CSV Import Guide

Save time by importing stores and users in bulk using CSV files. This guide covers the format requirements and step-by-step instructions for both imports.

On This Page

Importing Stores

Bulk import is the fastest way to add multiple store locations to ACE Report Center.

Note: Store import requires Manager or Admin role.

CSV Format

Your CSV file must include these columns:

Column Required Description Example
store_code Yes Unique identifier for the store. Cannot be changed later. STORE001, NYC-MAIN
name Yes Friendly display name for the store. Main Street Location
timezone No IANA timezone. Defaults to America/New_York if not provided. America/Chicago

Example CSV File

stores.csv
store_code,name,timezone
STORE001,Main Street Location,America/New_York
STORE002,West Side Branch,America/New_York
STORE003,Downtown Store,America/Chicago
STORE004,Airport Kiosk,America/Los_Angeles
STORE005,Mall Location,America/Denver

Download Store CSV Template

Import Steps

  1. Go to Stores page
    Click "Stores" in the sidebar navigation.
  2. Click "Import CSV"
    Find the button in the top right area, next to "Add Store."
  3. Select your file
    Choose your prepared CSV file from your computer.
  4. Preview and confirm
    Review the stores to be created. Check for any errors shown in red.
  5. Click "Import"
    The stores will be created. This may take a moment for large files.
  6. Download the secrets file
    CRITICAL: Save the agent secrets CSV immediately! This is your only chance to download it.
Important - Agent Secrets: After import, you'll be prompted to download a CSV containing each store's agent secret. This file is generated ONCE and cannot be retrieved later. Save it securely - you'll need these secrets when deploying agents to stores.

Agent Secrets Output

The downloaded secrets file will look like this:

store_secrets_2024-03-04.csv
store_code,name,agent_secret
STORE001,Main Street Location,sk_abc123def456ghi789...
STORE002,West Side Branch,sk_xyz987uvw654rst321...
STORE003,Downtown Store,sk_mno456pqr123stu789...

Keep this file secure - treat it like a password file.

Importing Users

Import multiple user accounts at once, perfect for onboarding teams.

Note: User import requires Admin role.

CSV Format

Your CSV file must include these columns:

Column Required Description Example
email Yes User's email address (used for login). Must be unique. john.smith@company.com
first_name Yes User's first name. John
last_name Yes User's last name. Smith
role No Access level. Defaults to "viewer" if not specified. viewer, operator, manager, admin
store_codes No Restrict access to specific stores (pipe-separated). Leave empty for all stores. STORE001|STORE002

Role Options

Role Value Access Level
viewer View and download reports only
operator Viewer + request reports
manager Operator + manage stores & schedules
admin Full access including user management

Example CSV Files

Basic Import (All Stores Access)

users_basic.csv
email,first_name,last_name,role
john.smith@company.com,John,Smith,operator
jane.doe@company.com,Jane,Doe,viewer
bob.manager@company.com,Bob,Manager,manager
alice.admin@company.com,Alice,Admin,admin

Advanced Import (With Store Restrictions)

users_with_stores.csv
email,first_name,last_name,role,store_codes
john.smith@company.com,John,Smith,operator,STORE001|STORE002
jane.doe@company.com,Jane,Doe,operator,STORE003
regional.manager@company.com,Regional,Manager,manager,STORE001|STORE002|STORE003
alice.admin@company.com,Alice,Admin,admin,

Download User CSV Template

Import Steps

  1. Go to Users page
    Click "Users" in the sidebar navigation.
  2. Click "Import CSV"
    Find the button in the top right area, next to "Add User."
  3. Select your file
    Choose your prepared CSV file from your computer.
  4. Preview and confirm
    Review the users to be created. Check for any errors shown in red.
  5. Click "Import"
    Users will be created and sent invitation emails.
Email Invitations: Each imported user automatically receives an email invitation to set their password. No manual credential sharing needed!

Tips & Best Practices

Use a Spreadsheet

Create your CSV in Excel or Google Sheets, then export as CSV. This helps avoid formatting errors.

Check for Duplicates

Store codes and emails must be unique. The import will fail if duplicates are found.

Test with a Small File

Import 2-3 records first to verify your format is correct before importing hundreds.

Keep Backup Copies

Save your original CSV files. You'll need them if you need to reference what was imported.

Common Timezone Values

Region Timezone Value
US Eastern America/New_York
US Central America/Chicago
US Mountain America/Denver
US Pacific America/Los_Angeles
US Arizona (no DST) America/Phoenix
US Hawaii Pacific/Honolulu
US Alaska America/Anchorage

Troubleshooting Import Errors

Common Errors

Error Cause Solution
"Duplicate store_code" A store with this code already exists Use a different store code, or remove the duplicate from your CSV
"Duplicate email" A user with this email already exists Use a different email, or remove the duplicate from your CSV
"Invalid timezone" Timezone value not recognized Use IANA timezone format (e.g., America/New_York not EST)
"Invalid role" Role value not recognized Use: viewer, operator, manager, or admin (lowercase)
"Store not found: XXXXX" store_codes references a non-existent store Create the store first, or fix the store code in your CSV
"Missing required column" Required column header is missing Check that all required columns are present with exact names
"License limit exceeded" Import would exceed your store/user license Reduce the number of records, or contact sales to upgrade
Tip: If you see encoding errors (weird characters), make sure your CSV is saved as UTF-8. In Excel: Save As > CSV UTF-8.

Still Having Issues?

Contact support with:

Email: support@redlistsolutions.com