Importing your data into Jibble
Move your existing workforce data into Jibble from a spreadsheet
If you’re switching to Jibble from another time tracking or time and attendance software, you can use Jibble’s import tool to bring your existing data into your organization.
The import tool lets you migrate your existing records in bulk instead of entering them manually, making it easier to get your organization set up and ready to go.
This article covers:
- What you can import
- Exporting your data
- How imported data is handled
- Importing your data
- Reviewing imported data
- What happens to existing records
- FAQs
What you can import
You can import any combination of the following:
- People: Names, email addresses, phone numbers, roles, member codes and groups
- Projects & Clients: Project name, client name, project code, project description and project status
- Activities: Activity name, activity code and activity description
- Timesheets: The time your team has already tracked
Important❗: Importing is available in the Jibble desktop app, and for the first 24 hours after your organization is created.
Exporting your data
Before importing, export and prepare the files containing the data you want to move to Jibble.
1. Export your data
Export your data from the system you’re currently using. Most time tracking tools allow you to export people, projects, activities, and time entries as a CSV or Excel file.
You can use separate files for different types of data. For example, you can have one file for people, another for projects, and another for timesheets.
2. Keep your exported file structure
We recommend importing your exported files without changing their structure.
Avoid changing column headers, removing columns, or altering the formatting, as this may prevent Jibble from reading your data correctly or cause some records to be skipped.
3. Check your data
Make sure your exported data is complete and accurate before importing it.
In particular, check that:
- People have the correct names and contact details
- Projects and activities have the correct names
- Timesheets contain the correct dates and times
- Related records, such as projects and people, are included if you want them assigned to imported timesheets
How imported data is handled
You can import different types of data together or separately. The way some data is handled depends on what you’re importing.
People
Importing people does not automatically invite them to Jibble. During the import, each person has an Invite member checkbox. Select the people you want to invite, or use Invite all to select everyone.
If you want to review the imported information first, leave the checkboxes unticked and invite your team later.
Note: If your account hasn’t been verified yet, invitations will not be sent until your account is verified.
Activities
Activities can be imported in two ways:
- Import activities from Timesheets: Import activities directly from your timesheet file. You don’t need a separate activity file, and each activity is attached to the time entry it belongs to. To use this option, select Timesheets and enable Import activities from Timesheets.
- Import activities separately: Import activities from their own activity list without importing them through a timesheet file. If you have a separate list of activities, leave Import activities from Timesheets unticked and upload your activity list separately.
Timesheets
Jibble can import your existing time as either time entries or hour entries, depending on how the data overlaps.
- Time entries have a specific start and end time and run sequentially throughout the day.
- Hour entries record a total duration without a specific start and end time.
If your file contains overlapping time entries for the same person, Jibble imports the file as hour entries instead. This preserves the duration of each record without creating overlapping clock-in and clock-out entries.
You’ll see a message at the top of the mapping screen showing how your timesheets will be imported:
| Import status | How your timesheets are imported |
| No overlapping entries found | Time entries with clock-in and clock-out times |
| Overlap in time entries found | Hour entries showing the duration only |
This applies to the whole file, so if any overlapping entries are found, all timesheets in that import are converted to hour entries.
Importing your data
The import tool is available through the Jibble desktop app.
- Open the Jibble desktop app and sign in to your account.
- Open Settings and select Import data.
- If you belong to more than one organization, select the organization you want to import your data into.
- Select the type of data you want to import. You can import People, Projects & Clients, Activities, and Timesheets separately or in any combination.
- If you’re importing activities, choose whether to Import activities from Timesheets or import activities separately.
- Click Proceed.
- Drag and drop your file into the upload area. You can upload multiple files at once.
- If your file has more than one sheet, choose it under Select the sheet to import the data from.
- Review the column mapping and make any necessary changes. Optionally, add filters to choose which rows to import.
- Click Proceed to start the import.
- Keep the Jibble desktop app open while the import is running. You’ll see a progress bar and estimated time remaining.
- Once the import is complete, you’ll see the number of records imported.
Note: You need to have the required permissions in your Jibble organization to use the import tool.
Mapping your columns
Jibble automatically matches the columns in your file to the corresponding fields in Jibble. If your file is from a tool Jibble recognizes, the mapping is filled in automatically. Review the mapping and make any changes if needed.
If Jibble can’t identify a column, you’ll see Select column. Use the dropdown to choose the appropriate field. The dropdown shows sample values from your file, making it easier to identify the correct column.
For example:
- For Project name, select the column containing your project names.
- For Client name, select the column containing your client names.
For timesheets, the fields you need to map depend on how your data will be imported:
- Time entries: Start date, Start time, End date, and End time
- Hour entries: Date and Duration
See how imported data is handled for more information about timesheet imports.
Filtering your import
You can use + Add filter to import only the rows you need. For example, you can filter your file to import only active projects. The row count shows how many records will be imported.
Keep related data in mind when using filters. People, projects, activities, and timesheets are connected, so filtering one type of data may affect other records being imported.
For example, if you exclude a project but import timesheets assigned to that project, Jibble will show Some projects weren’t found. You can choose Ignore projects that are missing and continue, but those timesheets will be imported without a project assigned.
Tip 💡: If you’re not sure which records to filter out, we recommend importing everything first and cleaning up your data in Jibble afterwards.
Reviewing imported data
Once the import is complete, you can review your data on Jibble’s web app or mobile app before getting your team started.
We recommend checking:
- Timesheets: Make sure the expected date range was imported, the times are correct for your timezone, and entries are assigned to the right projects and people.
- People: Check names, contact details, roles, and member codes.
- Groups: If a group is specified in your import file, Jibble will create the group and assign the relevant members to it.
- Projects & Clients: Check that projects and clients were imported correctly and that their details are accurate.
- Activities: Check that activities were imported correctly and that their details are accurate.
- Invitations: If you selected people to invite, make sure the right team members were invited.
What happens to existing records
Your organization doesn’t need to be empty before you import data. Jibble checks certain existing records to help prevent duplicates.
| Record | What happens |
| Projects, Clients, and Activities | Matched to an existing entity with the same name. Imported timesheets are linked to the matched project and/or activity. |
| People | Matched to an existing team member. Imported timesheets are linked to the matched member. |
| Time entries | An entry with the same start and end time is recognized as a duplicate and isn’t imported again. |
| Hour entries | Imported as they appear in your file. Hour entries aren’t checked for duplicates. If you import the same hour entries more than once, they will be added again. |
Important ❗: If a person in your file already exists in Jibble but is archived, their timesheets can’t be imported until you unarchive them.
FAQs
- How long does an import take?
It depends on how much data you’re importing. Larger imports may take longer to process. Imports are processed gradually to keep Jibble responsive while the data is being added.
Keep the Jibble desktop app open until the import is complete. You’ll see a progress bar and estimated time remaining.
- Do I need a separate file for my activities?
Not if your activities are already included in your timesheet file. Select Import activities from Timesheets and Jibble will read the activities from your timesheet data.
If you want to import activities separately, leave this option unticked and upload your activity list as its own file.
- I have more than one organization. Which one does the import go into?
The import goes into the organization you select at the start of the import process. Make sure you’ve selected the correct organization before proceeding.
- Can I import more than one file at once?
Yes. You can upload multiple CSV or Excel files at the same time. If a workbook contains multiple sheets, you can select the sheet you want to import.
- Why did my time come across as durations instead of clock-in and clock-out times?
Your file contained overlapping time entries. Because Jibble’s time entries can’t overlap, the import is converted to hour entries, which preserve the duration of each record. See how imported data is handled for more information.
- Can I import data into an organization that already has data?
Yes. Your organization doesn’t need to be empty. Jibble matches existing projects, people, and certain time entries to help prevent duplicates.
- Will importing people invite them to Jibble?
No. People are imported without being invited unless you select the Invite member checkbox for them during the import.
- Can I edit my CSV or Excel file before importing?
We recommend keeping the original structure of your exported file. Changing column headers, removing columns, or altering the formatting may prevent Jibble from reading the data correctly.