With the CSV import app, you can add new records to an existing table in your base - or merge data with existing records - directly from a CSV file. The CSV import app has a 25,000 row limit.

Airtable Apps let you extend the functionality of your bases: you can use them to bring new information into Airtable, visualize and summarize your records in colorful ways, and even directly integrate your Airtable bases with your favorite apps.

Install the CSV import app

Open the Apps dashboard by clicking the "Apps" button at the top right of your base, and then clicking "Install an app". You can then search for and install the CSV import app.

Drag and drop a CSV file

After installing a CSV import app, you can drag and drop a CSV file onto the app. After your file gets uploaded, you'll be brought to a screen where you can map exactly how the information from the CSV gets put into your table. 

Configure settings and field mappings

After you've uploaded your CSV file into the app and selected which table you want to import into, you'll need to configure a few settings. 

Merge with existing records

If you want to create new records with your CSV data, keep this option toggled off. If you want to merge your CSV data with your existing records, toggle the option on and continue reading below. 

To merge CSV data with existing records you'll need to pick a field on which to merge records (ideally containing a unique value like an ID number or email address, for example). The app will then compare the records in your table with the rows in your CSV, find matches using the field you selected, and update the values in the table according to the contents of the CSV file.

Matching for the field you select will be case-sensitive; for example, the app will consider "sampleemail@example.com" and "SampleEmail@example.com" to be two different values. However, leading and trailing whitespace will be ignored when finding matches.

Once you pick a field, the app will display previews for the records to be updated. If the CSV being imported contains rows which have no matches in the table, the app will create new records. The bottom of the app window will show the number of records that will be updated, the number of records that won't change, and the number of new records that will be created (if any).

If your CSV contains blank or inconsistent values, you can choose to ignore those fields when importing by toggling the option to "Skip blank or invalid CSV values":

A few other notes on the updating process:

• If the CSV file contains multiple rows which contain the same value for the merge field, the app will only use the first of those rows, and subsequent rows will be ignored.
• If the table has multiple records, all of which contain the same value for the merge field, all of those records will be updated if there's a matching row in the CSV file.
• If the CSV contains any rows where the value in the merge field is blank, a new record will be created.

Skip blank or invalid CSV values

If you toggle on the "Merge with existing records" option (more details on that option below), another option will appear to "Skip blank or invalid CSV values". This option is helpful if your CSV file might have any blank rows - instead of overwriting existing Airtable records with blank rows, it will skip these rows in the CSV import.   

First row of CSV file is headers

The app will automatically try to detect if the first row of your CSV is comprised of headers or not, and check the "First row of CSV file is headers" option accordingly. If this option is checked, the columns in the field mappings section of the app will be named after the CSV's column headers.

If this option is not checked, the columns in the field mappings section of the app will be given generic names like Column, 1, 2, 3, and so on. 

Field mappings

The left side of the Field mappings section (with the toggles) shows the fields in your table, and the right side (with the dropdowns) shows the columns of the CSV. If the columns of your CSV and names of the fields in your table have matching names, the app will automatically try and match them. Otherwise, you can map the columns of the CSV to whichever fields you'd like.

To map a value, select the field toggle, then choose a CSV column from the dropdown menu. Repeat this process for as many fields as you want.

Note that you don't have to import any fields you don't need to, and the order and names of the fields in your CSV don't necessarily have to match the order and names of the fields in your Airtable base.

Create missing select options

There is also a setting to create missing select options. Toggling this option on means that if there is a single or multiple select field in your table, then the new option will be created. Leaving this toggle off means that new options will not be created. Pay close attention to field mappings as well as how this setting may be affected by the "Merge with existing records" option mentioned above.

Resetting field mappings

The app will remember your field mappings the next time you import another CSV, speeding up the process if you plan on importing CSVs again and again as part of your workflow.

However, if you are importing a new CSV file, or if the table where you intend to import has changed, you may want to reset the field mappings using the current CSV and table.

To do so, click the "Reset" button - this performs the field name to CSV header name matching that occurs the first time you use the CSV Import App, however this time it uses the current CSV and table.

Preview sample records

As you alter the field mappings, you can look at the right side of the app, which shows samples of the records that will be created according to the specified mappings. 

Previewing the records that will be created will likely be your last step before you import your CSV data.

Import CSV data

Once you've configured your settings and field mappings, you're ready to import your CSV data. Click the "Create records" button to start importing data into your table. This may take a few seconds to a few minutes depending on the amount of information you're importing.

FAQs

How many rows of data can I import?

The CSV import app has a 25,000 row limit.

Should I do anything before importing data?

Yes - we recommend taking a base snapshot before importing any data into your base.