---
key: data-import-migration-examples
title: Move a customer list from another tool
audience: staff
section: administration
routes: ["/settings/org/imports/spreadsheet/create", "/settings/org/imports/saved-mappings", "/settings/org/imports", "/settings/org/imports/start"]
permissions: ["imports.create"]
features: ["settings.org.imports"]
since: 0.0.1
updated: 0.0.1
status: published
summary: Worked examples for bringing customers from QuickBooks, Google Contacts or a field service tool into Nova, which columns match which Nova fields, and the usual fixes.
keywords: [quickbooks, google contacts, servicetitan, jobber, housecall, migration, migrate, switch software, column mapping, saved mappings, customer list]
related: [data-import-guide, data-portability-import-export-guide, create-an-account, add-a-contact-to-an-account]
---

In the sidebar, open **Administration**, then choose **Imports** under **Data**. Every example below starts on the **Start import** tab at `/settings/org/imports`. Column choices you keep for next time live on the **Saved mappings** tab at `/settings/org/imports/saved-mappings`.

## Before you start

- Keep the old tool's column headings. Nova recognises the names most tools use, so a file usually matches on its own and you only confirm the odd column.
- When the old tool gives you more than one file, import in this order: customers, then contacts, then addresses, then work orders. Every later file must carry the same customer number or account number.
- **Download example CSV** on the upload step gives you a file with the headings Nova expects, handy when you are building a sheet by hand.

## Steps

1. From an accounting tool such as QuickBooks, export the customer list to Excel or CSV with the name, company, account number, phone, email, billing address and open balance columns. Choose **Customers**, upload it, and type `QuickBooks` in **File came from**.
2. From Google Contacts, export your contacts as a Google CSV file. Choose **Customers** and type `Google Contacts` in **File came from**. Google's own headings, such as `Name`, `E-mail 1 - Value` and `Phone 1 - Value`, are recognised as they are; match `Organization 1 - Name` to the company name field yourself if you want it.
3. From a field service tool such as ServiceTitan, Jobber or Housecall Pro, export the customer list first and import it as **Customers**. Then export the work list and import it as **Work orders**; each row needs a customer column Nova can match, which you confirm on **Check customer matches**.
4. On **Match columns**, check the table below against what Nova suggested, fix any column marked **Needs review**, then press **Apply column choices**.
5. Type a name such as `QuickBooks customers` and press **Save column choices**. The next file with the same layout offers it under **Recommended saved mappings** with an **Apply recommendation** button.

## What you see

Headings Nova matches on its own, and the Nova field each becomes. The last two rows apply when you chose **Work orders**.

| Old tool heading | Nova field |
| --- | --- |
| `Customer ID`, `Client ID`, `Customer Number` | Customer ID from old system |
| `Account Number`, `Acct #` | Account number |
| `Customer Name`, `Display Name`, `Full Name` | Customer name |
| `Company`, `Business Name`, `Organization` | Company name |
| `First Name`, `Given Name` / `Last Name`, `Surname` | First name / Last name |
| `Email`, `Primary Email`, `E-mail 1 - Value` | Email |
| `Phone`, `Mobile`, `Phone 1 - Value` | Phone |
| `Address`, `Street`, `Address Line 1` | Street address |
| `City`, `State`, `Province`, `Zip`, `Postal Code` | City, State or province, ZIP or postal code |
| `Open Balance`, `Balance due` | Imported open balance |
| `WO Number`, `Ticket Number` | Work order number |
| `Title`, `Subject` / `Description` / `Status` | Work order summary / description / status |

- On **Saved mappings**, each row shows **Name**, **What it imports**, **File came from**, **Columns** and **Last used**, with **Rename**, **Edit column choices**, **Duplicate**, **Set default**, **Test with file** and **Archive/delete**. **Test with file** previews a new file against the saved choices and shows which columns matched; it imports nothing.

## If something looks different

- A balance column stays under **Needs review**: match it to the imported open balance field to keep the figure for reference, or press **Ignore**. Nova never turns it into an invoice; balances in Nova come from invoices and payments.
- A column Nova does not know, such as a customer's gate code or an old tag: press **Add to notes** to keep it on the record, **Custom field** to make it a proper field, or **Ignore**.
- The same customer appears on several rows with different addresses or contacts: that is expected for **Customers**. Nova looks for repeated customer rows and shows what it found right after the upload.
- Rows land under **Rows blocked** on **Review issues** because the customer could not be matched: the old file did not carry a customer number, or you imported work orders before customers. Import the customer file first, then run the second file again.
- The recommended saved mapping warns about columns missing from this file: the old tool changed its export. Press **Edit recommended saved mappings** to update the choices, or match the columns by hand this once.

[[route:/settings/org/imports|Start an import]]