How to Upload Communities via CSV

Save time by uploading multiple communities at once using a CSV (Comma-Separated Values) file. This is perfect when you're migrating from another system or adding many properties.

Before You Start

What You'll Need

• A CSV file with your community data
• Community information (name, address, zipcode at minimum)
• Team member email addresses (if assigning managers)

Download the Template

We provide a template to make sure your file has the correct format:

1. Go to Communities page
2. Click "Upload CSV"
3. Click "Download Template" link
4. Open the template in Excel, Google Sheets, or a text editor

CSV File Format

Required Columns

Your CSV must include these columns:

• name: Community name (required)
• address: Full street address (required)
• zipcode: 5 or 9-digit zipcode (required)

Optional Columns

Include any of these optional columns:

• email: Community contact email
• external_community_id: Your internal property ID
• website_url: Property website
• status: "active" or "inactive" (defaults to "active")
• community_manager_email: Email of the community manager
• asset_manager_email: Email of the asset manager
• leasing_manager_email: Email of the leasing manager
• other_team_members_emails: Comma-separated list of additional team emails

Example CSV Format

name,address,zipcode,email,external_community_id,status,community_manager_email,asset_manager_email
Sunset Apartments,123 Main St,90210,leasing@sunset.com,PROP-001,active,john@company.com,jane@company.com
Riverside Complex,456 Oak Ave,94102,info@riverside.com,PROP-002,active,john@company.com,
Mountain View Estates,789 Hill Rd,80301,contact@mountain.com,PROP-003,inactive,,jane@company.com

Step-by-Step Upload Instructions

1. Prepare Your CSV File

1. Open the downloaded template
2. Fill in your community data (one row per community)
3. Ensure all required fields are filled
4. Save the file as CSV format

Important:

• Keep the header row (first row with column names)
• Don't add extra columns
• Use exact spelling for column names

2. Navigate to Upload Page

1. Go to Communities in the sidebar
2. Click "Upload CSV" button (top-right)
3. The upload modal will open

3. Upload Your File

1. Click "Choose File" or drag-and-drop your CSV
2. Select your CSV file
3. The file will be validated automatically

4. Review the Preview

After upload, you'll see a preview showing:

• Total rows in your file
• Valid rows that will be imported
• Invalid rows with error messages
• A sample of your data

Check for issues:

• Red rows indicate errors that must be fixed
• Error messages explain what's wrong
• Fix errors and re-upload if needed

5. Confirm Import

1. Review the preview carefully
2. Click "Import Communities"
3. Wait for the import to complete
4. You'll see a success message with count of imported communities

Validation Rules

Your CSV will be checked for:

Required Field Validation

• Name: Must not be empty
• Address: Must not be empty
• Zipcode: Must be 5 or 9 digits

Format Validation

• Email: Must be valid email format
• Website URL: Must start with http:// or https://
• Zipcode: Must be 5 digits (12345) or 9 digits (12345-6789)
• Status: Must be "active" or "inactive"

Manager Email Validation

• Email exists: Manager emails must match existing active team members
• Not found: If an email doesn't match any team member, that field will be skipped
• Multiple emails: Use commas to separate multiple emails (for other_team_members_emails)

Handling Errors

Common Errors and Solutions

"Invalid zipcode format"

• Use 5 or 9-digit format
• Remove spaces and special characters
• Correct: 90210 or 90210-1234

"Invalid email address"

• Check for typos in email addresses
• Ensure format is correct: user@domain.com
• Remove any spaces

"Manager email not found"

• The email doesn't match any active team member
• Invite the team member first, then re-upload
• Or leave the field empty and assign manually later

"Duplicate community name"

• A community with this name already exists
• Use a unique name or add distinguishing information
• Example: "Sunset Apartments - North"

"Invalid website URL"

• Add http:// or https:// prefix
• Example: https://www.property.com

Fixing Errors

1. Click "Cancel" to close the preview
2. Fix errors in your CSV file
3. Save the file
4. Upload again

What Happens After Import

Successful Import

• All valid communities are created
• You'll see a success message
• Communities appear in your Communities list
• Assigned managers receive notifications (if applicable)

Partial Import

• Valid rows are imported
• Invalid rows are skipped
• You'll see a summary of what was imported
• Fix invalid rows and upload them separately

Tips for Success

Before Upload

✅ Do:

• Test with a small file first (5-10 communities)
• Use the provided template
• Check all required fields are filled
• Verify email addresses match your team members
• Use consistent formatting

❌ Don't:

• Remove or rename columns
• Add extra columns not in the template
• Use special characters in zipcodes
• Include headers more than once
• Mix up column order

After Upload

✅ Do:

• Review imported communities on the Communities page
• Verify manager assignments are correct
• Update any missing information manually
• Keep a backup of your CSV file

Handling Large Files

Uploading many communities? Here are some tips:

• Break into batches: Upload 100-200 at a time
• Test first: Upload 5 sample rows to verify format
• Check progressively: Review each batch before uploading the next
• Save originals: Keep your source data as a backup

Advanced: Multiple Team Members

To assign multiple team members to a community's "Other Team Members":

1. Use the other_team_members_emails column
2. Separate emails with commas
3. No spaces around commas

Example:

other_team_members_emails
john@company.com,jane@company.com,bob@company.com

Common Scenarios

Migrating from Another System

1. Export communities from your old system
2. Map columns to our template format
3. Add manager email addresses
4. Import via CSV

Annual Data Update

1. Export current communities from Aryna
2. Update information in Excel
3. Re-import to update records
4. (Note: This will create duplicates - use Edit instead for updates)

Adding Properties in Bulk

1. Collect property information
2. Fill in the CSV template
3. Upload all at once
4. Assign managers later if needed

Troubleshooting

"Upload failed" error

• Check file size (must be under 10MB)
• Ensure file is CSV format (not Excel .xlsx)
• Try uploading fewer rows
• Contact support if issue persists

"File format not supported"

• Save as CSV, not Excel (.xlsx) or other formats
• Use "Save As" → "CSV (Comma delimited)"
• Try opening in a text editor to verify format

Some communities didn't import

• Check the preview for red error rows
• Review error messages for each failed row
• Fix errors and upload those rows separately

Alternative: Add One at a Time

Prefer to add communities individually? See How to Add Communities.

Related Articles

• How to Add Communities
• How to Edit Community Information
• CSV Template Format Guide
• Understanding Community Data Fields

Need Help?

Having trouble with your CSV upload?

• Email: support@aryna.ai (include your CSV file)
• Live Chat: Click the chat icon
• Phone: 1-800-279-6224

We can help you format your file correctly!