Whether you’re switching to Flow from another tool or want to make a project from a spreadsheet, task importing allows you to populate a project in mere minutes.
You can batch import tasks from a CSV or TSV file (or use manual creation) to any project you have access to. To get started, click the name of the project in the sidebar or the card on Team dashboard to view it.
Next, click the “…” icon on the top right side and select “Import Tasks” from the dropdown. This will open a window that confirms the accepted file types; if you’re ready to move forward, click “Start Import”.
To bulk import from an external file, click the “Upload Data from File” button at the top of the window. This will open an upload dialog so you can choose the file from your device. You can also drag and drop the file over the window to initiate the import. If creating the tasks manually, you can start entering the task details in the columns below.
Once you’ve uploaded your file, you’ll confirm that it has the necessary column names to proceed and that the importing tool has correctly identified the right encoding. When you’re ready, click Yes to move forward.
Next, you’ll ensure that the rows match the values available in Flow. If there are any fields that Flow can’t match automatically, it will give you the option to either select from the “Lookup matching fields” dropdown or to “Ignore this column”. For example, your export may include a task ID, which Flow does not import. In this case, you would select “Ignore this column” and progress onto the next option.
If Flow has successfully matched a value to one supported in the app, it will show a “Matched to the [X] field”. Make sure that it looks correct to you, and if so click “Confirm mapping.” You do have the option to ignore values that you don’t want to carry over, but please note that tasks must have a name to be saved. Continue confirming/ignoring the available values until you’ve completed the full list and then click the “Review” button at the bottom of the page. If you’ve ignored anything that must be included, you’ll see an error with the value so you can go back and adjust your selection.
Tip: If you are importing a task that was assigned to someone who is not a member of your Flow organization, you will need to select a new assignee from the available list of options. You can also choose to make those tasks unassigned.
Finally, you’ll have the option to review your tasks now that they’ve been mapped onto Flow’s formatting. You can make additional modifications to the tasks in this view, such as adding or editing assignees, start/due dates, notes and priority. You can also make these changes after the tasks have been imported.
To see only those tasks you’ve made changes to in this view, toggle on the “Show modifications” button at the top. And if there are any issues with the changes you’ve made, the cell will highlight red so you know what needs your attention.
If you’re importing a lot of tasks and there are multiple errors, toggle on the “Only show rows with problems” so you can cut down on the scrolling time. When you’ve confirmed that everything looks great, click “Continue.”
You’ll then be asked to confirm that you’re ready to submit. If you are, click Yes. If not, click No to return to the Review screen. If successful, you should see your tasks land in the project you're importing to and can start modifying them or dragging and dropping them into the right section.
Importing is a relatively new feature in Flow, so if you encounter any issues just let us know. If you’re importing a long list of tasks keep in mind that it may take some time for them to load. If, after submitting, you see an error message with a string of numbers, please note the number or take a screenshot and send it to our support team so we can help identify the issue.