The CSV import feature was created to make entering in large amounts of data easier. You wouldn’t need to use this feature if you have less than 10 properties. However, if you manage a large number of units, this is a handy feature to get all of your data input at once.
Start by navigating to Tools / Import Data.
Here, you can download either the CSV or Excel file that you’ll be using. You can use either one, depending on your preference.
Once you have that file downloaded to your local computer, click the Show Supported Values button.
This dialog shows the valid values for some of the different fields that we’ll be filling in. Now, let’s open the downloaded file (CSV or Excel) in your favorite spreadsheet editor. I prefer Excel, but you can use whatever you’d like.
The file is going to look like this:
What we’re going to do is add one row for each Property Unit that you have, regardless of if someone is renting it or not. All of the fields here are the same fields as if you have entered the data through the web portal. However, that would get tedious for a large number of units.
Example Data
Here is some example data for the Property Details section:
I am creating 3 properties:
- The first (House #1) is a house at 1 Main St. There is no Address Line 2 since this is an entire single-family home.
- The second (Apartment #1) is an apartment block at 2 Main St. Notice that I have added a line for each unit in the apartment. The only thing that changes for each line of the apartment is the unit number (Address Line 2). The rest of the details are the same.
- The third (Condo #1) is a condo at 3 Main St, but is in unit A. This is how you’d represent owning an individual condo unit.
Next comes the Tenant information:
Here I am just creating a few example tenants, so I haven’t chosen actual names for them (just the T1, T2, etc). Here, the first and last names are required fields. An email address is required if you choose Yes for the Create Account column. We recommend that you create an account for tenants so that they can manage their banking information or submit maintenance requests. However, if they are not technologically proficient, you may want to choose No. Phone numbers are not required.
Lastly, we have the Rental Agreement information:
Here I have chosen some monthly rent values (required), a damage deposit (not required), and start/end dates. The start date is required. The end date is not required. However, if you do not choose an end date, the Rental Agreement will be created as Month-to-Month. If the end date is supplied, it will be created as a Fixed Length. You can always edit this on the Rental Agreement page.
Just a note about the date format. Excel displays them like they are in the screenshot, but I generally enter them as YYYY-MM-DD (so I type in 2023-12-31 for Dec 31st for example).
Setting up PAD and Monthly Rent Payments
If you have registered for PAD, you can use the CSV Import feature to also set up the PAD payments for the tenant, and even when their first rent payment will be.
In the example below, I have configured the rent payment information for one tenant. First, enter their bank name, followed by the institution number, transit number, and account number. Then Yes if you want to actually create their monthly rent payment. After that, choose the account nickname and rent amount, followed by the start date.
Once the import has completed, you’ll notice that the PAD information and monthly rent has been set up for this tenant as well.
Importing the Data
Now that you have filled out all of your information into the CSV/Excel file, go back to the portal and we’re going to import this data. Click Next into the Upload Data step:
Drag and drop the file or click to find the file on your computer.
Next, we’ll have the Verify Data step. In this step, the system will summarize everything that you have entered. Please check everything carefully. If some data is violating the business rules, you will be given an error message. Simply go back to the CSV/Excel file and make any necessary changes.
If everything looks good, you can click on the Submit button at the bottom, and everything will be imported into the system.
Take a minute to browse your Properties, Tenants, and Rental Agreements to see that everything is there.
If you created accounts for Tenants, an email will have been sent to them, asking them to confirm their accounts. This is exactly the same as if you had entered them manually.
If you want us to review your import file prior to you submitting it, please feel free to reach out to [email protected].