Import tasks from a spreadsheet or another app
Bring tasks in from a CSV or Excel file: a spreadsheet, a Trello, Asana or Todoist export, a Buildertrend schedule or a RenovU export.
If your renovation is already listed somewhere else, import it instead of typing it again. Importing from a file works on every plan.
What you can import#
- A CSV or Excel (.xlsx) file, up to 20 MB, from Excel, Google Sheets, Numbers or LibreOffice. From Google Sheets, use File → Download → CSV or Microsoft Excel.
- An export from Trello (CSV), Asana (CSV), Todoist (CSV) or a Buildertrend schedule (Excel).
- A tasks export from RenovU itself, from another project. See Export tasks or expenses as CSV.
Old Excel files (.xls) and password-protected files can't be read: save them as .xlsx or CSV first.
Import into a project#
- On the project's Tasks tab, select Import.
- Choose the file. For an Excel file with several sheets, choose the Sheet with your tasks.
- Select Next, and check the columns. Made with says which app we think made the file; change it if it's wrong. Each column shows an example and what it Becomes: choose another field, or Ignore it. Only the title is needed.
- Check Dates are written: day first (14/10/2026) or month first (10/14/2026). A column with a day above 12 in it decides for itself.
- Select Next to see every row as it will be imported. Rows left out, and anything changed on the way in, say why. Tick Only rows with problems to see just those.
- Select Import. The result says how many tasks were added, and anything that was left out.
Nothing is added until step 6. To change a column after seeing the preview, select Back.
Start a new project from a file#
On New project, under Import from a file or app, select Choose a file and go through the same steps, ending with Use. The project takes the file's name unless you've typed one, and it's created with its tasks when you select Create project. If anything goes wrong, nothing is created. Importing takes the place of a template.
How each column is read#
- Room: matched to the project's rooms whatever the case ("kitchen" is Kitchen); a new name adds a room.
- Status and Progress (%): To do, In progress and Done, in English, French or Spanish, and words like "Doing" or "Complete". A Done column can hold yes or no, or a date.
- Priority: Low, Medium, High or Urgent in English, French or Spanish, or P1 to P4 (P1 is Urgent, as in Todoist).
- Dates: 14/10/2026, 2026-10-14, 14 Oct 2026 and Excel's own dates. A repeating due date ("every Monday") can't be read, so it's left empty and the row says so.
- Budget: any amount, with a comma or a point for decimals and a currency sign or not, in the project's currency. It becomes the task's budget.
- Assigned to: names separated by commas or semicolons. A name matching someone on the project is assigned to them; any other becomes a name you can assign, as when you type one in a task.
- Parent task or Indent level: makes subtasks. Subtasks go one level deep, so a subtask's own subtasks go under the top task. A subtask keeps its title, people and whether it's done.
- Depends on: other tasks' titles in the same file.
Trello, Asana and Todoist#
- Trello: a list named like a status (To Do, Doing, Done) sets the status, and the card's first label becomes its room. Otherwise the list becomes the room. Archived cards are left out. Trello's CSV export needs a paid Trello plan.
- Asana: a section becomes the room, or the status when it's named like one. Subtasks come in under their task.
- Todoist: indented tasks become subtasks, and a comment becomes the task's notes. Sections are left out.
Plan limits#
Imported tasks count towards your plan's task limit like any other. On Free, a project holds 50 tasks: an import keeps the first ones that fit, and says how many it left out. Subtasks, dependencies and task budgets aren't part of Free, so they're left out there, and the result says so. See Pricing.
Who can import#
Importing needs the Add tasks permission. Adding rooms needs Edit project settings, setting progress needs Update progress, and budgets need Set budgets. Without one, that part is left out and the result says so. See Team and roles.
Related
- Add and edit tasksAdd a task in one line or with the full form, then change its room, priority, due date, assignees and description.
- Break a task into subtasksSplit a task into smaller steps whose progress adds up to the task's own.
- Export tasks or expenses as CSVDownload a spreadsheet file of the tasks on the board or the expenses on the Expenses tab, as you've filtered them.
- Update progress and complete tasksStart a task, move its progress, tick it off, reopen it, and change several tasks at once.
- Search, filter and sort tasksFind tasks by searching, narrow the board with filters, change the order, and save filters you use often.
- Plan the week on a whiteboardMake a whiteboard of this week's or weekend's jobs, tick them off, see what's left to buy, and share it on a phone or a tablet on the wall.