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Contact Import and Export Formats

Supported CSV and VCF formats for contact import/export, including field mappings and de-duplication rules.

Use Settings → Contacts for contact-level import/export.

• Import: .csv or .vcf
• Export: .csv or .vcf

This article explains which contact file formats work best and how PracticeRunner reads them.

Contact Import (CSV)

Supported CSV layouts

• Split-name format (for example: First Name, Middle Name, Last Name)
• Full-name format (for example: Client or Full Name)
• SimplePractice Client Details Report format

At minimum, each row needs either:

• First Name + Last Name, or
• Client / Full Name

CSV field mapping

CSV column (accepted names)	Imported to
First Name, Firstname, Given Name	Client.firstName
Middle Name, Middlename	Client.middleName
Last Name, Lastname, Surname, Family Name	Client.lastName
Client, Name, Full Name, Client Name	Split into firstName, middleName, lastName
Email	Main client email (ClientEmail.address)
Phone	Client.phone and main ClientPhone.number
Date of Birth, DOB	Client.dob
Address, Street	Client.street
City	Client.city
State	Client.state
Zip, Postal	Client.zip
Country	Client.country
Notes	Client.notes
Date Added	Client.dateFirstSeen
Status (Active, Archived, Prospect)	Client.status (normalized to ACTIVE, ARCHIVED, PROSPECT)
Primary Clinician, Clinician	Matched to the clinician by full name. If no match is found, the importing user is assigned
Primary Insurance, Insurance, Payer	ClientInsurance.payer
Insurance ID, Member ID	ClientInsurance.memberId

Notes:

• New contacts default to ACTIVE unless the file says otherwise.
• Insurance details are only created when the file includes insurance information.

Contact Import (VCF)

Supported VCF expectations

• Standard vCard 3.0 cards
• Individual cards
• Couple cards with &/＆ in name fields (split into two individual contacts)

VCF field mapping

VCF field	Imported to
N: family/given/additional	lastName, firstName, middleName
FN:	Used when separate name fields are missing and to normalize full names
EMAIL	Main client email (ClientEmail.address)
TEL	Client.phone and main ClientPhone.number
BDAY	Client.dob
ADR	street, city, state, zip, country
NOTE	Client.notes

Additional VCF behaviors:

• Middle initials/names are normalized into middleName.
• If the middle name is missing in the card fields, PracticeRunner can use the filename when it includes the missing name.
• Couple records are split and imported as individual contacts.

De-duplication and Merge Behavior

When importing, PracticeRunner tries to match an existing contact in this order:

1. Same first+last name and same email
2. Same first+last name and same phone
3. Unique first+last match (only when no email/phone provided)
4. Unique email match when name matching is not enough
5. Unique phone match when name and email matching are not enough

If PracticeRunner finds a match, it updates the existing contact. If not, it creates a new one.

Contact Export (CSV and VCF)

Exports include active clients from your organization.

CSV export columns

CSV column	Source
First Name	Client.firstName
Last Name	Client.lastName
Email	Main ClientEmail.address
Phone	Client.phone
Date of Birth	Client.dob
Street	Client.street
City	Client.city
State	Client.state
Zip	Client.zip
Country	Client.country
Notes	Client.notes

VCF export fields

VCF field	Source
N:last;first;middle;;	Client.lastName, Client.firstName, Client.middleName
FN:first middle last	Name display field
EMAIL;TYPE=INTERNET	Main ClientEmail.address
TEL;TYPE=CELL	Client.phone