The mapping step is where you tell Studio which CSV column goes into which Studio field. Most of the work is done for you, but you'll always want to scan it before continuing.
Auto-Matching
Studio matches in this order, and stops at the first one that answers:
- Your saved setup: if you have imported a file like this one before, Studio reuses the mapping you ended up with last time. Your own corrections win over everything below.
- Source preset: if you picked a known source (Planning Center, Tithe.ly, etc.), Studio knows that source's exact column names and maps every column it recognizes.
- Common synonyms: if the preset misses a column, Studio tries common name variations:
firstname→ First Name,gift_date→ Gift Date,category→ Fund / Designation, etc. - Identity match: if a CSV column name happens to be the same as a Studio field name (
check_number→ Check Number), Studio picks that automatically.
The mapping screen shows how many columns auto-matched. Anything left on “Ignore this column” either has no Studio equivalent or didn't match any of the rules. Pick a Studio field manually for any of those you want to keep.
How Sure Studio Is About Each Match
Each matched column carries a small badge saying how it was matched, so you can check the shaky ones instead of re-reading all forty:
- Certain: it came from your saved setup or from the source preset. These are worth a glance, not a study.
- Likely: the column name is a known variation, or it is simply named after the Studio field.
- Guess: Studio matched on the shape of the column rather than its name. Read every one of these.
A column you set yourself carries no badge, because it is your answer rather than Studio's.
Saved Setups
When an import finishes, Studio quietly remembers the mapping against the shape of the file. Export the same report next month and the mapping is already filled in, with a banner at the top of the step naming the setup it recognized.
- Columns your file has gained since last time are called out, so a new column is not silently ignored.
- Start fresh in that banner throws the remembered mapping away and matches from scratch.
- Setups are per workspace, and you can rename or delete them under Imports → Saved setups.
There is nothing to turn on and nothing to save. Correcting a mapping is what teaches it.
The Glossary Panel
The right side of the mapping page lists every Studio field for the module you're importing, grouped Required first then Optional, with a short description of each. Use it to:
- Look up what a field means before you map a column to it.
- See at a glance which fields you've already mapped (green check) and which are still blank.
- Confirm you've covered every required field before running.
Required Fields
A few fields are required. If you don't map them, the import won't run. By module:
- People / Donors: an email, or First Name + Last Name (or Full Name, which Studio splits for you).
- Companies: Company Name.
- Giving: Gift Date and Amount, plus at least one donor identifier (External ID, Email, or Full Name).
- Recurring gifts: Amount and Frequency, plus at least one donor identifier.
- Invoices: Invoice Number, a client or a vendor, and an amount (Line Total, Rate, or Invoice Total).
- Events: Title and Start Date.
- Groups: Group Name.
- Check-in history: Service / Event, Checked In At, and one person identifier.
- Notes: the note text and one person identifier.
- Clients / Vendors: the client or vendor name.
- Projects: Project Title.
Not sure which column of yours is which? Download that module's template from Imports → Templates and compare. The template's headings are exactly what Studio recognizes, so renaming a column in your file to match the template is often faster than mapping it by hand.
Best-Match Donor Identifier
For the giving import, the Donor External ID is the strongest match key: it links every gift to the right person even if a donor uses different emails on different gifts. If your CSV has it, always map it.
Ignoring Columns
Set any column to “Ignore this column” if you don't want it imported. A common case: a tax_deductible Yes/No column has no equivalent in Studio (which assumes all gifts are tax-deductible by default), so it stays on Ignore.
Studio Splits Combined Fields For You
- Map a single “Full Name” column to Full Name (will be split): Studio creates first and last name fields automatically.
- Map a single “Address” column with the whole address on one line to Full Address (will be split): Studio parses out street, city, state, and zip.