Make the switch in stages: preserve the old records, check the import, and try the new booking link before sharing it. Finish with one calendar your whole team uses and a clear plan for anything that did not transfer.
Before you start
- Who can do it: the owner or an admin who can manage settings.
- Keep access to the old system until you have checked the records you need.
- Choose a switch date and tell the team which system to use until then. Two calendars accepting bookings can create conflicts.
- Keep an untouched copy of each export. Make corrections in a separate working copy.
Prepare the files
Get detail exports with one row per record and the widest date range you need. A totals report or a PDF is useful for comparison, but is not an import file.
| Moving from | Start here |
|---|---|
| Fresha | Follow the report-by-report list in Import your data. Use Sales log detail for sales. |
| Vagaro | The business owner can export the customer list as Excel. Choose the spreadsheet, rather than PDF. See Vagaro's customer export guide. |
| Square | Export the customer directory from the dashboard's Import / Export menu. Follow the Export customer data section in Square's export guide. |
| GlossGenius or another system | Obtain a client spreadsheet and any separate history or balance files from your provider. Check what each file contains before uploading it. |
Owneli accepts CSV, tab-separated files and Excel workbooks, with up to 15,000 rows per file. Select Generic CSV for a provider without its own source option. This is a file import; it does not keep the two systems in sync.
Check the switch
Preview your first file
Open Settings → Plan & data → Import. Upload the file and review the column mapping against its sample values. Use the import guide for the exact controls and supported records.
Compare the dry run
Select Continue to dry run. Review Create, Match existing, Skip and Errors, including the rows behind any warnings. Check email and SMS consent separately; having a contact address is not an opt-in.
Import the checked records
Select Run import when the preview matches what you intend. Keep the result report with the source file. Create package and membership plans before importing balances that need to match those plans.
Check individual examples
Open several imported clients and their upcoming appointments. Compare names, contact details, services, staff, location and start times with the old system. Check a gift card or package balance separately from sales totals.
Test the new booking link
Follow Test your booking link on a phone. Have the person covering reception check where the visit appears, as well as what the client sees.
Move the public links
At your agreed switch time, update the booking links on your website, social profiles and any printed QR codes. Stop new bookings through the old system. Reconcile any appointments changed between the export and the switch before opening the day.
Plan for records that need separate handling
| Record | What to check before switching |
|---|---|
| Forms, consents, photos and files | These do not transfer through this importer. Keep the originals and decide how your team will access them. |
| Saved cards | Card details do not move in a spreadsheet. Arrange payment details again through the payment flow. |
| Memberships | Imported memberships are records only: auto-renew is off, there is no next renewal date, and no redeemable credits are granted. Review billing separately. |
| Gift cards and packages | Check remaining value or sessions and expiry dates. These are balances owed to clients, not new sales. |
| Staff and services | Check working hours, locations, services, prices and durations. Imported records alone do not make every person bookable. |
Check it worked
Your next appointments match the old calendar, checked balances match the source files, and your team can find the records they need. Your public links lead to the correct Owneli location. Keep the comparison files until your review is complete.
If something goes wrong
The number imported is lower than the spreadsheet
Read the result report before trying again. Matching existing records, skipped rows and several service rows becoming one appointment can change the count. Investigate any difference you cannot explain.
A newer export did not update an existing appointment
Imports match existing records rather than overwriting changes already made in Owneli. Review changes made during the switch and correct the affected records deliberately.
I need to undo the import
Roll back import deletes records that import created; it leaves matched records alone. It can be blocked when imported records are already in use. Read Undoing an import before confirming, because rollback cannot itself be undone.