For a team roster of any size, typing each entry into the Names and Numbers tool is slow. The importer reads a CSV — a plain spreadsheet saved as comma-separated values from Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers — and creates every entry in one go.
Before You Start
Your file must be a .csv. The importer rejects .xlsx and .numbers files with "Please select a CSV file", so export or "Save As" CSV first.
The first row must be a header row, and the file needs at least one data row below it.
Format Your File
The importer looks for three columns by name. Capitalisation does not matter, but spelling does.
| Column | Required | What goes in it |
|---|---|---|
type | Yes | Either name or number — nothing else is accepted. |
value | Yes | The name text, or the number. |
qty | No | How many of that entry to print. Defaults to 1 if the column is missing or a cell is blank. |
A valid file looks like this:
type,value,qty
name,John Doe,2
number,10,1
name,Jane Smith,1
You do not have to build the file from scratch. Open the import window and click Download Sample CSV File — it saves a correctly formatted sample-names-numbers.csv you can edit in your spreadsheet program.
A value in a number row must contain at least one digit. 10A is accepted; TBC is rejected.
Import the File
- Open the Name & Numbers tool in the builder.
- Click the document-with-a-plus icon at the bottom of the panel, beside Add Names and Add Numbers. Its tooltip reads "Import from CSV".
- Drag your file onto the drop area, or click Select CSV File and pick it from your device.
- The importer validates and parses the file, then shows Import Preview — a count of names and a count of numbers, plus the first ten of each with their quantities.
- Check the preview. If something is wrong, click Choose Different File and start again.
- Click Import n Items to bring everything in.
After the Import
Imported entries are grouped by type and given the tool's default appearance: the smallest size option, the first font in the list, black text and no stroke.
Open the names or numbers group in the panel and change Size, Font, Max Name Width or Max Number Width, Stroke Width, Text Color and Stroke to suit your design. You can still edit any individual entry's text or quantity, or remove it.
When everything looks right, scroll to the bottom of the panel and click Confirm. The builder lays the entries out on your gang sheet.
If an imported value matches an existing entry of the same type, the quantities are added together rather than a duplicate row being created.
If the Import Fails
The importer stops on the first problem it finds and tells you what it is:
- "Missing required columns" — the header row does not contain
typeandvalue. - "CSV file must contain headers and at least one data row" — the file has fewer than two lines.
- "Row n has x columns but expected y" — a row has a different number of commas from the header. This usually means a name contains a comma; wrap that value in double quotes.
- "Invalid type" — a
typecell says something other thannameornumber. - "Invalid quantity" — a
qtycell is zero, negative, or not a number.