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CSV Import & Export Guide

Bulk-import your team, leave history, and time data using simple CSV files. Download a template, fill it in, and upload.

Quick Start

1

Download template

Pick the template below for what you want to import

2

Fill in your data

Open in Excel or Google Sheets, add your rows, save as CSV

3

Upload in Settings

Go to Settings → Import, pick your file, and click Upload

Employees

Bulk-add your team in one go. Names, emails, departments, roles, contracted hours.

Template

Fields

ColumnRequiredDescription
first_nameRequiredEmployee's first name
last_nameRequiredEmployee's last name
emailRequiredWork email — used for login invite
departmentOptionalDepartment name (created automatically if new)
roleOptionalmember, manager, admin, or owner. Defaults to member
contracted_hours_per_weekOptionalWeekly contracted hours. Defaults to 37.5
start_dateOptionalEmployment start date (YYYY-MM-DD). Defaults to today
allowance_daysOptionalAnnual leave allowance in days. Defaults to 25

Example

first_name,last_name,email,department,role,contracted_hours_per_week,start_date,allowance_days
James,Morton,james@company.com,Engineering,admin,37.5,2024-01-15,25
Sarah,Chen,sarah@company.com,Design,member,37.5,2024-03-01,25
Tom,Bishop,tom@company.com,Engineering,member,30,2025-06-10,20

Leave History

Import existing leave records from another system. Useful when migrating. Add one row per booking — the same person can appear on multiple rows.

Template

Fields

ColumnRequiredDescription
emailRequiredEmployee email (must already exist in Restana)
leave_typeRequiredholiday, sick, wfh, training, compassionate, or any custom type
start_dateRequiredFirst day of leave (YYYY-MM-DD)
end_dateRequiredLast day of leave (YYYY-MM-DD)
half_dayOptionaltrue or false. Defaults to false
statusOptionalapproved, pending, or declined. Defaults to approved
notesOptionalAny notes or reason

Example

email,leave_type,start_date,end_date,half_day,status,notes
james@company.com,holiday,2025-12-23,2025-12-31,false,approved,Christmas break
james@company.com,sick,2026-01-15,2026-01-16,false,approved,
james@company.com,holiday,2026-03-10,2026-03-10,true,approved,Morning only
sarah@company.com,holiday,2025-12-23,2025-12-27,false,approved,Christmas
sarah@company.com,wfh,2026-02-03,2026-02-03,false,approved,Boiler repair

Exporting Data

Payroll Export

Settings → Reports → Payroll Export. Select pay period and format (Sage CSV, Xero CSV, generic CSV, or PDF). Includes hours worked, overtime, leave, and deductions per employee.

Absence Report

Settings → Reports → Absence. Export all leave records for a date range. Filter by department, leave type, or employee.

Timesheet Export

Settings → Reports → Timesheets. Export clock in/out data for payroll or compliance. Approved timesheets only.

Employee List

Settings → Users → Export. Full list of employees with departments, roles, allowances, and contracted hours.

Audit Log

Settings → Audit Log → Export. Every admin action, approval, and change — timestamped for compliance.

Tips for a smooth import

  • 1.Save as CSV (UTF-8) — not .xlsx. In Excel: File → Save As → CSV UTF-8.
  • 2.Dates must be YYYY-MM-DD — e.g. 2026-02-21, not 21/02/2026.
  • 3.Times must be HH:MM (24-hour) — e.g. 08:30, 17:15. Not 5:15 PM.
  • 4.Import employees first — leave and time entries reference employees by email, so they need to exist first.
  • 5.Duplicate rows are skipped — if an entry already exists with the same employee + date, it won't be duplicated.
  • 6.Max 500 rows per upload — for larger imports, split into multiple files.

Need help with a complex migration? We're happy to assist.

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