--- title: Imports, Exports, and Search description: OneSuite imports clients, CRM companies, CRM people and team members from files, exports most lists to CSV or Excel, and gives each list its own search box. Use imports to move your data in from another tool, and exports to… url: "https://help.onesuite.io/docs/imports-exports-and-search/" updated: "2026-10-01" category: "Settings & Billing" --- # Imports, Exports, and Search OneSuite imports clients, CRM companies, CRM people and team members from files, exports most lists to CSV or Excel, and gives each list its own search box. Use imports to move your data in from another tool, and exports to back up records or share them outside OneSuite. **In this guide you'll learn how to:** - Import clients, companies or people from a CSV file - Import team members from a spreadsheet - Export records to CSV, Excel or PDF - Find records with each list's search box ## Before you start - You need permission to create the kind of record you import. An admin controls this in **Settings**, **Workspace**, **Profiles & Permissions**. - Keep each import file under 5 MB. ## What can you import, and what are the limits? You can import four kinds of record. Clients, companies and people use the same CSV wizard; team members use their own importer. | Record type | Where to start | File types | Limits | If the record already exists | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Clients | **Clients**, **Options**, **Import** | CSV only | 1,000 rows, under 5 MB | **Skip updating the client** (default) or **Update the client** | | CRM companies | **CRM**, **Companies** tab, **Options**, **Import** | CSV only | 1,000 rows, under 5 MB | Skip or update the company (default: skip) | | CRM people | **CRM**, **People** tab, **Options**, **Import** | CSV only | 1,000 rows, under 5 MB | Skip or update the person (default: skip) | | Team members | **Team**, **Members**, **More actions**, **Import people** | .csv, .xls, .xlsx | The seats your plan covers | Matched on email: existing people are updated, new people are invited | ## How to import clients, companies or people You import clients, companies and people from a CSV file through a step-by-step wizard opened from the table's **Options** menu. 1. Open the list: **Clients**, or the **Companies** or **People** tab in **CRM**. 2. Click **Options**, then **Import**. 3. To get a template, click **Import Guidelines**, then **Download sample CSV**. 4. Click **Select CSV File** and choose your file. 5. On **Map CSV Columns to Fields**, match each column in your file to a OneSuite field. 6. Click **Preview Data** and check the rows. 7. Click **Continue** to reach **Import Options**. 8. Choose what happens if a record already exists: skip it or update it. 9. Answer **Do you want to receive a notification email when the import is completed?** with **Yes** or **No**. 10. Click **Start Import**. The wizard shows **Importing...** and then **Import Results**. A file with more than 1,000 rows is refused with **CSV file has too many rows. Maximum 1000 rows allowed.** A file that is too large is refused with **File is too large. Please use a smaller CSV file (max 5MB).** Split a large file into smaller ones and import them one at a time. ## How to import team members You import team members from a spreadsheet with **Import people**, which matches each row on email. 1. Click **Team** in the sidebar and stay on the **Members** tab. 2. Click **More actions** (the three dots), then **Import people**. 3. Click **Download a sample file** if you need a template. 4. Click **Choose a CSV or Excel file** and pick a .csv, .xls or .xlsx file with one person per row. 5. Check the preview. It counts people **To update**, **To invite** and **With problems**, and a row with a problem is skipped. 6. Choose whether to **Send them an invitation email**. If you don't, new people are still added under **Hasn't signed in yet**, and you can send the invitation later from their row. 7. Choose whether to **Clear fields left blank in the file**. When ticked, a blank cell erases the existing value; when unticked, it leaves it alone. 8. Click **Apply and send** (with the number of invitations), or **Apply** if nobody is being invited. Nothing changes until you confirm. If the file invites more people than your plan has room for, OneSuite blocks the import and tells you how many to remove from the file, or asks you to upgrade the plan. ## How to export your data You export from the list you are looking at. Each list offers the formats in the table below. | What | Where | Formats | What the file contains | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Clients | Select a row, then click **Export** | CSV | The table's rows with the columns you can see, not only the rows you selected | | CRM companies, people and tasks | Select a row, then click **Export** | CSV | The table's rows with the columns you can see, not only the rows you selected | | CRM opportunities | Select rows, then click **Export** | CSV | The selected rows, with the columns you can see | | Team members | **Team**, **Members**, **More actions** | **Export as CSV**, **Export as Excel** | The roster with its current filters applied | | Invoices | **Invoices**, **Actions** menu | **Export CSV**, **Export Excel**, **Export line items (CSV)** | Your invoices, or their line items | | Estimates | **Estimates**, **Export** | **Export as CSV**, **Export as Excel** | Your estimates | | Reports | **Reports**, **Export** | CSV or PDF | The report you are viewing, simple or detailed | | Project time | Project, **Timesheet** tab, **Export summary** | CSV | The project's Summary view | A few things to know: - The **Export** button on a table appears once you select at least one row. - Exporting clients needs its own permission, so you may not see **Export** on **Clients**. - In **Reports**, Excel and **Custom export** are greyed out with **Excel export is not available yet** and **Custom export is not available yet**. Use CSV or PDF. ## How to search in OneSuite You search inside each list with that list's own search box; OneSuite has no single search across the whole app. - **Clients**, **CRM** tabs and other tables: type in the search box above the table to filter its rows. - **Team**: use **Search people** on the roster. - **Projects**: use the search box on the project list. - **Departments** and **Profiles**: use **Search departments** and **Search profiles**. - **Invoices**, **Configure**: the rail's search box finds a setting across all seven pages. To find a record, open its module first, then search there. Combine search with the list's filters to narrow results further. Not using OneSuite yet? Start your free trial → ## FAQs ### What file format does OneSuite import? Clients, CRM companies and CRM people import from CSV files only. Team members import from .csv, .xls or .xlsx files. Click **Import Guidelines**, then **Download sample CSV** in the wizard to get a template with the right columns. ### Why is my CSV import failing? The two most common causes are too many rows and a file that is too large. Each file can hold up to 1,000 rows and must stay under 5 MB, so split a bigger list into several files. ### Can I update existing clients with an import? Yes. On the **Import Options** step, choose **Update the client** instead of **Skip updating the client**. Companies and people have the same choice. ### Does OneSuite have a global search? No. Each list has its own search box, such as the one above the **Clients** table or **Search people** on **Team**. Open the module first, then search there. ### How do I export all my invoices? Open **Invoices**, open the **Actions** menu at the top of the list, and choose **Export CSV** or **Export Excel**. Choose **Export line items (CSV)** if you need each invoice line on its own row. ### Can I just enter my records by hand instead? You can, and for a handful of records that is quicker. For more than a few dozen, a CSV import is faster and less error-prone, and it can update records you already have instead of creating duplicates. ## What to do next **Add clients one at a time:** Learn the full add-client flow in [Adding Clients](https://help.onesuite.io/docs/adding-clients/). **Bring in your team:** Invite colleagues one by one with [Inviting Collaborators in OneSuite](https://help.onesuite.io/docs/inviting-teams/). **Export your numbers:** See what each report shows before you export it in [Reports Overview](https://help.onesuite.io/docs/reports-overview/).