How to Import Players from a Spreadsheet: Step-by-Step Guide

You have a spreadsheet of 200 players. Entering them one by one would take hours. Import functionality lets you do it in minutes—if your data is formatted correctly.

This guide walks through preparing and importing player data.

Key Takeaways

Clean your data before importing—garbage in, garbage out

Use the exact format your system expects

Always preview before final import

Keep your original file as backup

Why Import Instead of Manual Entry

Time Savings

| Players | Manual Entry | Import |

|---------|--------------|--------|

| 50 | 2.5 hours | 10 minutes |

| 100 | 5 hours | 10 minutes |

| 200 | 10 hours | 15 minutes |

Consistency

Import ensures:

Consistent formatting

No typos in repeated fields

Complete data for all records

Error Reduction

Once your template is right, every import uses the same validated process.

Step 1: Understand What You Need

Required Fields (Typical)

First name

Last name

Email address

Phone number (optional)

Date of birth

Position (if applicable)

Team assignment (if applicable)

Optional Fields

Jersey number

USA Hockey number

Emergency contact

Medical notes

Previous experience

Field Formats

Know the expected format:

Dates: MM/DD/YYYY or YYYY-MM-DD

Phone: 123-456-7890 or (123) 456-7890

Position: F, D, G or Forward, Defense, Goalie

Step 2: Prepare Your Data

Start with Clean Source

Gather player information from:

Previous season records

Registration forms

Team captains' lists

Other league exports

Create Your Template

Most systems provide import templates. If not, create columns for each required field.

**Example template columns**:

| first_name | last_name | email | phone | dob | position | team |

Data Cleaning Checklist

Before import, check for:

Names

[ ] No extra spaces

[ ] Consistent capitalization (John not JOHN or john)

[ ] No special characters that might cause issues

Emails

[ ] Valid email format (contains @ and domain)

[ ] No duplicates (unless intentional)

[ ] No spaces

Dates

[ ] Consistent format throughout

[ ] Reasonable dates (not future dates for DOB)

[ ] No blank dates if required

Phone Numbers

[ ] Consistent format

[ ] Valid numbers (right digit count)

[ ] Country code if needed

General

[ ] No empty required fields

[ ] No duplicate rows

[ ] Remove header from data rows (if importing data only)

Step 3: Format Your Spreadsheet

Column Headers

Match exactly what your system expects:

"First Name" vs "first_name" vs "FirstName"

Spaces, capitalization, and underscores matter

Data Types

Ensure correct types:

Numbers stored as numbers, not text

Dates stored as dates, not text

No formulas—convert to values

File Format

Save as:

CSV (comma-separated values)—most common

XLSX (Excel)—if supported

Correct encoding (UTF-8 for special characters)

Step 4: Test Import

Preview Function

Most systems offer preview:

Review how data will be mapped

Check for errors before importing

Fix issues in source file

Test with Small Batch

Before importing 200 players:

Import 5-10 players

Verify data imported correctly

Check each field

Fix any issues

Import remainder

Step 5: Import

The Import Process

Typical steps:

Select import option

Choose file

Map columns to fields

Preview mapping

Confirm import

Review results

What to Watch For

Number of successful imports

Number of errors/skipped

Error details

Duplicate handling

Step 6: Verify and Clean Up

Spot Check

After import:

Search for specific players

Verify fields imported correctly

Check edge cases (long names, special characters)

Handle Errors

For failed records:

Review error messages

Fix in source file

Re-import failed records

Or enter manually if few

Remove Duplicates

If duplicates created:

Use system's merge/dedupe function

Or manually review and remove

Common Import Problems

Problem: Dates Import Wrong

**Cause**: Excel date formatting doesn't match expected format

**Fix**: Format dates as text in exact expected format before saving as CSV

Problem: Special Characters Break

**Cause**: Encoding mismatch

**Fix**: Save CSV with UTF-8 encoding, or remove/replace special characters

Problem: Blank Rows Import

**Cause**: Empty rows in spreadsheet interpreted as records

**Fix**: Delete all empty rows before export

Problem: Columns Map Wrong

**Cause**: Header mismatch

**Fix**: Use exact headers from template; check for hidden characters

Problem: Phone Numbers Lose Leading Zeros

**Cause**: Excel treats phone numbers as numbers

**Fix**: Format phone column as text before entering data, or add apostrophe prefix

Best Practices

Keep Originals

Always keep:

Original source file

Import file (with corrections)

Import log/results

Use Consistent Process

Create standard process:

Same template every time

Same cleaning steps

Same verification checks

Document Your Mappings

Note which source columns map to which system fields—you'll forget by next season.

Schedule Regular Imports

For ongoing registration:

Weekly import of new registrations

Easier than one massive import

Catch errors faster

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What if some players are already in the system?

A: Most systems handle duplicates by: skipping, updating, or creating duplicates. Choose based on your needs.

Q: Can I import directly from Google Sheets?

A: Usually need to download as CSV first. Some systems have direct Google Sheets integration.

Q: How do I import team assignments?

A: Include team name/ID column. System matches to existing teams. Teams must exist before import.

Q: What about jersey numbers that start with 0?

A: Format as text, not number. Otherwise Excel drops leading zeros.

Q: Can I import partial data and add more later?

A: Yes. Import required fields first. Add optional data via update/merge function or manual edit.

Import Checklist

Before Import

[ ] Downloaded/created template

[ ] Gathered all source data

[ ] Cleaned data (names, emails, dates, phones)

[ ] Formatted columns correctly

[ ] Removed empty rows

[ ] Saved as correct format (CSV/XLSX)

During Import

[ ] Mapped columns correctly

[ ] Previewed data

[ ] Tested with small batch

[ ] Reviewed error messages

After Import

[ ] Verified record count

[ ] Spot-checked data

[ ] Handled errors

[ ] Checked for duplicates

[ ] Saved import file for records

Conclusion

Data import saves hours when done right. The key is preparation—clean data in the right format imports smoothly. Garbage in, garbage out.

Take time to set up your process once. Every future import becomes quick and reliable.

For more help with RocketHockey's specific import features, see our [help documentation](/help) or [contact support](/contact).