Importing Data from SimplePractice

How to bring a SimplePractice export ZIP into PracticeRunner, what to expect during import, and how to review the migration afterward.

Switching systems can bring up feelings. The import can stay reviewable. PracticeRunner provides a guided SimplePractice import inside the product. Your practice uploads the export directly from Settings → Data Import. During PracticeRunner’s current early stage, an uploaded archive may wait for support to inspect and start it before processing begins. Some practices may be configured for automatic processing when no earlier import remains. Once processing starts, it runs in the background, so you do not need to keep the page open.

There is no charge for the import. During PracticeRunner’s current early stage, migration support and the recommended PracticeRunner support review are also available at no charge. Most support reviews are expected to be completed within 24 hours, although this is a typical turnaround rather than a guaranteed service level.

Before you begin

Export your data from SimplePractice as a ZIP archive. Keep the ZIP intact. Do not unzip the archive, rename internal folders, or move files around before uploading it to PracticeRunner.

Before starting, make sure you have:

an intact SimplePractice export ZIP, either for the complete practice or for one individual or couple case
the ZIP password, if the export is password-protected
time to review the import transcript after processing completes

If you would rather test the process before moving the full practice, SimplePractice can export one individual or couple case at a time. Import one or two cases first, review the result, and then decide when to move more.

SimplePractice exports can be large. That is normal, especially when the archive includes PDFs, uploaded files, and historical clinical records. For a practice that has been using SimplePractice for several years, the ZIP may be larger than 1 GB.

Upload the ZIP while you are on a strong, reliable internet connection. Keep the page open until the upload itself finishes. After the upload completes, PracticeRunner handles the remaining import workflow in the background. You no longer need to watch the page and can return to Migration History later to check progress.

Start the SimplePractice import

Go to Settings → Data Import.
Choose SimplePractice as the import source.
Click the upload area, or drag and drop your .zip file onto it.
If your ZIP is encrypted, enter the password in the ZIP Password field.
Click Upload Archive.

The file uploads directly and securely to cloud storage. If the archive is waiting for support, its history row shows Waiting for support and PracticeRunner notifies support that it is ready. You can leave the page and come back later to check progress.

The ZIP password is encrypted when it is stored. Authorized PracticeRunner support administrators can retrieve the uploaded ZIP and reveal its password when they need to inspect or start the import. Those actions are logged. The password is not included in the support notification.

What happens after upload

The start behavior depends on the import setting applied to your organization:

Most SimplePractice uploads wait for a PracticeRunner support administrator to start them.
A practice may be configured so an import starts automatically when there is no earlier SimplePractice import, or when every earlier import has been rolled back.
Only one upload can be waiting or processing for an organization at a time.

While an upload is waiting, you can cancel it from Migration History. Canceling removes the staged ZIP and its stored password. After support starts it, the ordinary processing and rollback workflow applies.

What the SimplePractice import can bring over

Data	Description
Clients	Client profiles and contact information
Clinical notes	Progress notes and psychotherapy notes, with their original source PDFs retained
Billing documents	Invoices, superbills, and statements, with their original source PDFs retained
Insurance information	Payer and member information when it can be extracted from supported billing documents
Historical appointments	Appointments reconstructed from dates of service on invoices and superbills and from progress-note or psychotherapy-note dates and times when available
Other documents and forms	Uploaded documents, completed intake materials, and other supported form submissions

Original source files are stored securely and remain available after the import completes, unless you later delete the source ZIP from the migration history.

Historical appointment reconstruction

SimplePractice exports do not include calendar data. PracticeRunner therefore attempts to reconstruct historical appointments from the records that are present in the export:

invoices and superbills can provide dates of service, service codes, fees, and other billing details
progress notes and psychotherapy notes can provide an appointment date and, when present, the time of day
records without a reliable time are marked as having an unknown or fallback time and should be reviewed

This reconstruction is intended to preserve useful clinical and billing history. It is not a promise that the original SimplePractice calendar can be recreated exactly.

Imported invoices and payment history

Imported invoices preserve the financial status that can be inferred from the source invoice and related records. PracticeRunner does not create a second payment transaction merely because an imported invoice appears paid. Instead, the invoice is marked to show whether its payment status was imported or inferred. This preserves useful historical billing information without creating a duplicate payment in the ledger.

Review imported invoice totals, balances, dates, and payment status before relying on them for financial reporting or follow-up. An imported invoice is evidence of the source billing document, not a reconstructed processor transaction history.

Cost and support review

The archive is uploaded by the practice from Settings → Data Import, and the import is available at no charge. Depending on the organization’s import setting, processing either starts automatically or waits for PracticeRunner support. Migration support is also free during the current early stage.

After a successful SimplePractice import, PracticeRunner recommends a support review before the practice relies on the imported records in day-to-day work. Support is notified when the import completes and can review record counts, matching, reconstructed appointments, billing documents, and items that need attention. Most reviews should receive a response within 24 hours. The provider retains access while review is pending, and PracticeRunner sends an email when the import is approved or needs follow-up.

PracticeRunner support can also help with problems that arise during the import, including upload trouble, password-protected archives, failed processing, unexpected record counts, uncertain matches, or questions about what was reconstructed. Use the migration reference number when contacting support so the import and its transcript can be located quickly.

What to review after import

After the import finishes, wait for the recommended support review when practical and review a small sample yourself before using the imported records day to day.

Good checks include:

a few active clients
a few archived or inactive clients, if applicable
recent and older appointments
appointment dates and times, especially records marked with an unknown time
progress notes and psychotherapy notes
invoices, superbills, statements, and inferred payment status
insurance information extracted from billing documents
intake forms or submitted documents
contact details for clients with more than one email or phone number

Imported data depends on what is present in the SimplePractice export. If something is missing from the source ZIP, PracticeRunner may not be able to create it during import.

If you decide not to keep the import

A COMPLETED or FAILED import can be rolled back from Migration History. This can be useful if the review identifies a significant problem, or if you imported one or two cases to test the process and decide not to keep the result.

Click Rollback on the import entry and confirm the action. PracticeRunner removes the records created by that import batch. Rollback is permanent and cannot be undone, so review the transcript and make sure you have selected the correct import before confirming it. If you are uncertain about what will be removed, contact PracticeRunner support with the migration reference number first.

Rolling back the PracticeRunner import does not change the original data in SimplePractice or the export ZIP you downloaded.

Finish the setup before going live

The importer brings over supported historical records. It does not choose the schedules, intake workflow, services, or booking path you want to use going forward. After reviewing the import, complete these steps before directing clients to PracticeRunner:

Create the current and future calendar schedule. Set up active recurring appointments and any future appointment series. Historical appointments are reconstructed by the importer when the source records support them, but future recurrence must be created in PracticeRunner. See Clients and Appointments.
Prepare intake documents and forms. Keep appropriate materials as PDFs or move their text into PracticeRunner’s document editor. Recreate questionnaires and fillable forms using plain text or the Forms editor, then confirm which materials should be sent during intake.
Set up services and availability. Confirm the services, fees, and appointment lengths, the locations or session formats where they are available, and the times prospective or existing clients may request.
Configure the client portal. Review the portal settings, client access, intake materials, scheduling options, payment choices, and practice contact information before inviting clients. See Using the Client Portal.
Update online booking. Replace the SimplePractice booking widget on your website or redirect your existing online-booking link to the new PracticeRunner portal. Test the booking path from the website as a prospective client before publishing the change. See Adding PracticeRunner Scheduling to Your Website.

You can complete these steps gradually. If you imported one or two cases to test the waters, configure only what those cases need first and expand the setup when you are ready to move more.

Tracking progress

The Migration History section on the same page shows all past and active imports. Each entry displays:

Status: WAITING FOR SUPPORT, PENDING, PROCESSING, COMPLETED, FAILED, or ROLLED_BACK
counts of records created, such as clients, documents, appointments, and forms
a reference number for use when contacting support
a View Transcript link, when available, with a detailed log of what was processed

The page refreshes automatically every 10 seconds while an upload is waiting, pending, or active.

If something goes wrong

Failed import: If the job shows FAILED, click Rerun to retry using the same uploaded file. You may be prompted to re-enter the ZIP password.

Wrong source selected: If a SimplePractice ZIP was uploaded with the wrong import source selected, roll back the import if records were created, then start again and choose SimplePractice.

Need help: Contact support with the migration reference number. The transcript can help identify which file or record caused a failure.

Tips for SimplePractice exports

Large archives can take time to process, so it is normal to leave the page and come back later.
Keep the SimplePractice ZIP intact, whether it contains the full practice or one individual or couple case. Do not upload selected loose files from inside it.
Keep the export password available until the import completes.
Run separate imports only when you intentionally have separate export packages.
Review the transcript before deleting the source ZIP.