Importing & Exporting Data

To add items to your Animals you can either use the Add form to add one item at a time or you can use the more powerful Import form to add many items at once. Once you have added or imported an item, you can modify it or you can replace it with a new import.

Bulk Import

Use Import to add or update multiple animals at once. You can paste data from Google Sheets or Excel, load a CSV, TSV, or JSON file, or type directly into the import table.

Adding Your Data

Already have a spreadsheet? Copy your data, including its header row, and paste into A1. This replaces the current table. You can also click Load File.
Using the columns already shown? Paste your animal rows into A2, without a header row, or type into the cells.

Grey text in empty cells shows examples only. It will not be imported.

The spreadsheet supports up to 1,000 animal rows per import. For larger imports, split your data into smaller files or select Old Import.

Animal import spreadsheet with three example animals and the Import, Load File, and Edit Columns controls.

Fields and Columns

The first row contains your field names. Check Supported Fields below the table for accepted names, values, and examples. Select Sample for a sample sheet.

Supported Fields reference showing required fields, input types, descriptions, and examples.

Use Edit Columns to show, hide, or reorder columns.

You can also resize columns.

Edit Columns menu with visibility checkboxes, drag handles, and buttons to move columns up or down.

Hidden columns are still included in your import.

When pasting into existing cells, arrange the visible columns to match your copied data.

Some cells offer suggestions as you type:

Tab accepts a suggestion and moves right.
Enter accepts a suggestion and moves down.
Esc dismisses a suggestion.

Typing Ju in a maturity cell suggests Juvenile; Tab or Enter accepts the suggestion.

Updating Existing Animals

Use the same Animal_ID when updating an existing animal. Give each animal its own ID, and avoid repeating an ID within your import.

By default, importing creates or updates the animals included in your data.

Turn on Synchronize/Replace only when your import contains the complete collection you want to keep active. Animals missing from the import will be archived. You will be asked to confirm before continuing.

Sync and Replace All confirmation warns that animals missing from the import will be archived, with Cancel and Replace buttons.

Synchronize/Replace and Ignore Errors enabled, showing their archiving and error-handling explanations.

Checking and Correcting Errors

Click Import to check your data.

If there are errors, the affected cells are highlighted and an error list appears below the table. Use the eye button beside an error to jump to its cell. Where available, use Options to choose an accepted value.

Maturity validation error with the Options menu open, showing Baby, Juvenile, Subadult, Adult, and Not Ready.

Correct the errors, then click Import again. If you keep a separate spreadsheet, update that copy too.

Ignore Errors allows the importer to process rows it can use. Rows with errors may be skipped, and some errors can prevent the whole import. Column and file-format errors still need to be corrected.

Two invalid cells highlighted in red, with error explanations, an Options menu, and eye buttons below the spreadsheet.

After Importing

Review the results in Animal Manager and check that the animals were created or updated as expected.

If the import runs in the background, you will receive a website notification and an email when it finishes.

Using Old Import

Select Old Import to use the text-based importer. Paste your data with its header row, load a file, or drag and drop a file into the text area. CSV, TSV, and JSON are supported.

Select New Import to return to the spreadsheet.

Old Import screen with a CSV header, three example animal rows, Load File and Import controls, and the New Import switch.

The video below shows the older text-based import interface.

Google Drive Photo Import

The Photo URLs field supports Google Drive Links. To use these:

To obtain the URL, use the "Share" option and "Copy Link"
In the Share options for this item or the entire folder, make sure it has "General Access" set to "Anyone with link"

Scheduling of Listings

When new listings are bulk imported or bulk changed to For Sale status for the first time, they are scheduled at times throughout the day. The system will try to schedule them a few minutes apart, but at a rate that will not exceed 24 hours. This process helps you to get more views on your ads by spreading them out throughout the results.

Exporting Animals

Animal Manager with the three-dot Import/Export menu open, showing Import and Export.

Export Animals dialog explaining selection and filters, with CSV, TSV, JSON, and Labels export options.

You can Export various slices of your data. Previously the Export function on the Animal Manager would output all animals in your active collection, such as those For Sale and Not For Sale.

Now, Export will output all of the animals currently displayed on your Animal Manager page. This means you can export any subset of your Animal data present or past.

For example, you could export Sold animals with any set of filters by genetics, maturity, etc.