Following the guidance below will help avoid delays, errors, or missing information during your data migration. Download the templates at the bottom of the page, to view the correct format.

Before You Export Your Data

Before exporting data from your previous software provider, please ensure:

✔️ Your Rehab Guru account is fully set up and configured
✔️ You have committed to an annual plan
✔️ All new patients are being created in Rehab Guru going forward
✔️ Your previous system is treated as read-only (no further editing)
✔️ You are able to export data as CSV files

Once exported, your data will be imported into Rehab Guru using our standard CSV templates.

General Export Rules (Important)

When exporting data from your previous system, please follow these rules carefully:

Export files in CSV format only (not Excel, PDF, or XML).
Use UTF-8 encoding where possible.
Ensure one row = one record (e.g. one client or one note).
Do not include formulas, merged cells, colours, or filters.
Column headers must match the Rehab Guru templates exactly (see sample files at bottom of article).
Dates should use a consistent format (recommended: YYYY-MM-DD).
Do not remove or rename required columns, even if some cells are blank.

If your current software does not match our templates exactly, you may need to copy and paste exported data into the provided CSV templates.

Client Data Export (Clients CSV)

Client demographic data must follow the Clients Import CSV structure.

See the bottom of the article for the sample.

Required Guidance

Export all active and inactive clients you wish to migrate.
Each row should represent one client only.
Avoid duplicate clients - ensure each client appears once.
Ensure email addresses and phone numbers are placed in the correct columns.
Leave optional fields blank if data does not exist.

Common Client Fields

Depending on your system, you may need to map fields such as:

First name
Last name
Date of birth
Email address
Phone number
Address details
Gender / sex
Client reference or ID

Ensure these align exactly with the column headers in the Rehab Guru client import template.

Important: Excel Converting Phone Numbers to Scientific Notation

When working with CSV files, Microsoft Excel may automatically reformat phone numbers into scientific notation (for example, 7.71234E+11). This is a common cause of corrupted or unusable phone number data during imports.

This typically happens because Excel treats long numbers as numerical values rather than text.

Why This Is a Problem

Phone numbers may lose leading zeros.
Digits can be rounded or truncated.
Reformatted numbers may no longer match the original client data.
Incorrect phone numbers can cause import failures or incorrect client records.

How to Avoid This Issue

To prevent Excel from changing phone numbers:

Do not double-click CSV files to open them in Excel.
This triggers automatic formatting.
Import the CSV into Excel instead:
- Open Excel
- Go to Data → From Text/CSV
- Select your CSV file
- When prompted, set the phone number column data type to Text
- Complete the import
Alternatively, format columns as Text before pasting data:
- Select the entire phone number column
- Right-click → Format Cells
- Choose Text
- Paste the phone numbers into the column
Never use formulas or number formatting on phone number columns.
Before submitting your files, visually check that phone numbers:
- Are not displayed with an E+ value
- Retain all digits
- Match the original source data

Recommended Best Practice

If possible, use a plain-text editor (such as Notepad or similar) to quickly verify phone numbers in the CSV file before sending it to Rehab Guru. This ensures the data has not been altered by spreadsheet software.

Proper handling of phone number fields helps prevent import failures and reduces the need for data correction after migration.

Clinical Notes Export (Notes CSV)

Clinical or treatment notes must be exported into a separate CSV file using the Notes Import format.

Required Guidance

Each row should represent one clinical note.
Notes must be linked to a client using a unique client identifier (such as email or client ID).
Do not combine multiple notes into a single cell.
Keep note text as plain text (no formatting, bullets, or special styling).

Important Considerations

Notes can be long, but should remain in a single cell per note.
Line breaks may cause import issues - remove unnecessary formatting.
If your system separates subjective, objective, assessment, and plan fields, combine them clearly into the note text if required.

File Naming Conventions

To avoid confusion, please name your files clearly, for example:

clients_export.csv
clinical_notes_export.csv

Avoid special characters in file names.

Data Checks Before Sending

Before submitting your files for import, please double-check:

Column headers exactly match the Rehab Guru templates
No extra columns have been added
No required columns are missing
Dates and emails are correctly formatted
There are no empty rows at the bottom of the file

Performing these checks significantly reduces migration delays.

Submitting Your Data for Import

Once your CSV files are ready:

Ensure your legacy system is no longer being actively used
Save your completed CSV files
Send the files to the Rehab Guru team as instructed
Complete any migration questionnaire provided to confirm data structure and expectations

Our team will review your files and contact you if clarification is required before import.