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Importing and exporting data 🎩

Depending on what data you want to import into or export from Harvest, you’ll need to visit different sections. Whether you're trying to add your old timesheets or export all of your invoices out of the system, below we’ll tell you where to go and how to get your data into and out of Harvest.

Note: Only people with Administrator permissions can import data into Harvest, with the exception that Managers with permission to create and edit clients can import clients. If you don’t see the Settings link in your navigation (upper right), you don’t have Administrator permissions. 

 

Importing time data

Time import formatting

You can import time data from a CSV as long as it’s in the correct format. Format your timesheet data in a spreadsheet program (Excel, Numbers, Google Sheets, etc.) with the following 8 columns (in the same order, with one exception noted below):

  • Date (YYYY-MM-DD or M/D/YYYY formats; for example: 2023-08-25 or 8/25/2023)
  • Client
  • Project
  • Task
  • Notes
  • Hours (In decimal format, without any stray characters; for example: 7.5, 3, 9.9)
  • First name (The name must match a person in your account)
  • Last name

You can also download a sample CSV file for a time import (right-click link).

Things to know before you import time

  • Harvest will create any client, project, or task automatically if it cannot be found in your account, but it won’t create new people. You must add people first and make sure that their names match your CSV exactly.
  • It is not possible to update time entries via import. Importing updated entries will result in duplicate entries.
  • It is not possible to import time with start and end times, even if you account is set to track by start and end times. All time entry imports will only show a duration of time. 
  • Harvest imports only accept commas (,) as delimiters. Semicolons (;), slashes (/), and other delimiters will result in import errors. 
    • In order to include commas, the fields containing them need to be enclosed in double quotes to ensure that they import properly (for example, "First I did this, then I did that" in a Notes cell). Most spreadsheet programs will automatically add the quotation marks when saving a file as CSV, but if your import doesn't work, you may need to do this manually.
  • Formatting exception: You can import time using a CSV export of a Harvest detailed time report, even though the detailed time report export is in a different format than the required format for a time import. Any columns on the detailed time report export that are not required for a time import (rates, roles, start and end times, etc.) will be skipped and none of that data will be imported into the account. 

Steps to import time

  1. In your Settings (top right), click Import/Export in the left sidebar.
    • Only Administrators can view and change account settings.
  2. In the Import data section, click Import time.
  3. Drag and drop your CSV file into the gray area, or click Choose file (the exact text of this button might vary depending on your browser) and select the file.
  4. Click Import timesheets.

Importing expense data

Expense import formatting

Similar to time data, expense data can be imported via CSV as long as it is in the correct format. Format expense data in a spreadsheet program (Excel, Numbers, Google Sheets, etc.) with the following 10 columns (must be in the following order):

  • Date (YYYY-MM-DD or M/D/YYYY formats; for example: 2023-08-25 or 8/25/2023)
  • Amount
  • Units (Put in the total costs, or the number of units, such as for mileage)
  • Client
  • Project
  • Category
  • Notes
  • First name (The name must match a person in your account)
  • Last name
  • Billable (‘yes’ for billable, ‘no’ for non billable)

Note: Harvest imports only accept commas (,) as delimiters. Semicolons (;), slashes (/), and other delimiters will result in import errors. 

You can also download a sample CSV file for an expense import (right-click link).

Steps to import expenses

  1. In your Settings (top right), click Import/Export in the left sidebar.
    • Only Administrators can view and change account settings.
  2. In the Import data section, click Import expenses.
  3. Drag and drop your CSV file into the gray area, or click Choose file (the exact text of this button might vary depending on your browser) and select the file.
  4. Click Import expenses.

Unlike importing time, Harvest will not create any new client, project, expense category or people from an expense import. If there isn’t an exact match in your Harvest account, those expenses will not be imported.

Importing projects, people, clients, and tasks

Projects and people can be imported in the Projects and Team sections of Harvest, respectively.

Clients and client contacts are imported in Manage > Clients.

You can find more information about importing this data in the following articles:

Items that can't be imported

Tasks can’t be directly imported into Harvest. Instead, you can import blank time entries (with 0 in the Hours column) via a CSV file, and Harvest will create any tasks that don’t already exist in the account. After importing, go to Manage > Tasks to edit the new tasks’ defaults, such as billable rates.

Invoices can't be imported at all.

Reverting an import

You can revert an import that’s been uploaded to your account within the last 30 days. Reverting an import will attempt to permanently delete any data the import created in your account. Note that any records that have been edited since being imported can’t be deleted with this process. For edited data—like a time entry that’s been updated or a project name that’s been changed—you’ll need to manually delete or archive those records.

Steps to revert an import

  1. In your Settings (top right), click Import/Export in the left sidebar.
    • Only Administrators can view and change account settings.
  2. In the Import data section, click Revert an import.
  3. Click the Revert button to the right of the import you’d like to revert.
  4. You’ll be asked to confirm your action. Type DELETE and click Revert import to confirm.

Harvest will send you an email once the revert is complete.

Exporting data

Which data you can export depends on your permissions.

As an Administrator:

  • You can export all company time data and invoices from the Export data section of Settings > Import/Export.
    • If you click Export all time, all of your company time data will be downloaded as a CSV file. Harvest will either export the data immediately or email you when the file is ready to be downloaded, depending on the size of the export.
    • If you click Export all invoices, a zip file with PDFs of all invoices will be downloaded from Harvest. The download may take some time, so Harvest will email you when the download is complete.
    • If you click Export all estimates, a zip file with PDFs of all estimates will be downloaded from Harvest. The download may take some time, so Harvest will email you when the download is complete.
  • You can also export data as needed via Reports. Exports may contain your own data, as well as data tracked by any other person in your account.
    • The time report can be exported to Excel or CSV. The export will include the detailed information for each time entry captured in the report you’re viewing.
    • The detailed time report and the detailed expense report can be exported to Excel, CSV, or PDF. The Excel and CSV formats will contain more detailed information than you see on the interface. Choose PDF to export a detailed time report similar to what you see on your screen or a detailed expense report that includes expense receipt images.
  • Projects can be exported from the main Projects section. You can also export more detailed project-specific data from a project’s analysis page.
  • People can be exported from the Team section.
  • Clients and client contacts can be exported via Manage > Clients.

As a Manager:

  • You can export data as needed via Reports. Exports may contain your own data, data tracked by your assigned people, and data tracked by other people to projects you mange.
  • Projects you manage can be exported from the main Projects section. You can also export more detailed project-specific data from a project’s analysis page.
  • Managers with assigned people can access Team to export their assigned teammates, and Managers with permission to create and edit clients can access Manage > Clients to export clients.

As a Member:

  • You can export data as needed via Reports. Exports will contain only your own time/expense data.

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