FreshBooks · Data Import

How to Fix FreshBooks Import Error

A CSV import fails, rows are rejected, clients or invoices import with missing data, or the same records import twice.

At QuickFix Bookkeeping, the rule that saves the most pain: import clients before invoices, and never import a date range twice. FreshBooks matches invoices to clients by name. If the client does not exist yet, the invoice row fails. And an overlapping import will not warn you, it will simply duplicate everything.

What Causes This

Wrong import order

Invoices reference clients. If the client does not exist yet, the invoice row is rejected.

Date format mismatch

A date in the wrong format is the single most common cause of rejected rows.

Overlapping date range

Re-importing dates you already imported duplicates every record silently.

Required field blank

A missing client name, amount, or date rejects the row with a message that rarely names the real culprit.

How to Fix It

METHOD 1Import in the Right OrderRows are being rejected
1

Always import clients first, then items, then invoices and expenses.

2

FreshBooks links an invoice to a client by matching the client name exactly. If the client is not already in the system, or the name does not match character for character, the invoice row fails.

3

Watch for trailing spaces and inconsistent naming, such as Acme Ltd versus Acme Limited. To FreshBooks these are two different clients.

METHOD 2Fix the Date FormatMost rows rejected
1

Date format is the leading cause of a failed import. Check whether the file uses DD/MM/YYYY or MM/DD/YYYY and confirm it matches what FreshBooks expects.

2

Spreadsheet software silently reformats dates when you open and save a CSV, so a file that worked yesterday can fail today for no visible reason. Open the CSV in a plain text editor to see what is actually in it.

3

Test with a file of five rows before importing five thousand.

METHOD 3Prevent Duplicate ImportsEverything appears twice
1

FreshBooks does not reliably warn you when you re-import records that already exist. An overlapping date range simply duplicates them.

2

Before importing, note the exact date range already in the system, and start the new import the day after. If you have already created duplicates, delete the duplicated batch rather than trying to merge, since merging by hand introduces new errors.

METHOD 4Read the Error File ProperlyVague rejection message
1

When rows fail, FreshBooks reports which ones. Fix those rows in the source file and re-import only the failed rows, never the whole file again, which would duplicate everything that succeeded the first time.

Clean the Data Before You Import It

Dirty data imports perfectly. Duplicate clients, inconsistent names, and wrong dates all transfer without complaint and are far harder to fix once they are inside FreshBooks than they were in a spreadsheet. Deduplicate and standardise the file first. It is always the cheaper end of the job.

Related Guides

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