Import

For Historical Records

• Mark as appropriate stage (Won/Lost/Complete)
• Available for reporting and reference
• No further action needed

For Active Projects

After importing the basics:

1. Create estimates fresh in Readybuild
2. Generate contracts from estimates
3. Set up payment schedules
4. Assign team members
5. Create production schedules

Complete Missing Information

Some data doesn't import well and should be added manually:

• Activities and notes
• Documents and photos
• Detailed estimates
• Production schedules

Best Practices

Test First

• Import a small sample (10-20 records)
• Verify results thoroughly
• Adjust your mapping if needed
• Then do the full import

Keep Your Mapping

• Document which of your fields mapped to which Readybuild fields
• Save your original export files
• Use legacy_id to cross-reference later

Accept Some Loss

Not everything transfers perfectly:

• Some data may need manual entry
• Focus on what's most valuable
• Start fresh where it makes sense

Related

• Data Import Overview
• QuickBooks Online Integration - For ongoing financial sync