Data import
Import your data to TimeLog and eliminate manual processes
You can import data from a variety of data sources – such as Excel, your CRM system or another project tool – to TimeLog.
When you import your data in this way, you help assure the data quality and reduce the number of errors that typically occur in connection with manual entries. At the same time, you can be sure to place all the data correctly in TimeLog.
There are some data that you can prepare yourself and set up for the import, while we must assist you with the preparation of other data.
You can import the following data to TimeLog:
If you want to import employee and customer data, you can fill in the import templates yourself and then send them to us. You agree the price of the import work with TimeLog before we commence the process.
If you consider to import the other data types, it is best that we have a discussion about the purpose, which data it makes the most sense to import, and how this will affect the rest of the system.
For help and guidance, contact us at:
E-mail: support@timelog.com
Phone: +45 70 20 06 45
We take good care of your data
At TimeLog, your security is our primary concern. That is why we take every precaution to ensure that both your TimeLog data and your personal data are in safe hands with us.
You can always contact us by
Phone
Give us a call, Monday through Friday from 8.00 AM - 4.00 PM on +45 70 20 06 45.
E-mail your questions to us at support@timelog.com.
Chat
You can chat with us Monday through Friday from 8.00 AM - 4.00 PM.
Important considerations before you import your data
Time and resources
You need to set aside both time and staff for the import process to be sure that you bring the project to a successful conclusion.
The amount of time you need, largely depends on the type and volume of data you wish to import.
Processes of this kind typically require more preparation than you think. 🤓
Set up the system
You need to make sure that TimeLog is set up to match your processes and the measurements you wish to carry out. 🛠
You need to decide on names for e.g. customer status, project type and employee type before you start the import.
Contact us, if you've any doubts about your setup.
Learn to use the system first
We recommend that you take the time to set up a couple of employee and project entries before you start to import the rest of your data.
You may find out that you need to adjust your setup, once you've entered a couple of data sets manually, to ensure the correct settings for your import process. 💡
Import master data
Please note that we can't perform a 1 to 1 import of data from your other systems because the setups are different.
Ask yourself the following questions:
1. Is your project structure streamlined so that you can actually use project templates?
2. Is it important to include allocations from the start?
3. Do you need project specific hourly rates? 💰
Historical data import
We recommend that you think carefully before you ask us to help import previous time and absence registrations into TimeLog.
This affects all calculations in the system and demands more time and attention when you fill in the import templates.
Please note that previously issued invoices can't be imported directly, so you'll need to enter all previous registrations on invoices in TimeLog to lock the registrations.
In our experience, other customers rarely use such information after they import it, and all it does is slow down the system. 👎 So let’s have a good chat before you make a start.
Updates after import
Even though we help you with the import process, there is still some work for you to do. 👷♀️
For example, you still need to
1. Make sure that all data is entered correctly
2. Update your employees, customers and projects with the information that was not included in the import
Download and fill in your import templates
How you use our templates to import your data
You need to use one of the TimeLog templates you can find on this page. If you've tried it before, simply collect the import templates you need from the box to the right. 👉
NB: Do not delete any columns from the import templates. Leave them empty, if they are not mandatory and you don't need the data.
Other things to be aware of
- All dimensions, categories and types must match the names from your setup in TimeLog. If you have any doubts about the correct terms to use, ask your TimeLog responsible or contact us at support@timelog.com
- In some of the import templates you'll need to enter a standard value, even if the function isn't activated in your TimeLog setup, e.g. legal entity. Enter the same value in the field for each row
- You must write dates in the format: yyyy-mm-dd, e.g. 2021-01-25
- When you enter a country in a column, use an ISO abbreviation, such as DK for Denmark
- When you enter a currency in a column, use an ISO abbreviation, such as DKK for Danish kroner
- The .csv file format uses a semi-colon (;), comma (,) or line (|) as the separator. Use one of these symbols to separate roles when you run an employee import
Save your import template as a .csv file – of the CSV UTF-8 type – and send it to us at support@timelog.com.

Employees
When you send the import template to us at support@timelog.com, we carry out the import for you. You agree to the price of the import work with TimeLog before we commence the process.
Here’s something you need to be aware of when you fill in the import template:
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You must set up managers in TimeLog before you import employees, otherwise you can't allocate them to a manager
-
You must also set up the following in the system administration before you run the import:
- Legal entities, if you use TimeLog MLE
- Departments, if you have activated them. Every department and sub-department must have a unique name
- Employee type
- Hourly rates
- Cost prices
- Public holiday calendars
- Allowance rates
- Normal working hours
- Salary groups, if you have activated them
- User roles
-
It isn't mandatory to allocate roles to employees. If you don't enter roles during the import, you'll need to allocate roles manually to each employee in TimeLog after the import in order to provide access to the pages in the system
-
You can enter multiple roles in the Roles column. You must separate each role with a separator symbol (comma, semi-colon or line) that is different from the separator symbol used in the file. E.g. use a semi-colon if a comma separates the columns in the file
-
If no date of employment is stated, use the import date
- Column colour labelling:
- Turquoise must always be filled in
- Purple must be filled in if the function is activated in your TimeLog setup
- You don't need to fill in columns without a colour
Download template:
Send the completed template to support@timelog.com. Make sure to state your company name and your contact details.
Customers
When you send the import template to us at support@timelog.com, we carry out the import for you. You agree to the price of the import work with TimeLog before we commence the process.
Here’s something you need to be aware of when you fill in the import template:
-
The currency codes and customer statuses you enter must be set up in TimeLog
-
If you enter information in the fields that aren't mandatory for the import, make sure that the data types and names – e.g. industry codes and payment terms – are set up in TimeLog
- Column colour labelling:
- Turquoise must always be filled in
- You don't need to fill in columns without a colour
Download template:
Send the completed template to support@timelog.com. Make sure to state your company name and your contact details.
Projects
When you send the import template to us at support@timelog.com, we carry out the import for you. You agree to the price of the import work with TimeLog before we commence the process.
Here’s something you need to be aware of when you fill in the import template:
- It's only possible to import projects from existing project templates in TimeLog. If there are no project templates in your system, you need to set them up in TimeLog before you can import projects
- All settings from the project templates must be copied to the projects just like when you use project templates in TimeLog (tasks, contracts, hourly rates etc. are included in the import).
If you need several different project templates, the easiest approach is to set up the different project templates first, before you carry out the import. This also applies even if there are only minor differences in the project templates - The name in the Project type column must be exactly the same as the name of a project type you use in TimeLog
- The customer number must be precisely the same number as in TimeLog. You can't set up projects in TimeLog, if the customer number is not there
- Column colour labelling:
- Turquoise must always be filled in
- Purple must be filled in if the function is activated in your TimeLog setup
- You don't need to fill in columns without a colour
Download template:
Send the completed template to support@timelog.com. Make sure to state your company name and your contact details.
Tasks
When you send the import template to us at support@timelog.com, we carry out the import for you. You agree to the price of the import work with TimeLog before we commence the process.
Here’s something you need to be aware of when you fill in the import template:
- The task import option is used to import individual tasks into an existing project. Tasks can be imported into all projects
- Tasks can be imported at different WBS levels. However, the main task must already be in place. For example, if you want to import a level 2 task, the main task at level 1 must alreadybe in place
- Hourly rates must be available in the system administration
- Column colour labelling:
- Turquoise must always be filled in
- Blue must be filled in if the task is on a contract with revenue recognition by task
- You don't need to fill in columns without a colour
Download template:
Send the completed template to support@timelog.com. Make sure to state your company name and your contact details.
Contracts
You use the contract import option to import individual contracts into an existing project. Contact us before you prepare data for the import, because there is a specific setup in TimeLog you need to be aware of.
When you send the import template to us at support@timelog.com, we carry out the import for you. You can agree the price of the import work with TimeLog before we commence the process.
Things to be aware of when you fill in the import template:
- Column colour labelling:
- Turquoise must always be filled in
- Purple must be filled in if the function is activated in your TimeLog setup
- Blue must be filled in if it is a contract with task-driven revenue and prepaid hours
- You don't need to fill in columns without a colour
The payment models supported for import are:
- Time & material
- Standard
- On account with end-balancing
- Prepaid hours
- Fixed price
- Standard
- Task-driven revenue
Download template:
Send the completed template to support@timelog.com. Make sure to state your company name and your contact details.
Payments
Contact us before you prepare data for the import, because there is a specific setup in TimeLog you need to be aware of.
When you send the import template to us at support@timelog.com, we carry out the import for you. You agree to the price of the import work with TimeLog before we commence the process.
Here’s something you need to be aware of when you fill in the import template:
- You can import payments on four types of contracts:
- Time & material
- On account with end-balancing
- Prepaid hours
- Fixed price
- Standard
- Task-driven revenue
- Time & material
- The contracts to which the payments are imported must exist in TimeLog before you complete the import
- Columns marked in blue are contract-specific for payments on contracts of the type: “Fixed price task-driven revenue
- Column colour labelling:
- Turquoise must always be filled in
- Blue must be filled in if it is a contract with revenue recognition by task
- You don't need to fill in columns without a colour
Download template:
Send the completed template to support@timelog.com. Make sure to state your company name and your contact details.
Project expenses
Contact us before you prepare data for the import, because there is a specific setup in TimeLog you need to be aware of.
When you send the import template to us at support@timelog.com, we carry out the import for you. You agree to the price of the import work with TimeLog before we commence the process.
Here’s something you need to be aware of when you fill in the import template:
- All columns with dimensions or types from TimeLog must match the name used in TimeLog. For example, Expense type must exactly match the name of an expense type in TimeLog
- Column colour labelling:
- Turquoise must always be filled in
- You don't need to fill in columns without a colour
Download template (in English):
Import template – Project expenses
Send the completed template to support@timelog.com. Make sure to state your company name and your contact details.
Time registrations and absence
Contact us before you prepare data for the import, because there is a specific setup in TimeLog you need to be aware of.
When you send the import template to us at support@timelog.com, we carry out the import for you. You agree to the price of the import work with TimeLog before we commence the process.
NB: You must not work in the system while the import runs.
Here’s something you need to be aware of when you fill in the import template:
- You import time registrations and absence together. When you import historical time registrations, the expenses and hourly rates for the employee are adjusted to match data in the import template
- Hourly rates don't have to be available in the system administration
- Column colour labelling:
- Turquoise must always be filled in
- Purple must be filled in if the function is activated in your TimeLog setup
- You don't need to fill in columns without a colour
Download template (in English):
Import template – Time registrations and absence
Send the completed template to support@timelog.com. Make sure to state your company name and your contact details.