You don't need perfect data to import — that's the point of this step . Bring the spreadsheet you have, and Alumnly will map the columns, flag the duplicates and keep the original safe. Most schools import their full list in under fifteen minutes.
Export a list from your current system
Any CSV or Excel file works — an SIS export, an old CRM dump, even the spreadsheet that's been passed between staff for a decade. Include whatever columns you have; empty cells are fine.
Open Admin → Alumni → Import
From your admin dashboard, choose Alumni → Import and drag your file onto the upload area. Alumnly accepts .csv, .xlsx and .xls up to 20 MB.
Map your columns
Alumnly guesses most mappings automatically — first name, surname, email, year group. Check the suggestions, point any custom columns at the profile fields you created in Step 5, and leave anything you don't need unmapped.
Tip: unsure about a column? Skip it. You can re-import extra columns later without touching the records you've already created.
Review duplicates
Before anything is saved, Alumnly shows you probable duplicates — same name and year, matching emails, married-name changes. Merge with one click, or keep both if they really are two people. Nothing is overwritten without your say-so.
Choose how to invite
Send the welcome email to everyone at once, schedule it for a launch day, or hold invitations and send them by year group. The invitation is branded from Step 1 and takes each alumnus straight to their pre-filled profile.
Heads up: invitations can only be sent once per import. If you're staging a launch event, choose Hold invitations and trigger them on the day.
Watch the community arrive
Your dashboard tracks invitations opened, profiles claimed and details updated in real time. Typical schools see 30-40% of alumni claim their profile in the first fortnight — and the School Engagement Score starts learning from day one.