A spreadsheet is where most migration practices start, and it works until the practice grows: two people edit the same file, a visa expiry is buried in a column nobody sorts, and the history of a matter lives in someone's inbox. This guide shows how to move from a spreadsheet to a CRM built for migration work, step by step, without losing a row.
Signs it's time to move
- More than one person updates the same file, and versions drift.
- Visa expiries and deadlines depend on someone remembering to sort a column.
- File notes, documents and fees for one client live in different places.
- The principal can't see overdue work without asking each person.
Not ready to move yet? Add the 90, 60, 30 and 7-day checkpoints to the spreadsheet you have with our free visa expiry tracker template. If you practise on your own, read what a sole migration agent needs from a CRM.
Step 1: Tidy the spreadsheet
Put one client per row and one kind of information per column: first name, last name, email, phone, date of birth, current visa, visa expiry, passport expiry, visa subclass, stage, responsible person's email and notes. Use one date format throughout. If you track applications or invoices on other tabs, save each tab as its own file.
Step 2: Keep an untouched copy
Save a copy of the original workbook and don't open it again. It is your record of what the spreadsheet held on the day you moved, and your fallback if a test goes wrong.
Step 3: Import a small test batch
Start your free trial and import 20 to 50 rows first. A small batch shows quickly how your columns map and which values need tidying.
Step 4: Match your fields
AgentDS reads CSV, Excel, TSV, JSON and supported ZIP exports. For each file you choose what it holds (clients, leads, applications, tasks, appointments, documents, invoices, payments or notes), match each column to an AgentDS field, and preview every row before anything is saved. Each row is marked Ready, Already present or Needs attention, with the reason, so you can fix the source and upload again.
Common headings such as "Visa expiry", "Subclass", "Stage" and "Responsible email" are recognised and matched for you. Check each suggestion, and match staff by email so each client keeps its responsible person.
Step 5: Check duplicates
Spreadsheets often hold the same person twice, with a typo or a new phone number. AgentDS checks each incoming row against your workspace and marks likely duplicates as already present, so you can decide which record to keep.
Step 6: Compare with the original
Compare the imported test batch with your untouched copy: the number of clients, a handful of visa expiries and stages, and any fee totals. When it matches, import the rest.
Step 7: Retire the spreadsheet
Choose the day AgentDS becomes the working record, and stop updating the spreadsheet from then on. Keep the untouched copy with your practice records.
What changes after the move
Recorded visa expiries appear on the dashboard, and visa expiry tracking emails the owner and the responsible person at 90, 60, 30 and 7 days before each date. Each application has its own stages and document checklist, and fees sit on the client with recorded payments. For the records the Code of Conduct asks you to keep, see our record keeping checklist.
Frequently asked questions
Can I import an Excel spreadsheet?
Yes. AgentDS reads Excel files, as well as CSV, TSV, JSON and supported ZIP exports. You match the columns and review every row before it is saved.
Which columns should my spreadsheet have?
At least a name and an email or phone for each client. Visa, visa expiry, passport expiry, subclass, stage and responsible person's email columns carry across too.
What if my dates are in different formats?
Use one date format throughout before you import. Rows with a date that can't be read are marked as needing attention, so you can fix them and upload again.
Is my data safe during the move?
Practice records are stored in Sydney, and you keep an untouched copy of your spreadsheet. You can export all your data as a CSV file at any time.