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Use this guide when you already have vehicle information in a spreadsheet and you may also have a ZIP file of historical photos. Importing saves hours of typing and helps your team start with accurate records on day one.
Which import guide should I use?
  • Spreadsheet only — follow Import vehicles from a spreadsheet.
  • Spreadsheet plus a photo ZIP — stay on this page. Create the car records first, then upload photos on the Photo ZIP tab.

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What you will accomplish

You will upload a vehicle spreadsheet, match each column to the correct field, review a preview, and create many car records at once. You can also import a ZIP file of historical photos so older intake images appear on the right vehicles. Expected outcome: New vehicles appear on the Cars page with make, model, year, VIN, customer links, and other details filled in from your file.

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When to use import instead of Add a car

  • You are onboarding dozens or hundreds of vehicles from a legacy system or Excel file.
  • Your team already keeps a master vehicle list with VINs, plates, and customer emails.
  • You have folders of historical photos organized by customer ID, car ID, or VIN.
For one vehicle at a time, use Add a car instead. Import is for bulk work.
Import customers first when you canCars link to customer records. If your spreadsheet includes Customer Email, the import can connect each vehicle automatically. When possible, import customers first with Import customers and cars from a spreadsheet, then import vehicles.

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Before you start

  • Save your vehicle list as CSV, XLS, or XLSX.
  • Put each vehicle on its own row. Use clear column names such as Year, Make, Model, VIN, License Plate, and Customer Email.
  • Download the car template from the import page if you are unsure which columns to include.
  • Confirm you can sign in to the dashboard and open Import Data from the left sidebar.
Import Data page showing tabs for Customers, Cars, Events, and Photo ZIP
Open Import Data. The page has separate tabs for customers, vehicles, events, and photo archives.

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Step 1: Open the Cars import tab

1

Go to Import Data

In the left sidebar, click Import Data, or go directly to Import Data.Expected result: The page title says Import Data and you see tabs across the top.
2

Click the Cars tab

Click the Cars tab (the tab with the car icon).Why this matters: The Customers tab is for people. The Cars tab is for vehicles. Using the wrong tab will not create car records.
3

Download the template if needed

Click Download on the Download car template card. Open the file to see recommended column names.Expected result: You have a sample CSV with headers such as Year, Make, Model, VIN, and Customer Email.
Cars tab on Import Data showing Download car template and Choose File
The Cars tab includes a template download and a file picker for your spreadsheet.

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Step 2: Upload your vehicle spreadsheet

1

Click the file field

Below the template card, click the file picker.
2

Choose your spreadsheet

Select your CSV, XLS, or XLSX file from your computer.
3

Wait for the row count

After the file loads, the page shows how many rows were found.Expected result: You see a number such as “50 rows found.” If the count is zero, check that your file has data rows—not only header names.

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Step 3: Match spreadsheet columns to vehicle fields

After the file loads, you will see a mapping area. Mapping means telling the system which spreadsheet column belongs in each vehicle field.
Car import mapping screen showing database fields on the left matched to spreadsheet columns on the right
Review every field before you import. Match each Database field on the left to the correct Spreadsheet column on the right.
1

Click Auto-Map Columns when available

If your column names are close to the template (for example Year and Make), click Auto-Map Columns to fill in matches automatically.Why this matters: Auto-map saves time, but you should still scroll through the list to confirm nothing important was skipped.
2

Match required vehicle details

At minimum, connect:
  • Make, Model, and Year when your file has them
  • VIN when you track VINs (the system can try to fill missing make/model/year from the VIN)
  • Customer Email when you want each car linked to the right owner
Expected result: Every field you care about has a spreadsheet column selected—or is intentionally left blank.
3

Review advanced fields

Scroll to advanced fields if your spreadsheet includes insurance dates, tire pressure, tags, location names, or external IDs from your old system. Connect only the columns you actually use.Tip: You do not need to map every field. Extra spreadsheet columns can stay unmapped.
4

Preview before you import

Use the preview step (when shown) to spot obvious mistakes—wrong year in a VIN column, swapped make and model, or missing customer emails.Expected outcome: The preview rows look like real vehicles your team would recognize.
5

Run the import

Click the button to start the import (wording may say Import or Create records). Wait until the page confirms success.Expected result: New vehicles appear on Cars. Search for a VIN or customer name to confirm.
What if a VIN is missing make or model?The import can attempt VIN decode to fill year, make, model, color, and trim when a valid VIN is present. Rows still import even when decode fails—you can fix details later on the car record.

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Step 4 (optional): Import historical photos from a ZIP file

If you have folders of older intake photos, you can attach them in bulk after vehicle records exist.
1

Open the Photo ZIP tab

On Import Data, click the Photo ZIP tab.Expected result: You see instructions for folder naming and an upload area.
2

Organize folders before you upload

Name folders so the system can match photos to the right car. Common patterns include:
  • Customer ID and car ID folders (for example 0003/001/)
  • Folders named by VIN
Why this matters: Clear folder names prevent photos from landing on the wrong vehicle.
3

Upload the ZIP file

Choose your ZIP file and wait for processing. HEIC images from iPhones are converted automatically.Expected result: Photos appear on the matching car records under Latest Photos and in the full photo gallery. See Manage vehicle photos.
Photo ZIP tab on Import Data showing bulk event photo import instructions and upload area
Use Photo ZIP when you have archived intake folders—not for photos you are taking live today (use Start a car session for new photos).

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After import: confirm records look right

  • Open Cars and search for a few imported VINs or customer names.
  • Open a car record and confirm the customer link, plate, and insurance dates look correct.
  • Assign parking spots with Move a car when vehicles are physically on site.
  • Attach service plans with Assign service plans on a vehicle when your facility uses recurring care packages.

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Common mistakes to avoid

  • Do not import cars before customers exist when you rely on Customer Email to link owners—create customers first or include emails that will match.
  • Do not skip the mapping review. A column mapped to the wrong field can put license plates in the wrong place.
  • Do not upload a photo ZIP before car records exist—the folders need matching vehicles in the system.
  • Do not run import twice with the same file unless you intend to create duplicate records. Search first to see if a VIN already exists.

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Troubleshooting

Cars imported but no customer is linkedCheck that Customer Email was mapped and that each email matches an existing customer in Contacts. Import customers first, then re-import or link cars manually on each record.
The row count is zeroOpen the spreadsheet and confirm it has data rows below the header line. Save again as CSV and re-upload.
Photos did not attach from the ZIPConfirm folder names match your external IDs or VINs. Open one car record and check Latest Photos. If still empty, verify the ZIP structure matches the on-screen instructions.

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What to do next