Bulk Export/Import - GENERAL | Construction Admin Helper

The bulk export/import functionality enables mass creation and mass updates of items in Procore through Excel files. The system generates project-specific Excel templates that include your complete data model and existing items, which you can modify and reimport.

1 - How It Works
2 - Capabilities
3 - Data Model Structure
4 - Field-Specific Details
5 - Working with the Excel File
6 - Import Process Details
7 - Limitations
8 - Best Practices
9 - Troubleshooting
10 - Related Documentation

1 - How It Works

1.1 - General Process

Export: Generate an Excel file containing your project’s data model and optionally existing items
Modify: Update existing rows or add new rows in the Excel file
Import: Upload the modified file for validation and processing
Review: Check the results on the output file, along with success/error logs

1.2 - Data Model Alignment

The Excel file dynamically adjusts to your project’s and item’s configuration:

Reflects the current fieldset configuration in Procore
Includes only visible fields from the fieldset
Contains all custom fields configured for the tool
Updates automatically with your data model & items when you download a new export

Important: Always download a fresh export file if your fieldset configuration has changed. Using outdated templates may cause incomplete imports or import failures.

2 - Capabilities

2.1 - Export Options

Select your project, tool and type
Select specific columns (fields) to include/exclude in the export (exclude fields you don’t intend to modify)
Include/exclude existing items (useful if you only want to create new ones without updating existing ones)

2.2 - Excel File Capabilities

Access complete data model in hidden worksheets
View all list values in drop-down lists
Embedded comments to understand field types and requirements
Possibility to remove lines, columns to limit the import

2.3 - Import Options

Creation and Updates

Create new items by adding rows without an ID
Update existing items by modifying rows with an ID
Process mixed operations (create and update) in a single file

Validation Controls

Pre-import data quality checks against Procore fieldset
Upon error, all errors are highlighted in red in the output Excel file and described in the “Output” column

User Choices

Skip email notifications during import (optional)
Mandatory field validation (can be disabled)
Stop-on-error mode for safer processing
Check-only mode to validate without making changes
Import using your Procore user account (default)
Import using technical account for audit trail separation (requires admin rights)

3 - Data Model Structure

3.1 - Excel File Organization

Each export file contains:

Main Sheet: Contains your items with all selected fields
Hidden Sheets: Reference data for dropdown lists and lookups, for example:
- location_id: Available locations
- login_information: User directory with emails
- vendor: Contractor/vendor list
- Custom field dropdown values (as applicable)

3.2 - Header Rows

The first three rows of the main sheet contain metadata and should NOT be removed or modified:

Row 1 - Labels: Display names for each field (used for reimpor)
Row 2 - Data Types: Technical data type for validation
Row 3 - Required: Indicates mandatory fields
Row 4+: Your actual data starts here

3.3 - Field Types

Data types have comments to inform the users of the expected content format. Common data types you’ll encounter:

Type	Description	Example
`string`	Text field	”Example Title”
`rich_text`	Formatted text with HTML	”Description with formatting”
`date`	Date format (multiple formats available)	“2026-01-15”
`datetime`	Date/time format (multiple formats available)	“2026-01-15T14:30:00Z”
`decimal`	Decimal number	”50.1”
`integer`	Whole number	”100”
`boolean`	True/False (flexible formats)	“true” or “1”
`lov_entry`	Single dropdown	”Open”
`lov_entries`	Multiple selections	”User1, User2”
`login_information`	User reference	”John Doe”
`vendor`	Contractor reference	”ABC Construction”

4 - Field-Specific Details

4.1 - ID Field

Procore submittal unique identifier
For updates: ID is required and must match existing submittal
For creation: Leave ID column empty
Cannot be modified manually
Used as the matching key during import

4.2 - Boolean Fields (private)

Accepts: true, false, TRUE, FALSE, 1, 0
Empty = unchanged (for updates)

4.3 - Date Fields

All date fields are normalized to ISO format: YYYY-MM-DD. While timestamps are accepted as input, the system will convert and store them as a simple date.

Valid examples:

2026-01-15
2026-01-15T10:30:00Z (ISO with Z)
2026-01-15T10:30:00 (ISO without Z)
2026-01-15 10:30:00 (Date with space)

Invalid examples:

01/15/2026 (US format not supported)
15/01/2026 (European format not supported)
January 15, 2026 (text format not supported)

Single-selection fields include: Status, Type, Location, Cost Code, Spec Section, Sub Job, Package, User field, Vendor field, and any single select custom field

Rules:

Value must exactly match an option from the reference sheet
Match is case-sensitive
Use the display name, not the ID
Empty cell = no change (for updates)
### = clear the field value

To find the whole list of valid values, navigate to the corresponding hidden sheet (e.g., “location_id” for locations)

4.5 - Multi-select dropdwon (lov_entries)

Format: Comma-separated values. E.g. for distribution, email addresses as follows:

user1@company.com, user2@company.com, user3@company.com

Reference the relevant sheet for valid emails
No spaces around commas is also valid

See Multi-Select Dropdown Fields Guide for advanced distribution list handling.

5 - Working with the Excel File

5.1 - Column Management

Removing Columns

Delete any columns you don’t want to import
Exception: Always keep the ID column for updates !
Mandatory columns can be removed without consequences for updates (not for creation)
Do NOT modify column headers

Adding Columns

All available fields can be included in the export
Column addition is not supported - start with a new export file if you removed too many columns

5.2 - Row Management

Removing Rows

Delete rows for items you don’t want to process
Keep the header rows (1-3) intact
Filter the sheet to identify rows to remove

Adding Rows

Fill rows to create new items
Leave the ID column empty for new items
IDs will be autmatically created upon creation
You can copy an existing row and modify values for consistency if you want to start from an existing item, but do not forget to remove the ID

5.3 - Handling Empty Fields

Empty Cells

Empty cells are ignored during import (field remains unchanged). However, as long there is a value, it will replace the existing value in Procore, and not complement it !
To clear a field value, enter ### in the cell (or copy-paste it from another cell if you are blocked with the drop-down lists): this tells the system to explicitly empty the field for this record

Multi-Valued Fields

Separate multiple values with commas: Value1, Value2, Value3
This applies to distribution lists, multi-select dropdowns, etc.
Ensure values match exactly those in the reference sheets (you have access to the sheets directly in the Excel)
See Multi-Select Dropdown Fields Guide for tips on multi-valued fields

Example: To add users to a distribution list, open the “login_information” sheet, copy email addresses, and paste them separated by commas.

5.4 - Using Reference Sheets

Reference sheets provide valid values for dropdown and lookup fields: At any time, you can unhide and navigate to the appropriate hidden sheet to verify the drop-downs or see the list of values. You can use this to copy/paste all values to your main page (e.g. creating one inspection per location)

6 - Import Process Details

6.1 - Pre-Import Validation

Before any data is written to Procore, the system does the following:

File Structure Check: Verifies headers match expected format
Data Type Validation: Ensures values match field data types
Mandatory Field Check: Confirms required fields are populated (unless disabled)
Reference Validation: Checks values exist in dropdown lists
Error Reporting: Highlights invalid cells in red with error messages in an “Output” column in the output file

6.2 - Import Execution

Once validation passes:

Items are processed sequentially
Creates are executed before updates
Process rate is approximately 10 items per second
Progress is tracked and displayed
Results are logged in real-time, with links to items in Procore

6.3 - Post-Import Output

After import completion:

Modified Excel File: Original file is downloaded with OUTPUT column showing results
- Success: URL to the created/updated item in Procore
- Error: Detailed error message
Log File: Complete processing log with timestamps and details
Email Notification: Both the Excel & the log file are sent via email from noreply@constructionadminhelper.com

7 - Limitations

7.1 - Performance Limits

Maximum Number of existing items for export: recommended below 5,000 items (test limit)
Maximum Items for reimport: 1,500 items per file (can do multiple batches successively)
Procore rate limiting: 3,600 items per hour - this is a hard limitation that cannot be overcome. The system tells you upfront if your import is going to reach the limit, in which case the import is not performed and the user has to wait for the reset at the end of the hour
Processing Speed: between 5 and 10 items per second depending on type
Rich Text Fields: Limited to ~25,000 characters per field

7.2 - Technical Constraints

File format must be .xlsx
Hidden fields in Procore fieldset are not included
Column headers must not be modified
Custom column addition is not supported
Some specific limitations exist by Procore tool - consult the specific support page for each

7.3 - Access Requirements

Admin-level permissions required for the specific tool in the specific project
Bulk import functionnality must be activated in Construction Admin Helper for your company and your user
Valid Procore API access token required
Technical account (if used) must have admin rights for the specific tool in the specific project

8 - Best Practices

8.1 - Before Export

Review your fieldset configuration in Procore
Identify which fields you need to modify
Determine if you need existing items or just the template
Plan your batch sizes (aim for 1,500 items maximum)

8.2 - During Modification

Work in a copy of the original file (although the original is always sent via email after export)
Use Excel’s filter feature to identify items to modify and remove the ones that do not need an update
Validate dropdown values against reference sheets
You can use check-only mode before actual import (in any case, the checking part will happen prior to the import)
Always verify the general order of magnitude of number of items before import and verify you have the right file

8.3 - During Import

Use stop-on-error for critical imports
Consider skipping email notifications for bulk operations
Monitor progress during large imports
Review log files for any warnings

8.4 - After Import

Verify a sample of imported items in Procore
Properly archive emails with input & output for audit trail

8.5 - For Large Volumes

Split into batches of 1,500 items
Process batches sequentially with delays (to avoid rate limiting)
Use consistent file naming for tracking

9 - Troubleshooting

9.1 - Common Issues

Import Fails Validation

Download a fresh export to get current data model
Check validation errors and modify values accordingly
Many errors come from legacy items that were not modified (e.g. assignees who are not in the project anymore, old data model, etc)

Slow Processing

Reduce batch size to 1,500 items
Remove unnecessary columns before import

Missing Fields

Verify fields are visible in Procore fieldset

Permission Errors

Verify admin-level access to the tool in the project
Confirm that the feature is activated for your user for your company

Multi-Select Dropdown Fields Guide (detailed handling of complex multi-valued fields)
Tool-specific guides for detailed field information and limitations